2024 NFL Draft- Top 10 Quarterbacks

The NFL is a pass happy league and every year during the draft, teams hope to find their franchise quarterback of the future. Last year’s draft class featured three quarterbacks chosen in the first round (No.1-Carolina-Bryce Young, No 2- Houston- C.J. Stroud, and No 4- Indianapolis- Anthony Richardson) and overall the 2023 selection process produced an NFL record 12 signal callers taken in the first 5 rounds, and 13 all together.

Complete list of every QB pick from the 2023 NFL Draft:

Round 1, Pick 1: Bryce Young, Alabama 

Round 1, Pick 2: C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

Round 1, Pick 4: Anthony Richardson, Florida 

Round 2, Pick 33: Will Levis, Kentucky 

Round 3, Pick 68: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee 

Round 4, Pick 127: Jake Haener, Fresno State 

Round 4, Pick 128: Stetson Bennett, Georgia 

Round 4, Pick 135: Aidan O'Connell, Purdue

Round 5, Pick 139: Clayton Tune, Houston 

Round 5, Pick 140: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

Round 5, Pick 149: Sean Clifford, Penn State

Round 5, Pick 164: Jaren Hall, BYU

Round 6, Pick 188: Tanner McKee, Stanford

This season there could be anywhere between 4-6 quarterbacks taken in round one. In fact some mock drafts predict the first four overall picks will be quarterbacks. 

Here is Draft Nation’s list of available quarterback prospects (Note–that this is the order Draft Nation prefers the quarterbacks and not necessarily the order they will be chosen):

1. USC- QB- Caleb Williams (6’1” 215 lbs)

Strengths

• Overall arm talent
• Progression Tempo
• Accuracy
• Playing outside the pocket

Weaknesses

• Size
• Decision Making
• Long Ball Accuracy

Caleb Williams is undoubtedly going to be the first overall pick of the draft by the Chicago Bears. He has the highest ceiling of all the quarterback prospects, but he has a lower floor than a Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy. He started out 2023 6-0 and was a leading candidate for the Heisman. But he struggled against better defenses and the team lost 5 out of 6 down the stretch. He will enter a favorable situation in Chicago with veteran receivers in D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen and could be a Rookie of the Year candidate in year one. 

Projection- 1st pick of the draft

 2. North Carolina- QB- Drake Maye (6’4” 230 lbs)

Strengths

• Size
• Overall Arm Talent
• Arm Strength
• Accuracy
• Playing outside the pocket

Weaknesses

• Decision Making
• Pre-Snap Reads
• Too Many Turnovers

In Draft Nation’s eyes, Drake Maye is the safest bet to succeed in the NFL. Though he may not be able to take a game over with his legs like a Jayden Daniels or a Caleb Williams, he is a quarterback he has the ability to win games and keep his team competitive. His strong arm and accuracy will help jump start an offense and he has the personality to be a leader for a decade plus in the NFL. 

Projection- Top 5 pick (most likely #3 to New England)

3. LSU- QB- Jayden Daniels (6’4” 210 lbs)

Strengths

• Arm Strength
• Mobility
• Accuracy
• Open Field 

Weaknesses

• Progression Tempo
• Pre-snap reads
• Pocket presence
• Long ball accuracy

Jayden Daniels had the best collegiate season of any college football quarterback and was rewarded by winning the Heisman Trophy. He threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns, while only throwing 4 interceptions. He can beat teams with his arm or by using his legs. He has a very lean build and that could be a reason for some level of skepticism. He tends to be more successful outside the pocket and can look uncomfortable dropping straight back. Draft Nation would select Maye over Daniels, but believes Daniels will be the 2nd pick off the board on April 25th.

Projection- Top 3 pick (most likely #2 to Washington)

4. Michigan- QB- J.J. McCarthy (6’3” 202 lbs)

Strengths

• Mobility
• Decision Making
• Throwing on the run
• Footwork

Weaknesses

• Pre-snap reads
• Long ball
• Lack of experience in passing offense

J.J. McCarthy has been one of the fastest risers of all the QB prospects. He led Michigan to a National Championship and then followed that up with a dazzling pro day. He has excellent mobility and throws the ball on the run as well as any quarterback in this class. He played in a run dominated offense and did not get to show off his passing skills as frequently as the other prospects. McCarthy is a winner and should be a successful NFL quarterback.

