We’re still a few months from the NFL Draft, but it’s never too early to talk about the top quarterback prospects that NFL teams will be considering in the coming months.
Each player below has their qualities and concerns in the eyes of NFL scouts, but the biggest question will be whether or not teams think one of them could be the quarterback to lead them to a Super Bowl.
Let’s take a closer look at six signal-callers who seem primed to hear their names called during the NFL Draft, some of whom might go among the top overall picks.
Jayden Daniels
Jayden Daniels put up incredible numbers this past season and his Heisman Trophy win has elevated him into the spotlight. He finished the regular season with 4,946 total yards and 50 total touchdowns. Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback who could complement a specific kind of system. Many think he could be targeted by the New Orleans Saints, which would be ideal for him and Saint fans, but with limited weapons available, how effective could he be?
Another possibility for Daniels could be that he heads to the Saints’ hated rival, the Atlanta Falcons. They find themselves in need of a solid quarterback to build around. The Las Vegas Raiders and Minnesota Vikings have also been rumored to be in the mix.
As good as Bryce Young was for Alabama, he has struggled mightily for the Carolina Panthers, mainly because he isn’t surrounded by a lot of talent. Daniels could find himself in a similar situation wherever he ends up.
Jordan Travis
There is perhaps no quarterback who enters the 2024 NFL Draft as more of a mystery than Jordan Travis. Although he led the Seminoles for most of the year, his season-ending injury raised question marks about his durability (fair or not). He, like Daniels, is a dual-threat quarterback who put up big numbers throughout his college career. He ended his FSU run with 8,068 passing yards, 64 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions, including 18 scores this past season.
Despite his great numbers at Florida State, according to some NFL experts, he is not expected to go high in the draft. That may not be a bad thing for him. Travis can go to a veteran team like the New York Jets, learn from Aaron Rodgers, and then when Rodgers finally retires, take over.
While the other young quarterbacks on this list are expected to be day-one starters, Travis can have the luxury of being a backup and learning and that could be valuable to him down the road.
Sam Hartman
When Sam Hartman left Wake Forest, we knew that whichever school landed him would have a pretty good quarterback. He put While his numbers with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this past season weren’t as good as his ones with the Demon Deacons, he still solidified himself as worth consideration in the upcoming draft.
His stat line of 2,689 yards and 24 touchdowns were both way down from the prior two seasons, but Hartman has impressed NFL scouts with his ability to command an offense and his ability to find receivers in the middle of the field. His size and arm strength may be an issue for some squads, however, and he could end up being a later-round selection.
Still, Hartman may end up as a steal for someone like the New England Patriots, who may want to move on from Mac Jones after this season.
Bo Nix
Bo Nix may be the wild card in all of this. When he was at Auburn, he would have up-and-down games. At Oregon, he seemed to settle into a pretty good rhythm, spending most of the season as a Heisman contender and finishing with over 4,000 passing yards and 40 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
Many pundits have Nix going in the late first round or early second round, and that can change depending on how things go at the Combine or in team workouts. The Oregon QB can throw a nice long ball and can run if need be, but he is more effective as a passer. Nix may be perfect for a team like the New York Giants, but can he handle the pressure of being in New York? Nix said in previous interviews that the pressure of being the Auburn quarterback drove him away to Oregon.
The Las Vegas Raiders could also be a potential landing spot for Nix. They need to invest in their QB future and Nix will have a chance to grow into the role without the big-city spotlight.
Drake Maye
Drake Maye is projected by many as the first quarterback taken in the draft. Maye’s numbers were a bit down from 2022 when he threw for over 4,000 yards, throwing for 3,600 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Tar Heels in 2023.
In his mock draft, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has Maye as the No. 2 drafted quarterback off his board. Kiper even compared the Tar Heels quarterback to current NFL starter Justin Herbert.
“The (Justin) Herbert-Drake Maye comparison’s going to be out there, and I don’t really have a problem with it,” he said.
Kiper continued “ (He) Looks like him, the delivery, everything about him. Everything’s there for the comp to be Justin Herbert.” No one questions Maye’s talent or his arm, but like Herbert will he be stuck in a situation where he’d have to carry a team with an inexperienced coaching staff?
The teams expected to be in the mix for Maye will be the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, and possibly even the New York Giants.
Caleb Williams
The No. 1 draft pick and first quarterback taken in the draft, according to most NFL pundits, will be Caleb Williams. The 2022 Heisman winner is almost a unanimous choice as the first quarterback taken for the time being.
“Overall the last two years he’s been phenomenal,” said Mel Kiper, “So he’s cemented at No. 1.” Although Williams and his USC Trojans struggled this year, that still didn’t affect his draft stock.
Williams threw for over 3,600 yards and 30 touchdowns for USC in 2023, though that was down from his Heisman season when he threw for over 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns.
There is already talk that the Chicago Bears are ready to move on from Justin Fields, but Williams may be in the same situation that Fields finds himself in right now, lacking the talent to prove himself worthy of the hype once he gets to the NFL.
Williams seems to dazzle NFL scouts with not only his arm but his playmaking ability, which will come in handy when trying to escape NFL defenders. For Williams’s sake, he’ll hopefully end up on a more well-rounded team than the Bears, but if they have the top pick, it may be a foregone conclusion.
