We love talking about traits leading up to the NFL draft. Accuracy, arm strength and mobility for quarterbacks. Elusiveness, physicality and speed for offensive skill positions. Power and agility for linemen. Burst, tackling and range for front-seven defenders. And ball-hawking and instincts in the secondary. Prospect scouting reports are filled with detailed breakdowns in these departments. But who is truly the best in the 2024 class at each individual skill?
I put together my annual list of the best at everything -- the skill superlatives of this year's draft class -- for 90 different categories. Where do top prospects separate themselves? Which quarterback displays the best arm talent? Which wideout is the top route runner of the class? Who is the hardest-hitting defensive back or the most powerful edge rusher? I picked the best prospect for each trait, from the quarterbacks to the special-teamers.
Jump to positional traits:
QB | RB | WR/TE | OL | DL | LB | DB | ST
Most accurate passer: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Daniels completed 72.2% of his passes last season at LSU (seventh best in the nation) in a system that required him to attack all three levels of the route tree. He's a refined thrower who delivers the ball with anticipation and location, and he was off target on only 6.8% of his passes in 2023 (fourth best).
Strongest arm: Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee
Milton has the physical tools and arm strength to generate high-end velocity on the ball and challenge secondaries down the field. We saw his huge arm on display at the combine, where he let a few fly more than 70 yards downfield. His deep-ball accuracy has to improve, but Milton did throw eight touchdown passes of 30 or more air yards this past season.
Quickest release: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Williams has an electric release that allows him to deliver the ball with juice from various arm angles. It doesn't matter if it's three-step concepts, run-pass options or inside/outside the pocket. Similar to what we see from Aaron Rodgers, Williams makes it look effortless when releasing the ball.
Best pocket mobility: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
McCarthy has the movement skills to create space in tight quarters. When the walls start to close or opposing defenses send pressure, McCarthy will move around in the pocket and quickly reset his throwing window. His 52 QBR under pressure last season ranked eighth in the country.
Best field vision: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Daniels has a great ability to diagnose pressure and coverage, showing the skills to process through full-field reads. The Heisman Trophy winner threw 40 touchdown passes last season.
Best deep-ball thrower: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
Penix has the arm strength to rip throws to the third level, and he can put touch on the ball when targeting receivers on the boundary. Last season, Penix led the nation with 24 completions on throws of 30 or more air yards.
Most instinctive passer: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Williams has the second-reaction playmaking ability to escape pressure and create outside of structure. When throwing outside of the pocket last season, Williams recorded 835 yards, 11 touchdown throws and 15 completions of 20 or more yards -- all of which were tops in the nation.
Best decision-maker: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Oregon's Bo Nix fits here, too, but I'm going with Daniels because his offensive system at LSU asked more of him. Daniels threw just four interceptions last season, and on 97 passing attempts against the blitz, he had a fantastic 17-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He's very smart with the ball.
Best drive thrower: Drake Maye, QB, UNC
A high-velocity thrower, Maye has the arm talent to drive the ball to the middle of the field on seams and in-breakers. On throws of 15 or more air yards between the numbers, Maye had a QBR of 99.2 with 10 touchdown passes last season.
Best touch and timing: Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
I like Pratt here because of his ability to layer throws over second-level defenders and put touch on the deep ball. He posted a career-best 65.6% completion percentage in 2023 and threw for 90 touchdowns over his four seasons at Tulane.
Best passing mechanics: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
With efficient footwork and a calm upper body, Daniels displays the repetitive mechanics necessary to operate as a highly productive passer at the pro level.
Best off-platform thrower: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Williams shows the arm talent and body control to throw from multiple platforms. He's an accurate thrower on the move, with the ability to challenge defenses on home run throws. He threw 13 touchdown passes while either moving, shuffling or jumping last season.
Top designed rusher: Drake Maye, QB, UNC
In addition to his throwing traits, Maye has the physical profile at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds to be schemed as a situational runner on designed carries in the NFL. He can make an impact off zone reads, power runs, counters or QB draws. During his career at North Carolina, Maye had 579 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on designed carries.
Best scrambler: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Daniels posted 703 rushing yards and 25 first downs on 55 scramble attempts last season. He's a dynamic mover, with the speed to attack the edges and beat defensive pursuit angles in the open field.
Fastest rusher: Isaac Guerendo, RB, Louisville
Guerendo's 4.33-second 40-yard dash time led all running backs at this year's combine. He also averaged 6.1 yards per carry last season at Louisville, with 22 rushes of 10 or more yards.
