Recap: Detroit sets attendance record, 13 Wolverines selected in 2024 NFL Draft

Kameron Goodwill
The Detroit News

The final day of the 2024 NFL Draft has ended as a success for the Detroit Lions, the Michigan Wolverines football program, and the city of Detroit itself.

Many records were set in Detroit during the three-day event, none more impressive by the city than setting the NFL Draft attendance record with 775,000 people. The announcement of the record was made by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who also came out to announce the first Day 3 selection for the Lions.

Of course, there was no other college that could've dominated the draft class like Michigan, who led all programs with 13 overall selections, the third-most one school has had since the draft moved to a seven-round format in 1994. The last two Wolverine picks went back-to-back, with edge rusher Jaylen Harrell going at No. 252 to the Tennessee Titans and wide receiver Cornelius Johnson being taken at No. 253 by the Los Angeles Chargers.

As for the Lions, they made two choices each in the fourth and six rounds. Offensive linemen Giovanni Manu and Christian Mahogany were selected at Nos. 126 and 210, respectively, while safety/running back Sione Vaki went at No. 132 and Mekhi Wingo was selected at No. 189.

Draft recap

Round 7, Pick 257: Alabama safety Jaylen Key is Mr. Irrelevant as he's chosen by the Jets with final pick of 2024 NFL Draft

Round 7, Pick 256: Broncos draft South Carolina center Nick Gargiulo

Round 7, Pick 255: Penn State CB Kalen King heads to the Packers

Round 7, Pick 254: Rams take guard KT Leveston from Kansas State

Round 7, Pick 253: Chargers and Harbaugh takes another Ex-Wolverine, receiver Cornelius Johnson

This time, Jim Harbaugh takes a former player from the offensive side of the ball, the Chargers going back-to-back on receivers with their final picks. Johnson played all 15 games and started in all but one of them.

Round 7: Pick 252: Titans select edge rusher Jaylen Harrell from Michigan

And that will make 12 Wolverines taken in this draft class. Harrell led the team in sacks with 6.5 in the 2023 season and tied with 9 tackles for loss while starting all 15 games.

Round 7, Pick 251: 49ers select Florida State linebacker Tatum Bethune

Round 7, Pick 250: Ravens take Purdue safety Sanoussi Kane with their final draft pick

Round 7, Pick 249: Texans take Michigan tackle LaDarius Henderson with their final pick

How about one more Wolverine? Henderson started at Arizona State but transferred to Michigan for his final year, where he started 10 games for the National Champions.

Round 7, Pick 248: Chiefs draft C.J. Hanson, guard from Holy Cross

Round 7, Pick 247: Auburn DT Marcus Harris drafted to the Texans

Round 7, Pick 246: Buccaneers select tight end Devin Culp from Washington

Round 7, Pick 245: Packers pick QB Michael Pratt from Tulane

Round 7, Pick 244: Cowboys don't take a running back, draft DT Justin Rogers from Auburn

Round 7, Pick 243: Cincinnati DT Jowon Briggs stays in Ohio, selected by the Browns

Round 7, Pick 242: Titans draft safety James Williams from Miami

Round 7, Pick 241: Another USC receiver is drafted as Tahj Washington is selected by Dolphins

Round 7, Pick 240: Panthers take linebacker Michael Barrett from Michigan

Panthers use their final pick to take a Wolverine, making it 10 players from Michigan's 2023 National Championship roster drafted in this class. Barrett played the most games in program history.

Round 7, Pick 239: Saints select tackle Josiah Ezirim from Eastern Kentucky

Round 7, Pick 238: USC edge rusher Solomon Byrd drafted by Texans

Round 7, Pick 237: Bengals draft center Matt Lee from Miami

Round 7, Pick 236: Jaguars select defensive end Myles Cole from Texas Tech

Round 7, Pick 235: Utah receiver Devaughn Vele going to the Broncos

Round 7, Pick 234: Colts take defensive tackle Jonah Lalau from Oklahoma

Round 7, Pick 233: Dallas takes another offensive lineman, tackle Nathan Thomas from Louisiana

Round 7, Pick 232: Vikings go again, taking DT Levi Drake Rodriguez from Texas A&M-Commerce

Round 7, Pick 231: Patriots use their final pick on offense, selecting tight end Jaheim Bell from Florida State

Round 7, Pick 230: Vikings select Wake Forest center Michael Jurgens

Round 7, Pick 229: CB M.J. Devonshire drafted to the Raiders

Round 7, Pick 228: Ravens take Spartan Nick Samac

It took until the seventh round, but someone from Michigan State finally gets drafted. Samac started 32 games at center for the Spartans, but at best will be a backup to starting center Tyler Lindenbaum for the Ravens.

