2024 NFL Draft: The Quarterback Class

[Darrell Green Fan]

I will never understand the love for JJ McCarthy. He looks like the hundreds of other QBs who played on a great team and was a damned good college QB. I just don't see him ever being a franchise QB.

Lots of discussion on Commanders sites about this topic. The clear favorite is Drake Maye for obvious reasons. Daniels is just too much of a risk for a pick they need to get right.

 

[redskinsfan1963]

compared to daniels,maye is total shit.penix injury history is gonna push him way back in the draft.

 

[Clayton]

I will never understand the love for JJ McCarthy. He looks like the hundreds of other QBs who played on a great team and was a damned good college QB. I just don't see him ever being a franchise QB.

Lots of discussion on Commanders sites about this topic. The clear favorite is Drake Maye for obvious reasons. Daniels is just too much of a risk for a pick they need to get right.

I guess the big question is: what happens if Maye goes #1?

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I guess the big question is: what happens if Maye goes #1?

Then we would be thrilled to draft Caleb Williams. But we don't see that happening.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

Never been a fan of drafting running QBs.

 

[shopson67]

Milton is an interesting prospect simply due to his cannon.

Problem is, Hendon Hooker was the man the year before, and he was an absolute failure the year after.

Rattler? I think he has some talent. Wouldn't waste a pick on him though.

Rattler seems to be the guy eclipsed by Caleb at USC, but does that mean he's not a valid prospect? I haven't seen him play, so I certainly can't say either way.

 

[shopson67]

Never been a fan of drafting running QBs.

What do you consider a running QB? Guys like Daniels and Lamar had big passing numbers in addition to their running ability. Is Josh Allen a running QB?

 

[shopson67]

Go ask Matt Corral and Sam Howell how accurate those draft projections are.

Nix --- You think the NFL is going to jump on a QB early who couldn't make it in the SEC?

I do. Nix showed that he can be a game manager with good wheels to escape when needed. He seems very much like a Sean Payton type QB to me and could very well be the pick for the Broncos.

 

[shopson67]

I heard that same story with another Michigan Quarterback who beat Alabama.

That is a reckless comparison that ignores all other aspects of their individual games. You're scouting by the helmet and picking the one Michigan QB to use as a comparison that became anything above mediocre in the league. The only other Michigan QB with a decent career in the NFL is the current Michigan head coach, Harbaugh. The rest are backup fodder and never-weres.

 

[belcherboy]

I will never understand the love for JJ McCarthy. He looks like the hundreds of other QBs who played on a great team and was a damned good college QB. I just don't see him ever being a franchise QB.

Lots of discussion on Commanders sites about this topic. The clear favorite is Drake Maye for obvious reasons. Daniels is just too much of a risk for a pick they need to get right.

It really doesn't make sense that he left college early. Maybe he'll show out at the combine, or maybe Harbaugh told him that he will be an NFL coach next year and that he'd draft him if he wasn't a first round pick, but JJ definitely looks like the 5th best QB in this draft class....at best. He probably ends up the 6th-7th QB picked when all is said and done. I wouldn't recommend him attending the draft in person, at least not on the first night.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Never been a fan of drafting running QBs.

Me either. Give me a guy who can stand in the pocket, read a defense and deliver the ball on time in the right spot. If he can escape the pocket and pick up 8 yards on 3rd and 6, which Maye and most NFL QBs today can do, that's good enough mobility for me.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Michael Penix Jr
- 23 years old, will be 24 in May
- 6'3, 213 pounds
- Played for the Indiana Hoosiers (2018-2021) & Washington Huskies (2022-23)
- Torn his ACL on November 30th, 2020.
- Named AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2022
- Won the Maxwell Award & First-Team All-American in 2023.
- Placed 2nd for the Heisman Trophy in 2023.
- 37-8 as a starter
- In his last two seasons, he scored 74 touchdowns to 19 interceptions, averaged 341 passing yards per game, and 8.6 yards per attempt

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

I do. Nix showed that he can be a game manager with good wheels to escape when needed. He seems very much like a Sean Payton type QB to me and could very well be the pick for the Broncos.