Most elusive rusher: Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
In 10 games played for the Longhorns last season before tearing his ACL, Brooks evaded 30 tackles (tied for 11th in the country). He's a smooth and controlled runner with the second- and third-level elusiveness to shake defenders.
Most explosive rusher: Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee
Wright has the explosive straight-line speed to create big plays as a runner. He dropped a 4.38-second 40 time at the combine, and he logged 35 rushes of 10 or more yards for the Vols last season.
Most powerful rusher: Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin
At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Allen fits the profile of an old-school I-formation back in a pro system. An NFL team will be able to get Allen on a north-south track and let him hammer the ball downhill to produce in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He broke 77 tackles during his three seasons at Wisconsin, including 25 in 2023.
Best contact balance: Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon
A decisive runner who displays lower-body power and downhill juice, Irving has serious second-level contact balance. In 2023, he broke 44 tackles (fourth in the FBS) and averaged 3.8 yards per rush after first contact (13th).
Best receiving back: Dylan Laube, RB, New Hampshire
Laube can be set up as a receiver on screens or backfield releases, and he's a fluid route runner out of the slot. Last season, Laube caught 68 passes for 699 yards (more than any FBS rusher) and seven scores, including the 12 receptions, 295 yards and two touchdowns he produced against Central Michigan last September.
Most sudden rusher: MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC
Lloyd has the movement skills to operate as a sudden one-cut back in the NFL, and he can elevate his game as a receiver in a pro offense. Lloyd averaged 7.1 yards per carry for the Trojans last season.
Best rushing vision/instincts: Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
Corum is a highly instinctive runner with the vision to find daylight on both zone and gap schemes. This shows up when he's asked to press the line of scrimmage and find creases on short-yardage and goal-line carries. Corum totaled 27 rushing touchdowns for the national champs last season.
Best ball security as a ball carrier: Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Despite having 310 carries over his past two seasons at Florida State (top 50 in the FBS), Benson had only two fumbles -- and zero were lost. He's a physical runner with big-play chops and 4.39 speed, and he protects the ball extremely well.
Best pass-protecting back: Rasheen Ali, RB, Marshall
On 72 pass-blocking reps last season, Ali allowed zero sacks and a total of just two pressures. He challenges blitzing second-level defenders and has the skills to earn a role as a third-down back.
Best route runner: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Harrison is a savvy route runner with high-end coverage awareness and body control, and he will manipulate the leverage and cushion of opposing cornerbacks to uncover at all three levels of the field. He had 144 receptions on 745 routes over his final two seasons at Ohio State, giving him the nation's second-best yards per route run average over that time at 3.3. His game reminds me of DeAndre Hopkins.
Fastest pass-catcher: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Worthy's combine 40-yard dash time of 4.21 seconds is the fastest on record since at least 2003, so this is an easy one. He's a burner who can stretch defenses and run away from coverage on crossers and over routes.
Most explosive pass-catcher: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Nabers can float past defenders on slot fades and immediately shift gears after the catch to eat up grass in the open field. He's an explosive mover with big-play potential at every level of the field. Nabers had 34 receptions for 20 or more yards last season, the most in the country.
Most physical pass-catcher: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
With his 6-foot-1, 221-pound frame, Legette has the ability to play through contact, and he's physical at the catch point on vertical throws. Leggette had 13 contested catches in 2023, and 152 of his 1,255 receiving yards came after first contact.
Best seam-stretcher: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Bowers has the play speed to burst up the seams and the route-running ability to separate from man coverage. He averaged 12.8 yards per carry last season, and 33% of his routes were deep (fifth among tight ends).
Most versatile pass-catcher: DeAngelo Hardy, WR, North Central College
Hardy had 25 total touchdowns this past season -- 20 receiving, two rushing and three passing -- and finished his college career with 58 receiving scores. With scheme and alignment versatility, he is the Deebo Samuel of Division III football.
Most sudden pass-catcher: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
Mitchell has the sudden lower-body agility to set up and beat coverage defenders. That shows up on the tape against press coverage and at the top of the route.
Best after the catch: Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
Corley had 692 yards after the catch in 2023 -- fifth highest in the country -- and forced 17 missed tackles. At 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, he has the strong, compact frame to push through tacklers, as well as the vision to find cutback lanes as a ball carrier.