Round 7, Pick 227: Browns select CB Myles Harden from South Dakota

Round 7, Pick 226: With 12th and final selection of the 2024 draft, the Cardinals take Miami CB Jaden Davis

Round 7, Pick 225: USC receiver Brenden Rice is selected by the Chargers

Looks like Jim Harbaugh will take a chance on Brenden Rice, who is indeed the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. No one expects him to be line his father, but Rice was impressive in this last season at USC, leading the team with 12 receiving touchdowns and being on the second-team All-Pac-12 Conference.

Round 7, Pick 224: Ole Miss safety Daijahn Anthony is taken by the Bengals

Round 7, Pick 223: Raiders draft safety Trey Taylor from Air Force

Round 7, Pick 222: Commanders select Javontae Jean-Baptiste, edge rusher from Notre Dame

Round 7, Pick 221: Bills take guard Travis Clayton

Now let's start the final round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bills select the 6'7, 301 pound guard from the International Pathway Program in England, and Clayton is actually in Detroit wearing his home country's flag to walk the stage.

Round 6, Pick 220: Buccaneers select guard Elijah Klein from UTEP with last pick on sixth round

Round 6, Pick 219: Penn State CB Daequan Hardy goes to the Bills

Round 6, Pick 218: Ravens take QB Devin Leary from Kentucky

Round 6, Pick 217: Rams' fourth sixth round selection is center Beaux Limmer from Arkansas

Round 6, Pick 216: Cowboys select receiver Ryan Flournoy from Southeast Missouri State

Round 6, Pick 215: USC guard Jarrett Kingston drafted by 49ers

Round 6, Pick 214: Bengals take Ole Miss edge rusher Cedric Johnson

Round 6, Pick 213: Texas receiver Jordan Whittington drafted to Rams

Round 6, Pick 212: Another kicker is selected, Jaguars taking Cam Little from Arkansas

Round 6, Pick 211: Chiefs select CB Kamal Hadden from Tennessee

Round 6, Pick 210: Lions go with offensive line, take guard Christian Mahogany from Boston College

Another offensive line pick in Day 3 for Detroit. Mahogany was also projected to be taken in the fourth round, as he did finish first-team All-ACC in 2023 while starting 12 games at right guard. He did suffer an ACL tear that forced him to miss the 2022 season.

Round 6, Pick 209: Another kickeer is drafted as Rams select Joshua Karty from Stanford

Round 6, Pick 208: Raiders draft New Hampshire RB Dylan Laube

Round 6, Pick 207: Seahawks take another offensive lineman, tackle Michael Jerrell from Findlay

Round 6, Pick 206: Browns select linebacker Nathaniel Watson from Mississippi State

Round 6, Pick 205: Louisville RB Jawhar Jordan drafted to Texans

Round 6, Pick 204: Bills go with offensive tackle Tylan Grable from UCF

Round 6, Pick 203: First kicker of the draft is drafted, Alabama's Will Reichard taken by Vikings

Round 6, Pick 202: Packers take another tackle, Travis Glover from Georgia State

Round 6, Pick 201: CB Micah Abraham from Marshall taken by Colts

Round 6, Pick 200: Another defensive tackle drafted as Mississippi State's Jaden Crumedy goes to the Panthers

Round 6, Pick 199: Saints take DT Khristian Boyd from Northern Iowa

Round 6, Pick 198: Cal safety Patrick McMorris selected by Dolphins

Round 6, Pick 197: Falcons draft another defensive tackle, Georgia's Zion Logue

Round 6, Pick 196: Rams take another DT, Tyler Davis from Clemson

Round 6, Pick 195: Steelers select CB Ryan Watts from Texas

Round 6, Pick 194: Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan taken by Bengals

Round 6, Pick 193: Patriots draft another QB, Joe Milton III from Tennessee

Talk about Michigan connections, as Milton started out as Wolverine before transferring to sit behind former Tennessee QB and current Lions QB Hendon Hooker. He started in 2022 after Hooker got injured late in the season, and became the starting QB in 2023.

