Four QBs who could sneak into Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft

Many scouts and draft experts are projecting five quarterbacks to be taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are virtual locks to be top-10 picks and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Oregon’s Bo Nix are expected to come off the board near the middle or end of Round 1.

But aside from those five signal-callers, who else could see an Anthony Richardson-like predraft rise next year? Here are four quarterbacks who could sneak into the first round of the 2024 draft:

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

McCarthy is arguably the most polarizing prospect of the 2024 quarterback class. Some scouts believe he’s a first-round talent while others are convinced he’s a mid-round pick at best. After leading Michigan to the College Football Playoff last year, McCarthy has a strong arm and he’s capable of making every NFL throw. He can hit a deep throw down the sideline just as easily as he can an underneath route in space. 

McCarthy is also an underrated runner with strong scrambling ability when needed. But what concerns scouts most is his decision-making and pre-snap play recognition, often struggling to pick up blitzes and properly read defensive formations.

Joe Milton, Tennessee

Milton has the strongest arm in college football and with a full season under his belt as a starter in 2023, he could easily be next year’s Richardson. He will be 24 by the time the 2024 draft rolls around, but having attempted just 296 passes over five seasons, he has significantly less mileage compared to some of the other first-round QBs. 

Milton gets the ball out quickly, he can extend plays and he’s comfortable throwing from the pocket given his lack of experience. However, he needs to improve his mechanics and downfield accuracy, and he needs to learn to not rely on his cannon arm to make throws happen.

K.J. Jefferson, Arkansas

Although his mechanics could use some fine-tuning, Jefferson has the combination of size (6-foot-3, 247 pounds) and athleticism that makes him a solid pro prospect. His 2022 stats were similar to Richardson's (2,648 yards, 24 touchdowns, five interceptions) but he’s a bit more accurate and he’s a better deep-ball thrower. 

Like Richardson, Jefferson will have to show scouts he can improve his pre-snap awareness and decision-making — two areas he struggled in last season.

Jordan Travis, Florida State

Travis had an adequate season at FSU last year, throwing for 3,214 yards, 24 touchdowns and just five interceptions, but he’s still a work in progress. He’s great at improvising when a play breaks down, and he’s a real threat outside the pocket to scramble for yards or throw a bomb downfield.

Travis also has a quick release and good awareness. But he tends to struggle with progressing through his reads quickly and his accuracy and footwork in the pocket need some improving as well.