Best hands: Luke McCaffrey, WR, Rice
McCaffrey posted a drop rate of only 3.2% (four drops) on 126 targets at Rice last season. And the tape tells us that McCaffrey is a natural hands catcher who is able to secure the ball in heavy traffic areas and on contested one-on-ones. His 24 contested catches also tied for the most in the nation.
Best receiving instincts: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Harrison has the post-snap instincts to find open voids against zone coverage, and he creates opportunities for himself on second-reaction throws when the quarterback extends plays.
Best at getting open: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
McConkey has the change-of-direction speed to shake defenders at the break point and the route mechanics to separate in tight quarters. His tape is full of one-on-one wins versus SEC competition.
Best on 50-50 balls: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Odunze tied for the nation lead with 24 contested-catch receptions last season. At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, he shows the leaping ability to play above the rim. Odunze has the profile of a boundary X receiver in the NFL.
Most rugged mover: Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Sinnott has the rugged play style to tack on numbers after the catch. With 4.68 speed, he can move the chains in an NFL system. His 174 yards after first contact were fourth among tight ends in 2023.
Best ball tracker: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Thomas has the third-level separation ability and ball-tracking skills to create explosive plays in one-on-one matchups, helping him average 17.3 yards per catch in 2023. And on throws of 20 or more air yards last season, Thomas' 12 touchdown grabs led the nation.
Best ball security as a pass-catcher: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
Legette caught 113 passes during his career at South Carolina, and he didn't have a single fumble.
Best toe-tapper: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
Mitchell has the catch radius to make highlight grabs, but he also has the body control to get his feet down on the boundary or in the end zone.
Best in-line blocking tight end: AJ Barner, TE, Michigan
At 6-foot-6 and 251 pounds, Barner can align as a traditional in-line tight end to give a pro team a boost on the edges in the run game. Last season at Michigan, Barner had 354 run-blocking reps and "blew" only four blocks.
Best perimeter run-blocker: Tahj Washington, WR, USC
A slot target with special-teams upside, Washington is ready to compete as a run-blocker. He's aggressive and challenges defensive backs to free up space for ball carriers.
Best anchor: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
At 6-foot-6 and 342 pounds, Latham has the lower-body flexibility to sink at the point of attack, using his strength and frame to set an anchor against power rushers off the edge. He can stone defenders on contact.
Best OL lower-body quickness: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Fashanu has the lower-body control to kick out of his stance with speed in order to gain positioning on the edge. I also see the foot quickness for him to mirror pass-rushers and redirect, closing defenders' path to the quarterback. Fashanu allowed one sack over his career, which included 21 starts.
Most explosive OL: Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Washington
The short-area explosiveness shows up on the tape with Fantanu. He can pull with speed, drive back defenders and get out in space. He posted impressive 32.5-inch vertical and 9-foot-5 broad jumps at the combine.
Best handwork on OL: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Alt's game is centered around technique over power, and you see that on the tape with his hand usage. He has the length (34¼-inch arms) and hand quickness to stick pass-rushers off the jump.
Best play demeanor on OL: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
Powers-Johnson is a tenacious interior lineman with a nasty and ultra-competitive play style. That sells from a coaching perspective, especially at the center position. And it is part of the reason he did not allow a sack over 36 games in college.
Best at opening running lanes: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Latham is a road-grader up front, with the power and hand strength to displace defenders. He has the tools and physicality to immediately upgrade the run game for NFL teams. Over 856 career run-block snaps, he "blew" his block only 11 times -- and never more than five times in a season.
Best second-level blocker: Graham Barton, C, Duke
Barton has position versatility on the offensive line, but what stands out are his movement traits that allow him to climb and seal second-level defenders as a run-blocker. Barton is well-schooled at creating positive blocking angles once he gets into space.
Quickest first step: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
Robinson has an extremely sudden and quick first step; his 1.54-second 10-yard split on his 4.48-second 40-yard dash led the defensive end group at the combine. He launches off the ball, which puts him in a position to target the edges of offensive tackles.
Fastest closing speed to QB: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
Turner's closing speed jumps on the tape. He can close in a hurry, while using that short-area burst to track down quarterbacks looking to escape the pocket. He ran a 4.46 in the 40 at the combine -- tops for his position -- and notched 10 sacks and 46 pressures in his final season at Alabama.
