The 2024 NFL draft class has one of the strongest top 100 players in recent memory. But it's quite thin in late-round projections thanks to NIL deals, extra collegiate eligibility and a small group of underclassmen.

NFL organizations weigh their options based on the composition of the class and the specific incoming talent crops at each position. To determine where the strengths and weaknesses of the '24 class, three basic qualifications have been taken into account:

1. Top-end talent
2. Depth
3. Overall quality

Obviously, talent evaluation is an inexact science. Even these qualifications are subjective. But they should provide an indication of how the '24 class stands as everyone prepares for the Chicago Bears to go on the clock in Detroit on April 25.

10. Linebacker

The state of the incoming linebacker class is abysmal. The position simply isn't valued as much it once was, and the talent pool reflects the lack of emphasis on playing off the ball.

At least last year's class had Jack Campbell taken 18th overall, though the next true linebacker didn't hear his name called until the third round.

This year, the Bleacher Report Scouting Department doesn't have a single linebacker ranked in its top 55.

Texas A&M's Edgerrin Cooper is the highest-rated prospect. The consensus All-American is a run-and-chase linebacker whose greatest asset is his fluidity in space. Though questions remain about his slight frame and physicality.

"Overall, Cooper is a bit of a project who might take a year or two to catch on," B/R scout Matt Holder wrote. "But in a weak linebacker class, he'll be one of the top options available at the position."

Beyond Cooper, the quintet of Clemson's Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Michigan's Junior Colson, North Carolina State's Payton Wilson—the reigning Butkus Award winner—Ohio State's Tommy Eichenberg and North Carolina's Cedric Gray are the few options to provide starting potential early in their careers.

9. Tight End

Thank goodness for Georgia's Brock Bowers. Otherwise, the tight end class just might find itself as the weakest position group in this year's draft class.

Bowers significantly skews the overall value of the group because he's arguably the best tight end prospect of all time.

Ranked fifth in school history in receiving yards, Bowers is a two-time first-team All-American, John Mackey Award winner and national champion. He's such a dynamic threat in the passing game that he really shouldn't be viewed strictly as a tight end.

"Bowers is a rare, explosive play threat from the tight end position," B/R scout Derrik Klassen wrote. "Anytime he touches the ball, he could go for a house call.

"Bowers has exceptional burst and speed. He tears away from most defenders once he gets the angle on them, and he rarely gets caught from behind. Being a little lighter at 240 pounds certainly helps, but he can explode even compared to other guys his size."

From there, no definitive option exists for TE2.

Penn State's Theo Johnson and Illinois' Tip Reiman helped the position's case with elite testing numbers despite mediocre collegiate production.

Ohio State's Cade Stover and Texas' Ja'Tavion Sanders can both make a case to be the second tight end off the board. The rest of the position group is projected for Day 3.

8. Safety

This year's safety class looked so much better before the NFL combine.

Generally speaking, the position group has some good players who will find roles at the next level. However, some of the bigger names surely disappointed during their predraft workouts.

Miami's Kamren Kinchens is a prime suspect. The class' top-ranked safety throughout most of the process posted a horrific 1.83 (out of 10) relative athletic score with his combine performance, according to Pro Football Focus' Kent Lee Platte.

To be completely fair, Kinchens glided throughout the positional workout and looked like the same smooth defender seen on tape. But it's clear his overall athleticism is suspect.

A similar concern arose for Minnesota's Tyler Nubin upon testing at Minnesota's pro day. Nubin is one of the class' best at anticipating throws, driving on the ball and making plays. Yet he's not an exceptional athlete.

Oregon State's Kitan Oladapo is a bigger defender (6'2", 216 lbs), so less explosive testing numbers are expected, though it potentially limits how he's deployed in an NFL defense.

It's hard to overlook these things among top safety prospects, because the gap between the NFL and college football is immense. A lost step or two could make all the difference between giving up a big play.

