The 2024 QB crop was one of the most talented groups in recent memory. It has a real chance to be generational when it’s all said and done. The class tied the record with six quarterbacks selected in the first round, and they certainly lived up to the billing in year one. Every QB who saw the field showed flashes of greatness, and a few showed much more than that.
I’ll only be ranking the six first-round selections, but everyone knows where Spencer Rattler would find himself on this list. However, if you don’t, it would be lucky number seven. If you disagree then watch any Saints game between his first start on October 13 and last on January 5. I think you’ll change your mind. He played one good half of football in that span, and, unfortunately for Saints fans, it was his first.
Now, I need to mention that you can’t make an accurate assessment regarding how good these players are after one year of play, especially when one of them didn’t play at all and two others didn’t play a full season. One year ago, Bryce Young looked like a massive bust and CJ Stroud looked like a surefire perennial All-Pro. While I still think the latter has some credence to it, the former has proven to be false.
This list will probably change by this time next year and will definitely be shuffled in three years (when it really starts to matter). However, as it stands today, I think the standings are pretty clear.
6. JJ McCarthy
I don’t see how you could rank JJ McCarthy any higher than sixth after he was sidelined the entire year. I could see that being a play if one of the other signal callers fell flat on their face, but that wasn’t the case with this group.
McCarthy has room to climb the rankings, and I think he really might with Kevin O’Connell calling the shots. Everyone knows that he was funneled into the ‘game manager’ tag at the University of Michigan. However, I don’t think that does his game justice. He managed the game because that was (and still is) how Jim Harbaugh wants to win. Run the ball down their throats and take play-action shots over their head when they’re reeling.
A quarterback’s ceiling is tied to who is calling plays for them. Kevin O’Connell might be the best coach in the entire league (just ask Caleb Williams). He turned a draft bust in Sam Darnold into a Pro Bowler and also managed to go 14-3 with him. Just imagine what he can do with a quarterback as talented as McCarthy. He could find himself in the top half of this list by season’s end.
5. Michael Penix Jr.
Michael Penix Jr. might have been the most surprising eighth-overall pick in NFL history. No one expected the Falcons to go QB after breaking the bank on Kirk Cousins in the offseason. However, Atlanta felt like they couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to land their franchise quarterback of the future. I don’t think they expected that future to come so soon, but I definitely don’t think they regret the choice,
They probably wanted Penix to get the Jordan Love treatment, but I immediately questioned that approach. He is three years older (25) than McCarthy, and I thought the young buck made a lot more sense for that situation. However, they fell in love with the gunslinger with a cannon for a left arm (you read that right).
Penix started three games late in the year and gave the team a spark. He only has one win under his belt but managed to take the other two to overtime, including one against the Commanders. He eclipsed the 200-yard mark in all three contests and saved his best for last with a 300-yard, three total TD performance against Carolina in Week 18. Penix was far from perfect, but he showed enough to make Falcons’ fans excited going into year two.
4. Drake Maye
Patriot fans might be upset at seeing Drake Maye’s spot on these rankings, but it’s more of an indictment on the players ahead of him than a demerit on him. Many had questions about Maye’s supporting cast in New England, which is why they tried their hardest to keep him off the field for Jacoby Brissett (who thrived in his role as the designated sacrificial lamb). Needless to say, those questions were warranted in year one.
Maye did his best to keep his head above water and even had some standout performances. However, those efforts didn’t translate to the win column, as he went only 1-9 in the games he started and finished. Maye was surprisingly effective on the ground, where he had 421 yards on only 54 attempts, and had some wow throws throughout the year. However, like most rookie QBs stuck in a poor situation, he struggled to avoid turnovers and had ten interceptions over his 12 starts.
Maye should take a jump in year two with a significantly improved group of weapons and big guys in front of him. He may have been outplayed by Bo Nix for much of the season, but I don’t think the Patriots regret calling his name.
3. Caleb Williams
Speaking of players who should take a massive leap forward going into next season, Caleb Williams certainly fits that description. Some believe Williams played poorly in year one, but those concerns have been vastly overblown. He played at a relatively high level throughout the year and was simply overshadowed by the two guys ahead of him.
The fact he still managed to put up 20 touchdowns, more than 3500 passing (and 4000 total) yards, and only six interceptions despite playing under an abysmal coaching staff is a testament to his ability and sky-high potential. While everything else was crumbling around him (especially the interior of his offensive line), he was still finding a way to keep the offense afloat.
You can’t talk about Williams’ rookie season without mentioning that he was sacked the third-most times (68) in NFL history. While he held on to the ball too long for some of those sacks, most were due to breakdowns in protection. Both instances should lessen with the improvements along the line and coaching staff (!!!) this offseason.
Call me crazy, but I don’t think the Bears would’ve done anything differently if given a chance at a mulligan. Williams has real potential to find himself at the top of this list with Ben Johnson calling the shots.
2. Bo Nix
No quarterback outplayed their draft position more than Bo Nix. Many were surprised when the Broncos selected the University of Oregon product with the 12th overall pick, but the initial shock wore off quickly when people realized that he was the perfect quarterback for Sean Payton.
While some of the other rookie QBs may have had a better supporting cast, no one landed in a better situation than Nix. The rook got off to a slow start (he had no passing touchdowns and four interceptions through the first two games), but found his footing around Week Five and never looked back. He mostly played the role of game manager throughout the year but occasionally displayed an ability to take over a game.
Nix’s 29 passing touchdowns were the second-most for a rookie in NFL history, and he provided added value with his legs (4 TDs on the ground). He legitimately had one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen from a rookie QB. Unfortunately for him, he just happened to be in the same draft class as the next guy..
1. Jayden Daniels
There is simply no other way to say it – Jayden Daniels had a special rookie season. Unlike some of his peers, Daniels wasted no time announcing his presence, as he had nearly 300 yards of total offense and two rushing scores in a Week One loss against Tampa Bay. He also only got better from there and had only one other game that he started and finished where he didn’t eclipse the 200-yard mark. Just unreal efficiency and consistency.
Daniels finished the year with over 3500 passing yards, nearly 900 rushing yards, and 31 total rushing touchdowns. He also put the Commanders on his back throughout the year and was the main reason they were one game away from the Super Bowl.
While they didn’t make it to the big game, they still massively outplayed expectations. If Daniels’ rookie season is any indication, they will have a good chance of righting their wrong in that regard if a few dominoes fall in their favor.
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