Best pass-rush moves: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
The most refined pass-rusher in the class, Latu has a depository of counter moves from multiple alignments to create pressure on the quarterback. In his two seasons at UCLA, Latu had 23.5 sacks and got them in a variety of ways.
Best speed to power: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
Verse combines his initial speed off the ball with a powerful punch to take control of offensive tackles, walking them back into the pocket. Verse had nine sacks in each of his past two seasons at Florida State.
Most pursuit range: Jalyx Hunt, EDGE, Houston Christian
At 6-foot-4 and 252 pounds, Hunt has the speed and range to slice into the backfield or hunt down ball carriers as a backside pursuit defender. He had 133 tackles and 20.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, and he ran a 4.64 in the 40 at the combine.
Most explosive pass-rusher: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
You can see the explosive traits on the tape with Turner, and the combine testing numbers match up. At 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, Turner jumped 40½ inches in the vertical and 10-foot-7 in the broad.
Best motor: Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State
A high-effort rusher, Kamara posted 30.5 sacks during his college career. He's relentless getting after quarterbacks, which will show up late in the play. He has the traits that coaches want in the defensive line room.
Best run-game enforcer: T'Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas
Sweat has the frame and physical traits to change a team's defensive profile up front. At 6-foot-5 and 366 pounds, Sweat will command double-teams in the pros, and he has the size and power to own interior gaps in the run game. He had 16 run stops and nine tackles for loss in 2023.
Best dip/flatten: Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas
Booker has the ability to dip his pad level versus offensive tackles, creating a path to flatten his rush angle to the quarterback. The savvy Booker had eight sacks for the Jayhawks last season.
Best bull rush: Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE, Western Michigan
A powerful edge who plays with leverage to get under the pads of offensive tackles, Kneeland can dent the pocket and overwhelm blockers with his bull-rush ability. He had only 4.5 sacks last season, but he got pressure 36 times.
Best interior pass-rusher: Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
With his footspeed off the ball and a variety of counters to win interior matchups, Newton brings upside early in his career as an interior rusher. He had 7.5 sacks and 42 pressures for the Illini last season, and he totaled 18 sacks over his college career.
Best edge setter: Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
Robinson has the physical profile at 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds to set the edge. I see the upper-body power and length for him to disengage from blockers and the tools to produce against the run game in the NFL. He had 12.5 tackles for loss and 11 run stops last season.
Best hand usage: Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State
A high-energy defensive tackle, Fiske can win interior one-on-ones with his quick and active hands at the point of attack. He's a skilled technician.
Most disruptive: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
I like Murphy here as an interior penetrator who can create backfield chaos. Murphy had 6.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and 33 pressures last season. He projects as a 3-technique with the disruptive traits to produce in a pro front.
Best pass-lane swatter: Logan Lee, DT, Iowa
At 6-foot-5 and 281 pounds, Lee has a strong sense of finding interior passing lanes as a defensive lineman, extending his 32¼-inch arms to bat down throws. Lee ended up with four pass breakups for the Hawkeyes last season.
Best rusher on stunts: Gabriel Murphy, EDGE, UCLA
Murphy's game reminds me of Kyle Van Noy. He's an outside linebacker who fits best in a schemed front, where he can loop inside off stunts to hit open rush lanes or win interior matchups with guards. Murphy had eight sacks in 2023, and he has 122 pressures over the past three years.
Most second-level range: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
Cooper has the pursuit speed and range to produce as a three-down defender. In coverage, Cooper can run with tight ends or patrol the intermediate zones, and he will get to the edges quickly to make run game stops. His 4.51-second 40-yard dash was third among linebackers at the combine.
Best tackler: Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
Colson had 101 tackles last season for the Wolverines. He's a strong wrap-up tackler who creates downhill angles to cut off ball carriers.
Most instinctive at the second level: Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
Wilson is quick to clear his run/pass keys, which puts him in a position to close throwing windows or track the ball in the run game. He ran a 4.43 in the 40 at 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds at the combine, and he racked up 130 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions last season.
Best second-level blitzer: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson
Trotter had 5.5 sacks this past season at Clemson, using his footwork and body control to slip running backs in protection, creating a path to the QB. He consistently has a defined rush plan to win one-on-one.
Best second-level closing burst: Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky
Wallace can close with explosion to make run stops on the edges or seek out ball carriers on wide perimeter schemes. He is a run-and-hit defender with 4.51 speed, helping him to 75 tackles last season.