On the flip side, prospects such at Utah's Cole Bishop and Washington State's Jaden Hicks performed better than expected when tested. Fellow Ute Sione Vaki is a good all-around athlete, hence why he can also play running back.

A give-and-take exists with this year's safeties. No strong first-round option exists. But the group has varying skill sets that can fit roles depending on scheme.

7. Running Backs

At this point, everyone understands the running back position isn't going to be in high demand.

Rare exceptions do exist. After all, both Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs heard their names called among last year's top 12 picks. However, the 18 drafted running back proved to be the second-smallest class overall since 2010.

All in all, the incoming class may be a pinch deeper. But it lacks star power. The 2024 group looks to be the third in the last 10 years not to feature a first-round option.

The biggest blow to the group occurred when Texas' Jonathon Brooks suffered a torn ACL in November. At the time, the backup-turned-starter emerged as RB1 by accumulating 1,425 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns in 10 games. He's expected to be fully recovered and cleared by July 1. His draft status will take a hit in the meantime, though.

With Brooks' injury, Notre Dame's Audric Estimé became the class' top-rated running back almost by default. Though red flags were raised when he ran a 4.71-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, he eased some concerns with a 4.58-second effort at the Notre Dame pro day.

Florida State's Trey Benson has breakaway speed with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. Wisconsin's 235-pound Braelon Allen is a plow horse of a lead back. Tennessee's Jaylen Wright is another big play waiting to happen. Michigan's Blake Corum is a well-decorated runner who excels in short-yardage and red-zone situation. Clemson's Will Shipley is a well-rounded back capable of contributing in both phases. Oregon's Bucky Irving, Louisville's Jawhar Jordan and USC's MarShawn Lloyd provide third-down value. Kentucky's Ray Davis may be the best pure runner of the bunch, but he's a subpar athlete.

Considering everyone mentioned, the running back crop is solid. It just lacks a special talent.

6. Defensive Line

No position has evolved more over the last 20 years than defensive tackle.

Back in 2004, Ted Washington, Keith Traylor, Sam Adams and Casey Hampton were still in the league as massive space-eaters.

With the continued spread of offensive schemes and heavier reliance on the passing game, true nose tackles have gone nearly extinct. Instead, teams want interior defenders who can be disruptive and collapse the pocket. Let's call it the Aaron Donald effect.

Bigger defenders need to show they have some value on passing downs or their draft stock will plummet like a stone in water.

Unsurprisingly, this incoming group is headlined by undersized defenders who are more than capable of creating havoc in the backfield.

Texas' Byron Murphy II and Illinois' Jer'Zhan Newton are both sub-6'2" options that hover around that 300-pound mark. But Murphy led the Big 12 in quarterback pressures regardless of position and Newton managed 7.5 sacks this past season despite a foot injury. As a result, both should find themselves in the first-round mix.

Ohio State's Michael Hall Jr. is in the same mold as the previous two, though he's not ranked quite as highly. Hall showed up at the Buckeyes pro day weighing 299 and crushed his workout.

Clemson's Ruke Orhorhoro and Florida State's Braden Fiske are both exceptional athletes. Missouri's Darius Robinson and Oregon's Brandon Dorlus present position flexibility as potential base ends who reduce down in sub-packages.

Texas' T'Vondre Sweat is the outlier. The reigning Outland Trophy winner is a 360-plus-pound nose tackle who can be a bulldozer. He must show more consistency as a pass-rusher.

LSU's Maason Smith and Miami's Leonard Taylor III entered this year with first-round projections. Neither quite lived up to that standard, but their potential remains fascinating.

This defensive tackle class isn't spectacular, but it is rock-solid from top to bottom.

5. Cornerbacks

NFL organizations draft as if they can't have too many good cornerbacks, which is true. On average, 34 cornerbacks have been selected over the last five classes. That average has risen to 37 over the past three classes.

