Cowboys, Raiders, Bears, Chiefs Top Chad Reuter's 2024 NFL Draft Day 1 Grades

Teams drafting both early and late during the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night earned top grades from NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter.

Reuter gave A grades to the Chicago Bears for drafting former USC quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1 alongside Washington receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9, and to the Las Vegas Raiders for reacting to a sudden lack of available quarterbacks by selecting Georgia tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13.

He also awarded the Kansas City Chiefs top marks for trading up to No. 28 and snagging speedy wide receiver Xavier Worthy, and to the Dallas Cowboys after they traded down to No. 29 and drafted Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton.

Reuter described the Bears' selection of Williams and Odunze as the beginning of "a new offensive era in Chicago."

The Bears will hope Williams can lead them back to the playoffs after three consecutive postseason misses behind former Chicago quarterback Justin Fields.

Raiders general manager Tom Telesco told reporters after the draft that Las Vegas had "looked into" trading up for a quarterback.

When no moves were available—and with six signal-callers already gone within the top 12 picks—Reuter wrote Telesco made the right move by turning to Bowers, even after the Raiders also used a high 2023 pick on tight end with their selection of Michael Mayer at No. 35.

Bowers will "be an instant-impact performer for whoever plays quarterback for the Raiders in 2024," Reuter wrote.

Later in the first round, the Chiefs traded up with the Buffalo Bills to select Worthy, who broke an NFL Scouting Combine record with his 4.21-second 40-yard dash in March.

The Cowboys went the other way and selected below Kansas City but used the pick to choose Guyton as a replacement for longtime stalwart Tyron Smith.