Mel Kiper Jr. predicts two teams trade up in Round 2 for QBs in latest mock
The number of quarterbacks that will be taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft has been hotly debated all offseason.
Some draft experts postulate it could be as many as six, while ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. believes that number will be much lower.
In his latest mock draft, Kiper Jr. has just four QBs going in Round 1 — USC’s Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears (No. 1), LSU’s Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders (No. 2), North Carolina’s Drake Maye to the New England Patriots (No. 3) and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy to the Minnesota Vikings (No. 5).
However, Kiper Jr. has Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. — both considered to be fringe first-rounders — going at the very top of Round 2 with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams, respectively, trading up to get their future franchise signal callers.
“The question for NFL teams: Do you trust (Nix) has enough arm strength to succeed?” Kiper Jr. wrote. “He was asked to get the ball out quickly and around the line of scrimmage for the Ducks, putting his receivers in a position to make plays after the catch. That's why I have a Round 2 grade on him. There likely will be a team that falls in love with Nix in this range; why can't it be the Giants?”
Daniel Jones is penciled in as the Giants’ starter next season, but given his injury history (he’s missed 23 games in five years) and his 22-36-1 record as the starter, New York could look to move on from him next offseason when his guaranteed money lowers significantly.
Conversely, the Rams are in a much better situation with Matthew Stafford, but he’s 36 and nearing the end of his career. The team recently signed backup Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t a long-term answer.
Penix Jr. could be the perfect player to sit, wait a year or two and learn Sean McVay’s system and transition into a starting role as opposed to being thrown right into the fire.
“There's a lot of uncertainty in L.A. past 2024,” Kiper Jr. said. “Penix could be the future franchise signal-caller for coach Sean McVay and the Rams. He is accurate to every level of the field and is a great decision-maker. He had 67 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions in his two seasons at Washington. I have a Round 2 grade on him, just behind Bo Nix in my rankings.”
It's also not out of the realm of possibility that both Nix and Penix Jr. sneak into the first round. The Denver Broncos (No. 12) and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13) both need a QB, and it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if they reached for either player out of desperation.
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