Even if this year's class isn't quite as big, it's still going to dominate the draft because of positional value and need. As stated earlier, the depth on the back end of this year's class isn't good. But it's easy to envision teams taking a chance on a premium position in hopes of landing gold late in the process.

The incoming crop doesn't have a true star among its class, either.

Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell and Alabama's Terrion Arnold are legitimate top-15 prospects. But they're not expected to go in the top 10. Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry entered the season as CB1, lost some ground to Mitchell and Arnold throughout the evaluation process and is currently dealing with a Jones fracture.

Iowa's Cooper DeJean could have been in the mix for the top cornerback prospect, but he suffered a broken fibula during a November practice, which derailed his predraft preparation.

Beyond those first-round possibilities, quality depth can be found.

Clemson's Nate Wiggins, Oregon's Khyree Jackson and Iowa State's T.J. Tampa will be considered sooner rather than later for squads in search of secondary help.

Once NFL organizations find themselves squarely in the second- and third-round mix, the grouping of Georgia's Kamari Lassiter, Notre Dame's Cam Hart, Michigan's Mike Sainristil, Missouri's Ennis Rakestraw III and Kris Abrams-Draine, Rutgers' Max Melton and Louisville's Jarvis Brownlee Jr. provide varying skill sets to fit different roles.

Again, far more cornerbacks will come off the board during Day 3. The overall quality simply won't be quite to the same level as previous years based on the overall composition found among this year's class.

4. Edge-Rusher

Over the last two draft classes, the Bleacher Report Scouting Department had edge-defenders ranked No. 1 overall with Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux followed by Alabama's Will Anderson Jr.

This year's class doesn't have the same heavyweight prospect near the top, but it certainly has plenty of potential and variety in what could turn out to be the best position group when looking back at this class a few years from now.

In general, pass-rushers are considered a premium position and highly sought after. But this year's class is offense-heavy near the very top, with quarterbacks, wide receivers and at least one offensive tackle expected to come off the board before a defensive prospect is selected.

Florida State's Jared Verse and Alabama's Dallas Turner headline the group, with the potential to sneak into the top 10 overall. These two prospects are on the opposite sides of the spectrum.

Verse is a small-school transfer who turns 24 during during the upcoming season. He went back to Florida State to refine his technique. The 21-year-old Turner, meanwhile, entered the Crimson Tide program as a 5-star recruit and he's still a work-in-progress after only one season as the team's primary pass-rusher. Both are excellent athletes, but who comes off the board first will depend on what teams value most.

UCLA's Laiatu Latu and Penn State's Chop Robinson are both expected to land in the first round as well.

On Day 2, NFL front offices will look at Washington's Bralen Trice, Utah's Jonah Elliss, Alabama's Chris Braswell, Western Michigan's Marshawn Kneeland, Kansas' Austin Booker and Penn State's Adisa Isaac. In that group, one can land a power-rusher (Trice) or a speed-rusher (Isaac) or someone with fantastic length and upside (Booker).

These are just the options expected to be selected before the third round ends. Pass-rushers of all shapes and sizes can be found among this group.

3. Quarterbacks

Considering that quarterbacks could realistically hear their names called with each of the first three or four selections, some may argue the position should be ranked higher than third on this list.

Yes, some combination of USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy will likely be selected among this year's top five.

This group isn't artificially inflated by their positional value, either.

Williams displays awesome natural arm talent and playmaking skills. Maye is the prototype as an athletic 6'4", 223-pound build with the ability to fire lasers. Daniels is one of the most dynamic runners and deep passers to enter the professional ranks. McCarthy is a natural leader with good pocket presence and mobility.

But what happens after the point is reached where those four are off the board? It gets a little dicey.

Washington's Michael Penix Jr. surprised many with a 40-yard dash that was clocked as low as 4.46 (though many had him in the 4.5s) at the Huskies pro day. Considering he endured two torn ACLs during his collegiate career, it's an outstanding number. His whiplike throwing motion and ability to spin the ball so well, on top of surprising movement skills, could very well push him into the first round.

