WATCH: Quarterbacks Shine In 2024 NFL Draft, On ‘The Edge’
The 2024 NFL draft set for Thursday through Saturday in Detroit, features two recent Heisman quarterbacks expected to be among the first players selected.
The projected No. 1 pick, former Southern Cal standout Caleb Williams, likely will hear his name called by the Chicago Bears, while LSU’s Jayden Daniels could be among the next several taken.
Williams was the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner. Daniels won it in 2023.
This week on “The Edge,” Gambling.com content editor Charlie Mullan notes that history could be made at this year’s draft, depending on how many quarterbacks are among the first selected. Three times in draft history, quarterbacks were picked first, second and third.
“This year could be an historic draft because we’ve never had four quarterbacks go in the top four positions,” Mullan said.
The Gambling.com editor, a longtime NFL stats junkie and Miami Dolphins fan from England, said he sees a lot of potential in Williams, the former USC Trojan.
The Chicago Bears, who pick first, recently traded former starter Justin Fields and are in need of a top-flight quarterback.
“I certainly like Caleb Williams,” Mullan said. “I like the swagger that he has. He likes to be different. He paints his fingernails — so what? Can he throw a ball accurately and powerfully? Yes, he can.”
Mullan: I Like Caleb Williams' 'Swagger'
QB Draft Prospects, Previous Busts
Below are the top-rated quarterbacks in the 2024 draft. The order might differ when teams begin selecting.
- Caleb Williams (USC)
- Jayden Daniels (LSU)
- Drake Maye (North Carolina)
- Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)
- J.J. McCarthy (Michigan)
- Bo Nix (Oregon)
Over the years, several high draft choices, including the following quarterbacks, failed to live up to lofty expectations.
- Ryan Leaf (1998 second overall)
- JaMarcus Russell (2007 first overall)
- Jeff George (1990 first overall)
The USA Today website has a list of draft busts over the years.
Those are not the only questionable quarterback selections.
As Mullan said on “The Edge,” Hofstra quarterback Giovanni Carmazzi was picked in the 2000 draft ahead of a future Hall of Famer, but the Carmazzi pick didn’t work out.
Mullan noted that the Niners took Carmazzi with the number 65 pick that year.
“His claim to fame is that he was selected 134 places above Tom Brady, and he never threw a pass in the NFL," Mullan said.
By The Numbers
Round 1 Draft Order (Unless Last-Minute Trades Shake Up The Order)
1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
2. Washington Commanders
3. New England Patriots
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. New York Giants
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears
10. New York Jets
11. Minnesota Vikings
12. Denver Broncos
13. Las Vegas Raiders
14. New Orleans Saints
15. Indianapolis Colts
16. Seattle Seahawks
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
18. Cincinnati Bengals
19. Los Angeles Rams
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
21. Miami Dolphins
22. Philadelphia Eagles
23. Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston)
24. Dallas Cowboys
25. Green Bay Packers
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston)
28. Buffalo Bills
29. Detroit Lions
30. Baltimore Ravens
31. San Francisco 49ers
32. Kansas City Chiefs
Compiled by NBC Sports.
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