Round 6, Pick 192: Seahawks take CB D.J. James from Auburn

Round 6, Pick 191: UAB receiver Tejhuan Palmer selected by Cardinals

Round 6, Pick 190: Eagles take guard/center Dylan McMahon from NC State

Round 6, Pick 189: Lions trade up again, draft DT Mekhi Wingo from LSU

Sensing a pattern here, as the Lions trade up again to select the third defensive tackle taken from LSU in the 2024 draft. The 6'0, 284 pound interior lineman was projected to go in the fourth round, but did miss seven games in his last season.

Round 6, Pick 188: Texans select linebacker Jamal Hill from Oregon

Round 6, Pick 187: Falcons go back-to-back on offense, take Illinois receiver Casey Washington

Round 6, Pick 186: Alabama RB Jace McClellan heads to Atlanta

Round 6, Pick 185: Eagles draft another receiver, Johnny Wilson from Florida State

Round 6, Pick 184: Dolphins take receiver Malik Washington from Virginia

Washington had a record-breaking 2023 season, leading the FBS with 110 receptions and setting a school-record with 1,426 receiving yards, which also ranked fourth in the FBS.

Round 6, Pick 183: Giants select linebacker Darius Muasau from UCLA

Round 6, Pick 182: Tulane WR Jha'Quan Jackson taken by Tennessee

Round 6, Pick 181: Troy RB Kimani Vidal drafted by Chargers

Round 6, Pick 180: Patriots finally choose defense, select CB Marcellas Dial from South Carolina

Round 6, Pick 179: Seahawks take another guard, Sataoa Laumea from Utah

Round 6, Pick 178: Steelers take Iowa DT Logan Lee

Round 6, Pick 177: Vikings select Oklahoma tackle Walter Rouse

Let's get on with the sixth round, where Minnesota takes a left tackle in Walter Rouse, who started 52 games at Oklahoma at that position.

Round 5, Pick 176: Jets use third and final Round 5 pick on CB Qwan'Tez Stiggers from CFL

Round 5, Pick 175: Saints make second defensive choice of draft, take linebacker Jaylan Ford from Texas

Round 5, Pick 174: Cowboys go with CB Caelan Carter from Wake Forest

Round 5, Pick 173: Jets take RB Isaiah Davis from South Dakota State

Round 5, Pick 172: Michigan has ninth player selected, guard Trevor Keegan goes to Eagles

The ex-Wolverine finished first-team and second-team All-Big Ten Conference in his last two seasons at Michigan, starting all 15 games for the 2023 National Champions as a team captain.

Round 5, Pick 171: Jets trade up, take eighth QB of draft in Florida State's Jordan Travis

With Aaron Rodgers coming off an Achilles injury and just trading away Zach Wilson to the Broncos, the Jets trade up and use this opportunity to take a chance on Jordan Travis. Travis was on a Heisman campaign with over 2,700 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and only two interceptions in 11 games until a season-ending leg injury happened.

Round 5, Pick 170: Saints go with receiver Bub Means from Pittsburgh

Round 5, Pick 169: Packers select their third safety of the draft, Kitan Oladapo from Oregon State

Round 5, Pick 168: Bills take edge rusher Javon Solomon from Troy

Round 5, Pick 167: Another RB is drafted, Keilan Robinson from Texas selected by Jaguars

Round 5, Pick 166: Giants select RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. from Purdue

Round 5, Pick 165: Marshall RB Rasheen Ali taken by Ravens

Round 5, Pick 164: Colts go back-to-back on safeties, draft Jaylin Simpson from Auburn

Round 5, Pick 163: Packers trade up to select center Jacob Monk from Duke

Round 5, Pick 162: Cardinals use 10th selection in 2024 draft to take tackle Christian Jones from Texas

Round 5, Pick 161: Washington players go back-to-back, Dominique Hampton drafted by the Commanders

Round 5, Pick 160: Buffalo selects linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, eighth player taken from Washington taken in 2024 draft

Round 5, Pick 159: Kansas City drafts center Hunter Nourzad from Penn State

Round 5, Pick 158: Dolphins take another edge rusher, Colorado State's Mohamed Kamara

Round 5, Pick 157: Washington State CB Chau Smith-Wade selected by Panthers

Round 5, Pick 156: Browns take receiver Jamari Thrash from Clemson

Round 5, Pick 155: Eagles pick again, take Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

A cool draft moment, as Trotter's father was also drafted in the third round by the Eagles back in 1998.

