As the college football regular season comes to a close, and we prepare for Bowl Season, I wanted to start looking ahead to our favorite time of the year…DRAFT SEASON! Here are my quarterback rankings (Top 20) that (probably) declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Every NFL team is looking for different traits in their franchise-leading signal callers but this list will be my top quarterbacks heading into the Draft. Some teams need a guy who can live on the edge, making plays either in the framework of the play or off-script. Some will want a player that excels in the RPO game, or more of a running quarterback, either way, this list has it all!
NOTE: I’m leaving Quinn Ewers and Shadeur Sanders off this list, I expect both to return to school in 2024. If they declare, Ewers would be my QB 5 and Sanders my QB 8.
2024 NFL Draft – Quarterback Rankings
2024 NFL Draft Quarterbacks: Day 1 Potential
1. Caleb Williams – QB USC – What more can be said about Williams? He’s been everyone’s QB1 for some time now, and 2023 hasn’t hurt him (even with some tough losses). He’s great at making plays off-script, has a big arm, and has the athletic ability to be a big play threat as a passer OR runner.
2. Bo Nix – QB Oregon – I know most have Maye as QB2 but Nix has not only the feel-good story that helps build character but also the talent to be a franchise-leading quarterback for years to come. Nearly cast off after a rocky start to his college career, Nix turned it around at Oregon, and yes, he has really good skill position players around him but it’s not crazy to project him to be a Justin Herbert 2.0.
The next two players have similarities to them, in terms of leadership and putting others first when you see the interviews. Both have a ton of athletic upside, we do know McCarthy has been clocked at 4.4 and I’d be surprised if Maye wasn’t too far behind him speed-wise. Both can make all the throws and wouldn’t surprise me if we saw both in the first round if they declared.
3. Drake Maye – QB UNCÂ
4. JJ McCarthy – QB Michigan
2024 NFL Draft Quarterbacks: Day 2 Potential
4. Michael Penix Jr – QB Washington – Injuries, and being a lefty with a 3/4 delivery could all be reasons teams look elsewhere but Penix is a winner, no matter where he’s played, if he’s on the field you have a chance for the win any game, anytime. Can make all the throws and still be a dangerous runner, will be excited to see how the draft process changes things for him.Â
5. Jayden Daniels – QB LSU – What could’ve been, only if LSU had a better defense? He’s a big play threat waiting to happen (ask Florida), and throws with touch and anticipation, though most would with the high-caliber receivers he has.
6. Jordan Travis – QB Florida State – Big-time running threat, that has shown improvement each of the last 3 seasons. Definitely will need some time to develop as a passer but the fact is this kid is a hard worker who has shown enough to be mentioned with first-round talent.
7. Carson Beck – QB Georgia – Seems to be taking after Alabama a little too much, building a dynasty that produces tons of talent but the quarterbacks as of late are fine but nothing elite (I don’t count Jalen Hurts as a Bama prospect, he developed more so at other schools). Beck could break that mold, does a good job in the pocket, and has a live arm!
8. Riley Leonard – QB Duke – probably slides due to injuries but if you’re looking for a Josh Allen comp, I’d lean on him as my choice. Big, physical runner (with some wiggle) that has a big arm and room to develop.
2024 NFL Draft Quarterbacks: Day 3 Potential
All of these prospects have shown enough to be considered draftable (at times), and McCord is the wild card here, the one player I could see move up, down or even try to go back for another year.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72664718/1687885176.0.jpg)
9. Spencer Rattler – QB South Carolina
10. Dillon Gabriel – QB Oklahoma
11. Cameron Ward – QB Washington State
12. Kyle McCord – QB Ohio State
13. Sam Hartman – QB Notre Dame
14. Tyler Van Dyke – QB Miami (FL)
15. KJ Jefferson – QB Arkansas
16. DJ Uiagalelei – QB Oregon State
17. Joe Milton – QB Tennessee
18. Grayson McCall – QB Coastal Carolina
19. Devin Leary – QB Kentucky
20. Austin Reed – QB Western Kentucky
I hope this has helped you prepare for the NFL Draft. If you want to talk all things football, hit me on Twitter. Or over on the Draft Countdown Discord! And check out the rest of my work here.