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5 Black NFL Players Who Dominated the 2024 Season

inimfon asifa September 2, 2025

5 Black NFL Players Who Dominated the 2024 Season

The 2024 NFL season has seen some standout performances from both veterans and emerging stars. From wide receivers to quarterbacks, these players have showcased exceptional talent and contributed significantly to their teams’ success.

Below, we highlight five players who made their mark on the league and earned a well-deserved spot in the NFL’s Top 100.

2024 Stats: 13 games | 67 receptions | 1,079 receiving yards | 16.1 YPR | 7 receiving touchdowns

1. A.J. Brown – Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles

A.J. Brown has continued to be a key figure in the Eagles’ offence, particularly in their successful regular season and Super Bowl run. Since joining Philadelphia, Brown has consistently proven himself as a reliable target for quarterback Jalen Hurts, with three consecutive seasons surpassing 1,000 yards.

His deep-threat ability, combined with his consistency, has made him a crucial component of the Eagles’ attack.

NFL Pro Insight: Brown caught 10 of 26 tight-window targets for 239 yards and a touchdown, the second-most tight-window yards in the NFL, despite playing fewer games than the leader, Terry McLaurin.

2. Danielle Hunter – Defensive End, Houston Texans

2024 Stats: 17 games | 46 tackles | 17 TFL | 12 sacks | 1 forced fumble

After eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Danielle Hunter moved to the Houston Texans, where he immediately became one of the league’s top defensive forces. Hunter reached double-digit sacks for the third consecutive year and earned a Pro Bowl nod for his contributions.

The Texans recognised his impact by securing him with a lucrative extension in March, making him the second-highest-paid defensive end in the NFL.

NFL Pro Insight: Hunter’s 90 pressures in 2024 ranked second in the NFL, with his pressure rate of 19.1% being the second-highest among defenders with at least 200 pass rushes.

3. Jayden Daniels – Quarterback, Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels’ impressive rookie season in Washington was a highlight of the 2024 campaign. The dual-threat quarterback, who also won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, played a pivotal role in taking the Commanders to their first NFC Championship Game since 1991.

Heading into his second year, Daniels is focused on eliminating the tendencies that led to some of his mistakes last season.

NFL Pro Insight: Daniels threw for 3,160 yards (seventh-most) from shotgun formations, with a 68.5% completion rate. He attempted just 14 passes from under centre, with all featuring play action.

4. Xavier McKinney – Safety, Green Bay Packers

2024 Stats: 17 games | 88 tackles | 8 interceptions | 2 TFL | 1 QB hit

Xavier McKinney’s first season with the Packers was nothing short of spectacular. The ball-hawking safety recorded eight interceptions and earned his first Pro Bowl nod, helping Green Bay’s defence rank sixth in the league.

His strong performance also earned him a spot on the First-Team All-Pro roster, making him one of the NFL’s top defenders.

NFL Pro Insight: McKinney recorded the most interceptions (8) in a season without allowing a touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage — the best performance by any safety since at least 2016.

5. Jahmyr Gibbs – Running Back, Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs’ breakout second season in Detroit was one of the NFL’s most exciting stories. The Lions’ star running back topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career, while leading the league with 16 rushing touchdowns.

With a new offensive coordinator at the helm, Gibbs is expected to take on an even bigger role in the passing game, further solidifying his place as one of the league’s top dual-threat backs.

NFL Pro Insight: Gibbs averaged 5.9 yards per carry on rushes between the tackles in 2024, more than half a yard ahead of any other player with at least 75 such rushes.