Will 2024 NFL Draft be historical family affair?
Over the next three days, around 257 families are expected to celebrate – starting from the 2024 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick on Thursday evening to the yearly “Mr. Irrelevant” selection on Saturday afternoon.
It’s also possible that a record number of families could be celebrating a familiar feeling.
According to NFL Research, the record for the highest number of players selected in a single draft during the NFL Common Draft era, whose fathers also played in the league, is 11. This record was set in 2020.
According to NFL Research, the record for the most players drafted with fathers who were former Pro Bowlers is four, set in 2011.
The 2024 NFL Draft could set new standards, with an abundance of NFL prospects with recognizable surnames likely to be announced.
The most prominent of the bunch is Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., son of Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison. The younger Harrison is likely to go in the top five.
Thereafter, Notre Dame offensive lineman Joe Alt — son of former Pro Bowl OL John Alt; Southern Miss’ Frank Gore Jr., son of Frank Gore — the NFL’s No. 3 all-time rusher; USC wide receiver Brenden Rice, the son of Hall of Fame legend Jerry Rice; and Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, the son of multi-time All-Pro defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, will be worth monitoring all the way through the third and final day of the draft on Saturday.
Notable prospects with NFL fathers
| Prospect | NFL father |
|---|---|
| RB Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss | RB Frank Gore* |
| WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State | WR Marvin Harrison* |
| WR Luke McCaffrey, Rice | WR Ed McCaffrey* |
| WR Terique Owens, Missouri State | WR Terrell Owens* |
| WR Brenden Rice, USC | WR Jerry Rice* |
| WR Jordan Whittington, Texas | RB Arthur Whittington |
| OL Joe Alt, Notre Dame | OT John Alt* |
| OL Javon Foster, Missouri | DL Jerome Foster |
| OL Drake Nugent, Michigan | QB Terry Nugent |
| DL Jonah Elliss, Utah | DL Luther Elliss* |
| DL Jaylen Harrell, Michigan | LB James Harrell |
| DL Kris Jenkins, Michigan | DT Kris Jenkins* |
| LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson | LB Jeremiah Trotter* |
*Denotes making at least one Pro Bowl
The family ties aren’t just of the father-son variety, either. There are some such as Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey, who’s the younger brother of 49ers standout Christian McCaffrey. Of course, he’s also the son of longtime NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey.
San Francisco boasts a wealth of hereditary talent in the draft, including the previously mentioned Rice, McCaffrey, and Terique Owens. Owens, a product of Missouri State, is the son of Hall of Famer Terrell Owens.
John Lynch, the Niners general manager, believes that NFL talent can be genetic.
“On Monday, through a team transcript, Lynch expressed his belief in bloodlines. He emphasized his conviction, stating that there is evidence supporting it. However, he acknowledged the need for evaluation and the challenges it may present. He highlighted the importance of having multiple perspectives,” Lynch said.
There’s an inherent pressure on these guys due to who their father is, but they also possess good genes, which is important. It’s thrilling to witness the great, Hall of Fame players, their siblings, and it’s really enjoyable. T.O.’s appearance at the local pro day was impressive, and even more so was his son Terique’s performance. I remember playing against T.O., and seeing his son running at me had a familiar feeling. It was his gait, very similar to his father’s. It’s fascinating to observe this genetic or possibly learned trait. It adds an intriguing dimension to this year’s draft that will be interesting to watch unfold.
Notable prospects with NFL siblings
| Prospect | NFL brother |
|---|---|
| WR Luke McCaffrey, Rice | RB Christian McCaffrey |
| WR Ainias Smith, Texas A&M | DB Maurice Smith |
| OL Patrick Paul, Houston | OL Chris Paul |
| DL Jonah Elliss, Utah | LB Kaden Elliss |
| LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State | OL Liam Eichenberg |
| DB Max Melton, Rutgers | WR Bo Melton |
Like Luke McCaffrey and Brenden Rice, Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has more than one NFL familial tie, as his father was a Pro Bowl linebacker and his cousin Terrance Ganaway was also an NFL player.
The senior Trotter was a Pro Bowler for the Eagles. Like Lynch, Philadelphia’s general manager Howie Roseman also doesn’t mind seeing familiar names on jerseys.
“I’m biased towards our hometown players. I’m biased towards the people who have legacy with this franchise,” Roseman said, via the team website, on April 16. “So, I think that’s hard, and I think that’s why, you know, when Coach talked about getting a lot of the information and trying to get myself out of that moment, and you know, just trying to make the best decision for the Philadelphia Eagles and not make it an emotional decision.”
Notable prospects with NFL relatives
| Prospect | NFL relation |
|---|---|
| QB Joe Milton III, Tennessee | WR Anquan Boldin (cousin) |
| RB Audric Estime, Notre Dame | DL Terrence Fede (cousin) |
| RB Kendall Milton, Georgia | LB Kevin Hardy (uncle) |
| WR Brenden Rice, USC | OT Rick Cunningham (stepfather) |
| OL Jacob Monk, Duke | LB Quincy Monk (uncle) |
| OL Kingsley Suamataia, BYU | OT Penei Sewell (cousin) |
| DL Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson | CB Michael Ojemudia (cousin) |
| LB Jeremiah Trotter, Jr., Clemson | RB Terrance Ganaway (cousin) |
| LB Nathaniel Watson, Miss. St. | FB Harold Morrow (uncle) |
| DB Ryan Cooper Jr., Oregon State | CB Nahshon Wright (cousin) |
| DB Josh Proctor, Ohio State | RB Patrick Collins (uncle) |
The 2024 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night in Detroit with Round 1, and will continue on Friday with Rounds 2-3, and on Saturday with Rounds 4-7.
Every day potentially holds numerous reminders of the NFL’s past glory as the future stars of the league assume their positions.
