Ranking the Top 10 QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft
Josh Frey
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The 2024 NFL Draft is less than two months away.
This year’s class is loaded with quarterback talent at the top, meaning teams such as the Minnesota Vikings very well could be in the market to select one early in the draft. As the event continues to get closer, here is a quick ranking of the top 10 QBs in the class.
1. Caleb Williams (USC)
Caleb Williams is a wizard at making plays without needing a script. He is a very elusive player in the pocket who is plenty capable of making throws on the run from all kinds of crazy arm angles. He didn’t get to stand in a clean pocket often at USC, but when he did, Williams delivered strikes to open receivers on a regular basis.
If he is going to become a star at the NFL level, Williams certainly has areas to improve in his game (taking fewer sacks and fumbles would be a starting point). However, he is the complete package and checks all the boxes for what a modern QB needs for success.
Caleb Williams scouting report
2. Jayden Daniels (LSU)
Jayden Daniels spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Arizona State, and while he progressively improved with each year, national notoriety simply wasn’t easy to come by in the Sun Devils program. As a result, he headed to LSU prior to the 2022 season. Daniels proceeded to develop into one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football with the Tigers, winning the Heisman Trophy this past year behind 5012 total yards of offense and 50 total touchdowns.
Daniels possesses a very high-powered arm with an ability to uncork accurate passes deep downfield. Meanwhile, his explosive speed and athleticism allow him to escape from sticky situations in the pocket. Size could be a concern for him at the NFL level, but Daniels certainly has star potential given his makeup as a QB.
Jayden Daniels scouting report
3. Drake Maye (North Carolina)
Drake Maye has perfect size to play the quarterback position at the NFL level. He measured in at 6’4″ and 223 pounds at the NFL Combine this past week and possesses some outstanding athletic ability which allows him to escape pressure. Maye has a bit of a Josh Allen effect to him with his ability to bowl over defenders.
Maye does get a little too caught up in playing hero ball at times, and there are lapses in accuracy across his game particularly when throwing outside the numbers. He will need to improve these areas in order to truly succeed at the NFL level.
4. J.J. McCarthy (Michigan)
Some have found issue with McCarthy’s lack of volume in the Michigan offense over his two seasons as a starter. This is a fair criticism, seeing as he averaged just 22.1 pass attempts per game in 2023, and Michigan heavily relied on their RB duo of Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards to carry the way.
However, when McCarthy has thrown the ball for Michigan, he has shown an ability to deliver accurate passes across all levels of the field. He also has an underrated amount of athleticism in the pocket while weighing in at 219 pounds at the NFL Combine.
5. Michael Penix (Washington)
Michael Penix spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at Indiana, but he struggled mightily with injuries, tearing his ACL twice and going through a pair of shoulder injuries. However, Penix transferred to Washington prior to the 2022 season, and he proceeded to rejuvenate his collegiate career.
Penix possesses a wildly strong arm, which Washington regularly utilized to spread the ball all over the field to their talented receivers. He also has some sneaky athleticism to move around the pocket. It will be interesting to see where Penix ultimately lands in the draft given his injury history.
6. Bo Nix (Oregon)
Bo Nix struggled through his early career at Auburn, throwing for 39 touchdowns and 16 interceptions over the course of three seasons. In total, the Tigers went 21-16 during Nix’s tenure as the starter. Nix then transferred to Oregon in 2022, and in a more QB-friendly system under Dan Lanning, Nix has found much more success with the Ducks. Over two seasons there, he has thrown for 7738 yards, 69 TDs, and 10 interceptions.
Nix is one of the most accurate passers in college football when he is able to carve defenses in the short areas of the field. However, Nix has not displayed a consistent ability to push the ball downfield with his deep passing.
7. Michael Pratt (Tulane)
Michael Pratt is a very sturdy player at the quarterback position, measuring in at 6’2″ and 217 pounds at the combine. He gets the ball out quickly and processes defenses well. He has been starting for four seasons at Tulane, so despite being only 22 years old, Pratt has the experience of an older collegiate QB.
While Pratt has done a great job of improving his accuracy on shorter passes, we are yet to see him really find a way to consistently hit his receivers downfield, particularly outside of the numbers. His accuracy and touch will need to improve to carve out a role for himself at the NFL level.
8. Spencer Rattler (South Carolina)
Spencer Rattler’s collegiate career has been a bit of a roller coaster ride to say the least. At one point in time, he was viewed as one of the best quarterbacks in college football, but after a strong 2020 season at Oklahoma, he was benched midway through the 2021 season in favor of Caleb Williams.
Rattler then headed to South Carolina where he has ridden below the lime light but has showcased a strong arm and some decent mobility. The QB performed well at the Senior Bowl last month, particularly down in the red zone, but some erratic decision making throughout his career will cause question marks.
9. Kedon Slovis (BYU)
Kedon Slovis has seen just about everything throughout his collegiate career. After beginning at USC in 2019 and immediately jumping into the starting lineup, he transferred to Pittsburgh in 2022, and then over to BYU in 2023.
Like Rattler, Slovis once looked like a candidate to be a top QB prospect, but ironically, his production tapered off significantly following his freshman season. After throwing for over 3500 yards and 30 TDs in that season, Slovis never topped 2400 yards or 17 TDs throughout the final four years of his career.
10. Joe Milton (Tennessee)
Joe Milton spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Michigan before transferring to Tennessee and being the backup to Hendon Hooker in 2021. He attempted just 296 passes through his first five collegiate seasons before becoming the starter for Tennessee in 2023.
Milton has the strongest arm in this class, possessing an ability to rifle the ball all over the field with ease. He also proved to be a mobile threat this season with seven rushing touchdowns. At 6’5″ and 235 pounds, Milton is an imposing presence, but he has a lot to work on towards refining his passing ability. His accuracy remains very inconsistent, and he needs to become much better at putting touch on passes.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Sports Reference CFB.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.