Round 5, Pick 154: Washington State edge rusher Brennan Jackson taken by Rams

Round 5, Pick 153: Jaguars take another cornerback, Deantre Prince from Ole Miss

Round 5, Pick 152: Eagles draft receiver Ainias Smith from Texas A&M

Round 5, Pick 151: Another Missouri player is selected, safety Jaylon Carlies goes to the Colts

Round 5, Pick 150: QB Spencer Rattler finally goes off the board, taken by Saints

Rattler's the first quarterback taken since pick No. 12 in the first round! The 138 selections between quarterbacks is the longest in the common draft era. Rattler had an up-and-down college career, starting at Oklahoma before transferring to South Carolina for his final two seasons.

Round 5, Pick 149: Bengals take a cornerback, go with TCU's Josh Newton

Round 5, Pick 148: Ohio State linebacker Tommy Eichenberg taken by Raiders

Round 5, Pick 147: Broncos pick again, drafting RB Audric Estime from Notre Dame

Round 5, Pick 146: Tennessee goes defense again, taking CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. from Louisville

Round 5, Pick 145: Missouri CB Kris Abrams-Draine heads to the Broncos

Round 5, Pick 144: Bears trade back into draft, select edge rusher Austin Booker from Kansas

Round 5, Pick 143: Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand drafted to Falcons

Round 5, Pick 142: Colts go receiver again, take Anthony Gould from Oregon State

Interesting pick for Indianapolis, as Gould led the FBS in the 2022 season with two punt return touchdowns. He also had 718 receiving yards in 11 games in the 2023 season.

Round 5, Pick 141: Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger drafted by Bills

Round 5, Pick 140: Chargers take another CB, Cam Hart from Notre Dame

Round 5, Pick 139: Commanders select linebacker Jordan Magee from Temple

Round 5, Pick 138: Clemson edge rusher Xavier Thomas taken by Cardinals

Round 5, Pick 137: Chargers draft CB Tarheeb Still from Maryland

Round 5, Pick 136: Seahawks select CB Nehemiah Pritchett from Auburn

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announces the Lions' fourth-round selection of Giovanni Manu at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit on Saturday.

Round 4, Pick 135: 49ers take another WR, Jacob Cowling from Arizona

Round 4, Pick 134: Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen drafted to Jets

Round 4, Pick 133: Chiefs select safety Jaden Hicks from Washington State

Round 4, Pick 132: Lions trade up again, take hybrid safety/running back Sione Vaki

Brad Holmes doesn't stop working on Day 3, trading with the Eagles to move up to No. 132. With the selection, Detroit takes safety/running back Sione Vaki from Utah.

This is a pretty unique pick. at 5'11 and 210 pounds, Vaki has shown his versatility in college, but it will be interesting to see how the Lions use him in training camp.

Round 4, Pick 131: Chiefs draft TE Jared Wiley from TCU

Round 4, Pick 130: Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa taken by Ravens

Round 4, Pick 129: Third running back in a row selected, Issac Guerendo from Louisville to 49ers

Round 4, Pick 128: Bills take RB Ray Davis from Kentucky

Round 4, Pick 127: Eagles select RB Will Shipley from Clemson

Round 4, Pick 126: Lions go international, take tackle Giovanni Manu

Seems like Detroit has traded up again, this time into the fourth round for pick No. 126. Michigan Govenor Gretchen Whitmer announces that 700,000 have attended the 2024 NFL Draft, an all-time attendance record. The Lions select the first international pick, tackle Giovanni Manu from British Columbia.

As a project pick at 6'7 and 350 pounds, Manu's highlights show him working at left tackle. He won't be projected to start anytime soon with veteran Taylor Decker still playing well, but he will be given time to develop.

Round 4, Pick 125: Oregon's Bucky Irving taken by Buccaneers

Round 4, Pick 124: Safety Malik Mustapha selected by 49ers

Round 4, Pick 123: Texans take tight end Cade Stover from Ohio State

Round 4, Pick 122: Bears select first special teamer of draft, punter Tory Taylor

The Bears use their final pick of the 2024 draft to take punter Tory Taylor from Iowa, who had plenty of tape to show to scouts due to Iowa's unique offensive production last season.