Oregon's Bo Nix set the FBS record this past season with a 77.4 completion percentage, but the type of throws he was routinely asked to make in the Ducks offense won't necessarily translate.

After those six options, the position turns into a wasteland. Maybe South Carolina's Spencer Rattler presents some starting upside as a Day 2 possibility. That's about it. It's a very talented but top-heavy group.

2. Offensive Line

All offensive line positions will be lumped together based purely on the fact some teams will project certain talents differently than others.

For example, Washington's Troy Fautanu and Oregon State's Taliese Fuaga can be viewed as offensive tackle or guard prospects.

Instead of trying to differentiate in multiple cases, they'll all fall under the same umbrella in what looks to be an exceptional group.

Typically, quality offensive line prospects are few and far between based on limitations at the collegiate level—both regarding practice time and schematic usage—where they're not necessarily prepared for the professional level. But this year's crop is different.

Notre Dame's Joe Alt is the son of a former Pro Bowl offensive tackle John Alt. He plays like it, too. Despite being an impressive 6'9" and 321 pounds, the incoming prospect is the class' most fundamentally sound blocker. He's also an elite athlete. His profile screams future top-10 pick.

A year ago, Penn State's Olu Fashanu probably would have been the first offensive lineman selected. He chose to return for another year and he remains a quality option for the top half of the first round. Fashanu is the most natural pass-blocker among the incoming crop.

Alabama's JC Latham and Georgia's Amarius Mims are massive human beings who will fit in nicely at right tackle. Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton and BYU's Kingsley Suamataia are both first-round possibilities.

Fautanu has the length and athleticism to start anywhere already the front five. The same can be said of Duke's Graham Barton. Fuaga will rattle the teeth of defenders upon contact.

Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson, who's the class' top-rated center, is a forklift of a human being able to lift and move defenders with ease. West Virginia's Zach Frazier could have made the case as the top pivot but he suffered a broken fibula during the final play of his collegiate career. Still, he presents first-round talent.

Among the pure guards, Kansas State's Cooper Beebe is a grizzly bear of a blocker, Connecticut's Christian Haynes is an exceptional zone run-blocker, and Boston College's Christian Mahogany is another powerful option at the point of attack.

Potential tweeners can be found in Arizona's Jordan Morgan and Kansas' Dominick Puni since they'll probably move inside to guard after playing tackle at the collegiate level.

The fact that far more names can still be mentioned shows how deep this year's O-line class is.

1. Wide Receiver

Wide receiver has three major factors working in its favor as to why it is this year's best position group.

First, Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. is the class' No. 1-ranked prospect, according to the Bleacher Report Scouting Department.

"Harrison is a slam-dunk prospect," Klassen wrote in the wide receiver's scouting report. "He is a twitched-up athlete with polished route-running ability and elite ball skills. It's so easy to see how his game translates right away. Harrison would be an instant No. 1 WR for most offenses."

Second, LSU's Malik Nabers and Washington's Rome Odunze are legitimate top-10 talents, each of whom could be the WR1 in multiple other draft classes.

Even taking that exceptional trio out of the equation, LSU's Brian Thomas Jr., Florida State's Keon Coleman, Michigan's Roman Wilson and Texas' Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy could all find themselves in the first round.

Finally, a minimum of 20 prospects should carry draftable grades beyond those already mentioned. No fewer than 27 wide receiver prospects have been chosen in each of the classes since the start of the 2010 draft. Wide receiver is a position where quality prospects are continually produced because of the prevalence of pass-happy offenses starting at the high school level.

Every team needs at least three or four threats, and they draft accordingly. Inevitably, a mid-to-late-round wide receiver will produce. That should be expected after seeing what the likes of Puka Nacua, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Darnell Mooney have done early in their careers.

The wide receiver position checks off each of the earlier qualifications when it comes top-notch talent, depth and overall quality.