What exactly do you have against McCarthy?

 

[Schmoopy1000]

What do you consider a running QB? Guys like Daniels and Lamar had big passing numbers in addition to their running ability. Is Josh Allen a running QB?

if the 1st thought is about their athletic ability to run. You will usually find their passing game lacking.
Mobile QBs who are bad ass passers. You still think of their passing 1st.

 

[shopson67]

What exactly do you have against McCarthy?

What do you have for him? He's shown virtually nothing in college to project to the pros. Don't hate him, just don't see much there as a first round prospect.

 

[shopson67]

if the 1st thought is about their athletic ability to run. You will usually find their passing game lacking.
Mobile QBs who are bad ass passers. You still think of their passing 1st.

So, who does that apply to of this year's crop of prospects? Not any of the top bunch that I would consider.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

So, who does that apply to of this year's crop of prospects? Not any of the top bunch that I would consider.

I am not really a college guy. When draft time comes around & everyone starts talking of players it usually becomes apparent.
I'm a michigan fan but I would want to draft JJ McCarthy for instance. I think if he is a top 5 QB in this draft class. the Draft class is weak then.
Justin Fields. Wouldnt have wanted him either.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

What do you have for him? He's shown virtually nothing in college to project to the pros. Don't hate him, just don't see much there as a first round prospect.

What exactly about his game do you find question marks? I would love to hear an actual response.

The big knock against him seems to be about Michigan's offensive scheme system. McCarthy only averaged about 204 passing yards per game. What you look at the tape, you see quality arm strength, great mobility, and the ability to make accurate tight window throws. That's what I see. I don't think people are questioning his skill set, just how little he threw the football at UM. On top of that, he helped Michigan to a National Championship. Very clutch too. Like I said about Jordan Love back in 2020, you mainly want to look at passing skills, not so much about stats or the type of team he was on.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

What exactly about his game do you find question marks? I would love to hear an actual response.

The big knock against him seems to be about Michigan's offensive scheme system. McCarthy only averaged about 204 passing yards per game. What you look at the tape, you see quality arm strength, great mobility, and the ability to make accurate tight window throws. That's what I see. I don't think people are questioning his skill set, just how little he threw the football at UM. On top of that, he helped Michigan to a National Championship. Very clutch too. Like I said about Jordan Love back in 2020, you mainly want to look at passing skills, not so much about stats or the type of team he was on.

For me it's the look test. He just looks like yet another great college QB who won't be a great NFL QB. He looks more like Daniel Jones than Joe Burrow to me. I certainly do not see quality arm strength. It's suitable for college, he would not have a big arm by NFL standards and he has a bit of a slow windup. I have no doubt he has fit throws into tight window on occasion but most of his big plays seem to come on plays with pretty open receivers.

 

[shopson67]

For me it's the look test. He just looks like yet another great college QB who won't be a great NFL QB. He looks more like Daniel Jones than Joe Burrow to me. I certainly do not see quality arm strength. It's suitable for college, he would not have a big arm by NFL standards and he has a bit of a slow windup. I have no doubt he has fit throws into tight window on occasion but most of his big plays seem to come on plays with pretty open receivers.

This is my feeling as well. Of course maybe he surprises with more usage, but I don't see anything about his game that stands out as exceptional to this point.

To me, he is probably the #6 prospect at QB this year, and I really only see 5 potentially worthy of a first rounder (Caleb, Maye, Daniels, Penix and Nix). I would've put him in the same range as Ewers, who didn't declare (oddly, since Texas still has Arch Manning in waiting). Some have fallen off of Penix due to his championship performance, but 1 game against potentially the best NCAA defense isn't going to impact his overall rating IMO. Positional scarcity could impact that of course. Beyond the top 5 prospects, I only see a few notable free agents/trade targets (Cousins, Fields, Russ?) to fill jobs for the QB needy teams (Bears, Pats, Wash, Falcons, Raiders, Saints, Broncos, Vikings, Giants) along with teams that need to have QB in their minds soon (Rams, Jets, etc) but may wait a year.