Round 4, Pick 121: Seahawks take ex-Wolverine AJ Barner

Another former Michigan tight end is taken in the fourth round, the 6'6 AJ Barner. Barner spent three seasons at Indiana before transferring and starting eight games in the 2023 National Championship season.

Round 4, Pick 120: Dolphins take running back Jaylen Wright

Seems like the Dolphins are the new age Raiders when it comes to taking players with speed, as Tennessee's Wright had the second fastest 40-yard dash out of all running back prospects.

Round 4, Pick 119: Guard Mason McCormick goes to the Steelers

Round 4, Pick 118: UTEP linebacker Tyrice Knight drafted to Seahawks

Round 4, Pick 117: Center Tanor Bortolini selected by the Colts

Round 4, Pick 116: Jaguars make another selection, defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson from LSU

Round 4, Pick 115: Bengals draft former Wolverine Erick All

Cincinnati goes with tight end Erick All from Iowa, but some should remember him for the time he spent at Michigan. He spent four years as a Wolverine before transferring to Iowa for his final season of eligibility.

Round 4, Pick 114: Tackle Javon Foster drafted to Jaguars

Round 4, Pick 113: Receiver Devontez Walker from North Carolina selected by Ravens

Round 4, Pick 112: Raiders select cornerback Decamerion Richardson from Mississippi State

Round 4, Pick 111: Another Oregon player is taken, safety Evan Williams goes to the Packers

Round 4, Pick 110: Patriots take Javon Baker

New England has gone all offense so far, and has now selected receiver Javon Baker from UCF. The Pats haven't drafted well at the receiver position over the past few years, but hope to surround Drake Maye with good pass-catchers.

Round 4, Pick 109: Ducks go back-to-back, defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus drafted to Falcons

Round 4, Pick 108: Vikings select cornerback Khyree Jackson from Oregon

Round 4, Pick 107: Tight end Theo Johnson goes from Penn State to the Giants

Round 4, Pick 106: Linebacker Cedric Gray from North Carolina heads to the Titans

Round 4, Pick 105: Chargers select Justin Eboigbe

Jim Harbaugh goes to defense again with the Chargers' fourth pick of the 2024 draft, taking defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe. He saw Eboigbe up-close in the College Football Semifinals last season, and goes with him to help a team that has suffered defensively over the past few years.

Round 4, Pick 104: Cardinals take Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, safety from Texas Tech

Round 4, Pick 103: Patriots select guard Layden Robinson from Texas A&M

Round 4, Pick 102: Broncos reunite teammates, select Troy Franklin

Denver decides to bring one of Bo Nix's favorite targets with him to the Broncos, taking Troy Franklin from Oregon. Franklin set single-season records for receivers in his last season at Oregon, and will get the chance to play with the quarterback who helped him reach those numbers.

Round 4, Pick 101: Panthers start Day 3 by taking Ja'Tavion Sanders

With the first pick in the fourth round, Carolina drafts tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders from Texas. Panthers have spent three of their first four picks in this draft adding weapons for Bryce Young.

Attendance record

NFL Chief Administrative Officer Dawn Aponte introduces us to Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft. It is announced that 550,000 people have been in attendance for the first two days of the 2024 NFL Draft, which means that the all-time attendance record will be broken today. Great news for the city of Detroit, which has been praised all throughout the week.

Preview

The third and final day of the 2024 NFL Draft in downtown Detroit has arrived.

The Detroit Lions will have four picks in the final four rounds of the draft on Saturday after using their first two on cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. The Lions have made plenty of valuable Day 3 picks since Brad Holmes took over, such as 2022 picks Malcolm Rodriguez and James Houston and 2021 picks Derrick Barnes and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The Detroit audience also looks to make history by breaking the all-time attendance record for an NFL Draft, after already setting the single-day record for attendance in Day 1. Click here for a recap of Day 1 and click here for a recap of Day 2.

Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Kameron Goodwill.

NFL Draft

▶ When: Thursday-Saturday

▶ Where: Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza, Detroit

▶ Schedule: Rounds 4-7 — Saturday, noon

▶ TV: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes

▶ Lions picks: 164, 201, 205, 249