The 2024 NFL Draft could involve a lot of movement in the first round as teams attempt to position themselves to address positions of need. Of course, one of the positions that teams are always aggressive in looking to fill is quarterback.
This year’s NFL Draft could have quarterbacks going off the board with the first three picks. The Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason and are expected to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
After Williams is off the board, some combination of Drake Maye out of North Carolina and Jayden Daniels out of LSU are projected to be picked. J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan could be selected at No. 4 and has potential suitors throughout the first round.
While those four players are drawing the most attention at the quarterback position, one NFL insider believes we could see even more quarterbacks hear their names called in the first round. Adam Schefter of ESPN believes five, potentially even six, quarterbacks could be picked in the first round.
“I think there will be at least 5 QBs go in 1st. Possibly all 6. We mention these teams in the QB market that aren’t talked about enough, what about LAR with Stafford having no GTD$ after this year, DAL with Dak in last year, and ATL wanting QB insurance behind Kirk,” Schefter said on an appearance on a SportsCenter Special.
Michael Penix Jr. out of Washington and Bo Nix out of Oregon are the two other quarterbacks who could be in the mix at some point in the first round. If they don’t get picked there, we could have a similar situation to the one Will Levis went through in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, so interest in quarterbacks being so high in the 2024 NFL Draft makes a lot of sense. These talented players could help shape the future of a franchise looking for some long-term insurance at the position.
With questions beyond 2024 for the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons, they are intriguing teams to watch. Given their position, a first-round quarterback may surprise some people, but they need to be prepared for life after their veterans.
More must-reads: