Top NFL 2024 Rookie QBs/Predictions
With the NFL draft upon us, the quarterback position is one of the brightest spots of a draft in recent years. With tons of talent throughout and lots of teams that need QBs, the draft will change many franchises forever. Lots of movement and trades for these teams should happen in order for these franchises to hopefully get their next face. I wanted to break down six of the upcoming rookie QBs and look at what teams would be willing to take a chance on these talented players.
Caleb Williams, USC
Caleb Williams coming into the draft has been talked about as one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memories. In comparison to the best QB in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, Caleb Williams has a lot of weight on his shoulders. As we know, the Chicago Bears have solidified that they will be taking him at number one and hopefully changing this entire franchise around for good. Throughout Caleb Willams's 3 seasons in college, he finished his college career with a total of over 10,000 passing yards, 93 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He won the 2022 Heisman, which adds to his resume of success.
Jayden Daniels, LSU
Jayden Daniels started his college career at Arizona State and threw for over 6,000 yards in three seasons. In 2022, he transferred to LSU and led them to a 10-4 record. The following year, LSU went 10-3, with Daniel’s leading college football in total offense at 4,946 yards. He also led the nation in both yards per pass and yards per rush in 2023. Coming off a Heisman season with over 50 total touchdowns, Jayden has made a case for him to be a top quarterback taken in the NFL draft. Jayden Daniels has pro comparisons to Lamar Jackson; his ability to create plays with both his arm and legs makes him a great duel threat in the NFL. With the top three teams looking for new quarterbacks, Jayden Daniels would be the best fit for either the Washington Commanders with the second pick of the draft or the New England Patriots with the third pick of the draft.
Drake Maye, North Carolina
Drake Maye, coming off of two seasons as a starter at North Carolina, had 78 touchdowns with a total college career QBR of 79, ranking 15th among all college quarterbacks. Drake is considered one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft, having the talents and skills of players like Josh Allen and Andrew Luck. His size and arm strength are his biggest strengths, and consistency is his biggest concern. It's hard to gauge his consistency due to his terrible offensive lineman play at UNC, but he is built to be a gunslinger. Just like Jayden Daniels, Drake could easily be picked by the Commanders or Patriots in this upcoming draft. There could be a dark horse team like the Minnesota Vikings, who are looking to trade up in the draft and grab first-round talent at the quarterback position. Their new quarterback coach is Josh Mccown, who was his coach at Myers Park High School.
Michael Penix, Jr., Washington
Michael Penix's college career started in Indiana, where he played four seasons with the team and dealt with a multitude of injuries. It was difficult for him to get a full season in Indiana, and mixed with the COVID year, it was time for a change. His aspirations to play in the NFL made him decide to transfer to the University of Washington program for a fresh start. In his first year as a starter for Washington, he was second all-team for the Pac-12 and finished the season with over 4,700 total yards. His 2023 season was his best, becoming a Heisman finalist and leading the FBS in passing yards and third in passing touchdowns. He came close to winning a national championship but fell short of a dominant Michigan team. Penix could be a mid- to late-first-round quarterback. Teams to consider would be the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, and the New Orleans Saints. All these teams are looking for a change, and with all of these teams potentially staying in the same spots, picks 11–14 will be entertaining.
Bo Nix, Oregon
Bo Nix has had an interesting ride throughout his college career. In 2019, he began as a true freshman at the University of Auburn, winning the SEC Freshman of the Year. During his 3 years at Auburn, he suffered a broken ankle in 2021, which sidelined him for the year. Due to the broken ankle, he decided to transfer to the University of Oregon in 2022. His transfer to Oregon revived his career as he put up his best numbers as a starter over his two-year stint at Oregon. In 2023, he was a Heisman finalist and finished the season breaking school records such as the most passing touchdowns and passing yards in a season. Just like Penix teams in the middle or late rounds would look to draft Nix. He could go as early as the first round, but if not, he will be picked in the second round.
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
J.J. McCarthy is the most interesting quarterback on this list. There is a lot of talk about him potentially being a top-three quarterback taken in the draft. He played at Michigan for 3 years and continued to improve every year. In 2023, he won the National Championship and finished with over 2,900 passing yards and 22 touchdowns on the season. Under coach Harbaugh, he had a lot of success because of the NFL style of offense Harbaugh ran at Michigan, which hopefully will translate into the NFL. He did have a lot of talent around him as well, so he may get drafted to a team with potentially little to no help. I think McCarthy could be a good starter in the NFL; I just think he needs the best possible outcome for that to happen to him. A lot of speculation has been around the Denver Broncos drafting McCarthy, who could be a good fit with a well-experienced coach in Sean Payton. He should be a middle-to-late first-round pick, but I wouldn't be shocked if he somehow slipped into the second round.
Sources: YouTube. (2023a, September 2). Caleb Williams improvises on spectacular play for USC | ESPN college football. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgMYopnvjWU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo YouTube. (n.d.). Cfb on fox. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CFBonFOX ,YouTube. (2023, November 12). LSU QB Jayden Daniels 85 yard TD run vs Florida. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9yXOoHic0s YouTube. (2023a, October 7). UNC QB Drake Maye explodes for a huge performance against Syracuse. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkRydBl5XRQ YouTube. (2023c, November 19). Bo Nix throws for a career-high six tds in Oregon’s 49-13 victory over Arizona State. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWsOPFGnio0 