Best recovery speed: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Wiggins ran a 4.28 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, and we can see the straight-line speed on tape. He is a burner with the recovery quicks to get back in phase with wide receivers in coverage.
Best closing speed in coverage: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
I see Mitchell at his best when he can play off the ball, using his explosive closing speed to break downhill. It's part of the reason Mitchell -- who ran a 4.33 in the 40 at the combine -- had 15 pass breakups last season and 32 over the past two seasons.
Best pedal transition: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Arnold has an easy and controlled pedal, with the transition speed needed to plant and drive on the ball. He had five interceptions for the Crimson Tide in 2023.
Best backfield vision: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
With 4.39 speed and aggressive eyes, Melton can create on-the-ball production when playing from depth. It allows him to clue in to the backfield, and he recorded eight interceptions and 21 pass breakups over his college career.
Best coverage versatility: Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S, Texas Tech
At 5-foot-10 and 197 pounds, Taylor-Demerson can play from depth in the post or deep half, and he has the coverage ability to match in the slot. He ran a very quick 4.41-second 40 and finished the 2023 season with four interceptions.
Most physical in coverage: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
Despite being 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, Rakestraw is a competitive coverage corner who will challenge in press and throughout the route stem. He makes wide receivers work, getting his hands on them to jam and disrupt.
Best in the underneath zones: Cole Bishop, S, Utah
As an underneath defender, Bishop can police the hook-to-curl drops from receivers. At 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, he has the power in his pads to play as a top-down enforcer for a zone-heavy defense.
Best press-man technique: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
McKinstry has a really good feel for press-coverage technique, opting for footwork and patience over getting into a boxing match with his hands. McKinstry plays under control, sliding to cut off releases and keeping his pads square to redirect. He is recovering from a right foot injury, but he had 20 pass breakups over the past two seasons. And his 32.1% completion percentage allowed tied for 14th best in the nation in 2023.
Top ball hawk: Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa
DeJean had seven career interceptions at Iowa, returning three for pick-sixes. He's an instinctive playmaker with the coverage awareness and ball skills to create turnover opportunities.
Best run support outside: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
Lassiter plays with a pro demeanor in run support, setting an edge to the defense and tackling on the perimeter. There's a real physical element to his game at 186 pounds.
Best tight end matchup defender: Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State
With his long 6-foot-2, 216-pound frame, Oladapo has the physical skills to challenge and match tight ends in coverage. He broke up 22 passes over the past three years.
Best center-field range: Calen Bullock, S, USC
Bullock has the range of a centerfielder, shown by his 4.48-second run in the 40 at the combine. With the skills to track the ball vertically and overlap throws to the boundary, Bullock fits in a single-high pro system. He had nine career interceptions at USC.
Best secondary blitzer: Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
Sainristil has the nickel skill set to pressure and produce from the slot. In 2023, Sainristil recorded two sacks and 11 pressures. He's one of my favorite prospects to watch on tape.
Best coverage instincts: Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
Nubin had 13 picks during his career at Minnesota, using his instincts and route identification to find the ball from post and split-field alignments. He's an easy fit in today's NFL defensive schemes.
Best hitter: Daijahn Anthony, S, Ole Miss
A 6-foot and 195-pound top-down striker, Anthony will drop the hammer on contact, running straight through ball carriers. He delivered a big-time hit on LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels this season, forcing a fumble.
Best run support at third level: Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest
Mustapha is an urgent defender with downhill juice, and his tape is filled with NFL-level run-game stops. He stays on the back hip of ball carriers, creating a positive contact angle, and he's a strong wrap-up tackler on tape. Mustapha had 73 tackles and seven run stops last season.
Best punter: Tory Taylor, P, Iowa
Taylor averaged 48.2 yards per punt for the Hawkeyes last season, fifth best in the country. Plus, he had 30 kicks downed inside the 20-yard line, tied for the most. Taylor has a big frame at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, and he shows the leg strength to truly change field position.
Best kicker: Joshua Karty, K, Stanford
Karty made 85.2% of his kicks last season, hitting four of seven tries from 50 or more yards. With a long of 56 yards this past season, Karty has both the accuracy and the ability to hit from distance.
Best returner: Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa
DeJean has All-Pro upside as a returner. He's fearless, with the ball skills, vision, contact balance and straight-line burst to create big plays on special teams. At Iowa, DeJean had six punt returns of 20 or more yards and one touchdown. And he could be in the mix as returner on kickoffs, as well, given the new NFL rule changes.