Former NFL QB EJ Manuel shares his thoughts on the upcoming QB Draft class with Zolak and Bertrand and explains why the Patriots will likely be happy with any quarterback they may decide to take due to the depth in this year’s class.
It's hard to find a 2024 NFL Mock Draft that doesn't have USC quarterback Caleb Williams or UNC quarterback Drake Maye as the top two picks in some order.
They are the consensus top prospects among a loaded quarterback class. We could see as many as five or six quarterbacks taken in the first round. The last time we saw five or more QBs get drafted that high was 2021. Five quarterbacks were taken in Round 1 that year, and only Trevor Lawrence (No. 1 overall) has lived up to expectations so far.
🔊 Next Pats: Caleb Williams may be the “ULTIMATE COMPETITOR" but should he be the next face of the Patriots? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
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There are a lot of differing opinions on the top 2024 QB prospects not named Williams or Maye. LSU star and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels is the consensus third-best quarterback, with a lot of experts projecting he'll go anywhere between the No. 4 pick and No. 8 pick.
The next tier of quarterbacks includes Oregon's Bo Nix, Washington's Michael Penix Jr., and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. Predictions for where these QBs will be drafted vary quite a bit. Some experts view these guys as first-round talents, while others do not.
McCarthy, for example, went No. 7 in ESPN's latest mock draft. But we found two recent mock drafts where he wasn't even taken in the first round. McCarthy wasn't asked to throw a ton in 2023 for a run-heavy Wolverines offense. But when he did have to throw, the results were good. He completed a career-high 72.4 percent of his passes for 2,630 yards with 19 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
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Luckily for these players, there are still a lot of opportunities to impress pro scouts and general managers between pro days, personal workouts, bowl games and the Scouting Combine in March.
Where do experts think these top QB prospects will land? We put together a mock draft roundup in the table below. Included are mocks from ESPN's Matt Miller, Sports Illustrated's Luke Easterling, CBS Sports' Josh Edwards, The San Diego Tribune's Eddie Brown, The 33rd Team's Connor Livesay, Drafttek and Tankathon.
