Lamar Jackson beats out Josh Allen for quarterback, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson unanimously named to AP’s 2024 NFL Draft Best lineup.
Saquon Barkley received 48 of 50 first-place votes and Patrick Surtain II received 49 from a national panel of media members who regularly cover the league.
“Wow, this is crazy. This is respect. This is love,” Jefferson said of his unanimous selection and No. 2 pick.
Jackson received 30 first-place votes and Allen received 18 first-place votes, making the team for the second consecutive year and finishing third overall. Peyton Manning (seven times) and Aaron Rodgers (four times) are the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era to receive more All-Pro nominations than Jackson.
Linebacker Roquan Smith, cornerback Marlon Humphrey and linebacker Patrick Rickard joined Jackson (12-5) from the Baltimore Ravens.
The NFC-leading Detroit Lions (15-2) had four players selected: wide receiver Ammon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Pene Sewell, safety Kelby Joseph and punter Hand Jack Fox.
“They know what’s going on,” said Joseph, who leads the NFL with nine interceptions but was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.
Barkley ran for 2,005 yards in 16 games in his first season with the Eagles (14-3), and he and linebacker Zack Baun were first-team selections by Philadelphia. Barkley sat out the final game of the regular season as the Eagles clinched the second seed instead of trying to break Eric Dickerson’s 40-year-old single-season rushing record.
Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett and San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner were both selected for the fourth time.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs becomes the first player to play both tackle positions. Prior to 2016, the All-Pro roster included two tackles, but no distinction was made between right or left sides. Wirfs plays right tackle in 2021. He changed positions in 2023.
“It’s very special,” Wirfs said. “This is what I want to do, what I want to accomplish.”
Fourteen players are playing for the first time, including Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers. He received 27 first-place votes to George Kittle’s 22.
Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey, left guard Joe Thuney and Denver Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz make up the offense.
Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, who leads the NFL with 17.5 sacks, joins Garrett at rusher.
“It’s an honor,” Hendrickson said.
Kansas City’s Chris Jones and Pittsburgh’s Cameron Heyward are interior defensive linemen. Houston Texans cornerback Derrick Stingley Jr. and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney join Surtain, Humphrey and Joseph in the secondary.
“This is a huge honor,” Sultan said. “That’s definitely one of my goals.”
Stingley, the No. 3 overall pick in 2022, chosen ahead of two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, has returned from two injury-plagued seasons and Played every game and helped Houston win its second straight AFC South title.
“It’s really more about the middle school as a whole and how we come together when it comes to communication, the ball in the air and different types of things like that. I’d rather focus more on those than on individuals,” Si Tinley said.
Steelers kicker Chris Boswell, Cowboys kick returner KaVontae Turpin, Broncos punt returner Marvin Mims Jr. Marvin Mims Jr., Patriots special teams ace Brenden Schooler and Vikings captain Andrew DePaola, along with Fox, are all special teams options.
Jackson was also an All-Pro in 2019 and 2023. He won the NFL MVP in both seasons, when Baltimore had the No. 1 seed in the AFC but failed to reach the Super Bowl. Joe Burrow received two first-place votes at quarterback, but none went to Jackson and Allen.
Ravens running back Derrick Henry received two first-place votes, but none went to Barkley.
St. Brown (40), Thuney (41), Humphrey (44), Bowen (44), Garrett (45) and Turpin (49) also received at least 40 of the 50 first-place votes. .
This is the third year of the AP voting system. Voters selected the first and second teams. First team votes are worth 3 points and second team votes are worth 1 point.
