Coming out of the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl, NFL scouts have had a chance to get a close look at seven different quarterbacks that they’ll be considering during the 2024 NFL Draft.
After a week’s worth of evaluation, prognosticators also think they have a better idea where each of those seven signal-callers will end up going in the draft. And ESPN writer Jeff Legwold has taken a stab at predicting where they will land by round.
Let’s take a look at the seven Senior Bowl quarterbacks and discuss where Legwold has them being selected.
Bo Nix, Oregon – Early-to-middle of Round 2
Legwold attempted to break things down by looking at the earliest predicted draft range and the latest predicted draft range before coming to a consensus somewhere in the middle. Nix could go as early as the bottom of the first round.
The Oregon quarterback has certainly shown what he can do at the college level, a dual-threat prospect who had great success both running and throwing at the college level. Legwold likes him to be the first of the seven Senior Bowl quarterbacks off the board.
Michael Penix Jr., Washington – Day 2
The second quarterback projected, Penix is penciled into the second day of the draft, which would put him in the second or third round. The Washington quarterback stole the show this season by leading his team to the National Championship Game.
He’s a left-handed quarterback with a knack for getting the ball out from sometimes unconventional angles, something that might make him a coveted prospect given how the quarterback position has evolved in the NFL over the last several years. If nothing else, there’s the production to fall back on. Penix threw for 13,741 yards in college.
Spencer Rattler, South Carolina – Bottom of Round 4
One of the more difficult quarterback prospects to figure out, Rattler has all the tools but hasn’t always been able to put it all together consistently. He was up and down during his tenure at South Carolina, but he put on a show in Mobile, earning Senior Bowl MVP honors in the process.
Rattler will offer an NFL team a first-round skill set without the development just yet, but that can come in time. Legwold believes Rattler will be a mid-round selection, likely in the fourth round. That would force Rattler to prove himself at the pro level to hang onto a roster slot.
Michael Pratt, Tulane – Bottom of Round 5, top of Round 6
The Tulane quarterback has a ton of experience, having started 45 games at the college level. That’s one of his biggest assets, as teams likely expect he’ll be able to get up to speed quickly in a new system thanks to his experience.
Legwold listed a couple pluses and minuses from Pratt’s stint in Mobile this week. Scouts like his willingness to hang in the pocket and make late throws, while they’re reportedly a little concerned about an elongated delivery and impatience in the red zone. In any case, Pratt is viewed as a fifth- to sixth-round prospect.
Joe Milton, Tennessee – Round 7
Milton is somewhat similar to Rattler in that he’s got absolutely all the tools and some NFL teams will likely fall in love with his arm strength and his big stature. But Milton couldn’t always convert those into success on the field at the college level. He needs to become more consistent.
Working on his touch passing will be a big point of emphasis for Milton leading into the draft, as he tends to rely on his strength a bit too much, sometimes forcing balls in harder than they need to be. Someone will almost certainly take a chance on Milton given the physical tools, but it’ll likely be later in the draft.
Sam Hartman, Notre Dame – Round 7
One of the most prolific passers in college over the past several seasons, Hartman’s biggest detriment in the draft might just be his age at 24 years old. The flip side of that is that he’s a crafty veteran who has seen a whole lot of looks at the college level.
ESPN noted two real negatives from the Senior Bowl. First, Hartman was a bit out of sync with his receivers at times in Mobile. Second, he checked in a little smaller than expected. ESPN has Hartman projected as a seventh-round pick, though the publication notes he could slip to being an undrafted free-agent signing.
Carter Bradley, South Alabama – Undrafted free agent
Bradley starred for South Alabama the last two seasons after transferring from Toledo and he put up some big numbers. In total during his college career he threw for 8,372 yards and 61 touchdowns against 227 interceptions.
Legwold notes that some scouts at the Senior Bowl wanted to see how Bradley moved around, given he had suffered a knee injury in 2023. Regardless, the consensus is that Bradley would probably have to get a little lucky to hear his name called during the draft, with his most likely outcome being the undrafted free agent route.
There you have it, a wrap-up of the Senior Bowl quarterbacks and their prospects heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. But there’s still a long way to go before the draft, with the NFL Scouting Combine and school pro days yet to take place. That will likely further shake up the draft order. Still, this is a good early look at some of the most talented quarterback prospects available.
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