Projection- Top 15 pick (most likely #11 to Minnesota) 

5. Washington- QB- Michael Penix (6’3” 213 lbs)

Strengths

• Frame
• Long Ball
• Short Accuracy
• Looks off safeties well

Weaknesses

• Footwork
• Mechanics
• Age
• Injury History

Michael Penix had an excellent 2023 season for the Washington Huskies. He threw for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns. He throws a beautiful long ball and understands how to look safeties off to open up the middle of the field. However, he has a long list of injuries he suffered early on in his career and he is going to be a 24-year-old draft pick. His mechanics and footwork are not on par with the other prospects and he can look sloppy at times making throws.

Projection- Late first or early second round pick (most likely mid-late 2nd round)

6. Oregon- QB- Bo Nix (6’2” 217 lbs)

Strengths

• Overall arm talent
• Accuracy
• Throwing on the run
• Play-action aggressiveness

Weaknesses

• Decision making
• Pre-Snap reads
• Pocket presence

Nix is an athletic quarterback who has a very strong arm. He has found success in Oregon’s high tempo offense and has the qualities of a natural leader. He plays hurt and is tough as nails. However, early in his career he struggled at Auburn throwing from a normalized pocket. At Oregon, most throws were timing throws and there was no need to read defenses. He has to prove that he can read defenses, especially pre-snap. He keeps plays alive but he is also one who will carelessly try to force throws. Draft Nation believes he is a 2nd round quarterback who will get selected by a needy team in the first round.

Projection- Mid- First round pick

7- Tulane- QB- Michael Pratt (6’3” 220 lbs)

Strengths

• Mechanics
• Decision making
• Mobility
• Athleticism

Weaknesses

• Footwork
• Progression tempo
• Long ball
• Gives up on plays

Pratt is a tough, athletic quarterback who has flown under the radar in this draft class. He has excellent mechanics and is a mobile quarterback who can take off. However, he tends to take off too early and gives up on plays. He needs to be more effective at stepping up in the pocket. His progressions are too slow and drawn out and he will struggle in the NFL if this is not improved.

Projection- 3rd or 4th round pick

8- South Carolina- QB- Spencer Rattler (6’1” 217 lbs)

Strengths

• Quick release
• Arm strength
• Throwing on the run

Weaknesses

• Size
• Decision making
• Reads

Spencer Rattler has had a roller coaster of a collegiate career. After his 2020 season for Oklahoma, Rattler was considered a top quarterback for a future draft board. The next season he lost his job to Caleb Williams and then transferred to South Carolina. 

Rattler has one of the best arms in the class and does a great job of throwing on the run. The offensive line at South Carolina did him no favors yet he was still able to produce numbers. His size is a concern and his decision making can be head scratching at times.

Projection- 4th or 5th round

9. Tennessee- QB- Joe Milton III (6’5” 244 lbs)

Strengths

• Size
• Arm strength
• Mobility
• Throwing on the run

Weaknesses

• Progression tempo
• Pre-snap reads
• Long ball accuracy
• Decision making
• 
  

If being a quarterback was only about throwing a football the farthest, Joe Milton would be the first to hear his name called. But of course the position requires the ability to read defenses and to be able to make accurate throws—two things that Milton has always struggled with. He has problems knowing when a throw needs touch and tries to power all his throws. He can be a nice project later in the draft.

Projection- 6th or 7th round

10. Florida State- QB- Jordan Travis (6’1” 212 lbs)

Strengths

• Athleticism
• Overall arm talent
• Playing outside the pocket

Weaknesses

• Size
• Progression tempo
• Injury history
• Lower body mechanics

It took several years for Jordan Travis to find his way, but in 2023 he was having a Heisman type season until he suffered a serious broken leg in the second-to-last game of the regular season. He will most likely get an NFL redshirt by whichever team selects him as he comes back from the gruesome injury. 

Travis showed that he had the arm strength to make all the throws needed and he has enough athleticism to extend plays. His size will be questioned and of course his injury history will come into play. He could be a steal late in the draft by a team that has no reason to rush him and can give him a year or two to come back.

Projection- Round 6-7