NEWSLETTER
NFL Draft followers seem to have settled on four quarterbacks going somewhere in the top 10 picks. Many appear to think that we could get a draft with quarterbacks going 1, 2, 3, 4 in succession at the top. Others think the fifth pick could be a spot where a team trades up to snag this draft class’ QB4. The many permutations of the 2024 NFL Draft are all over the place in my brain.
But NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero opines that as many as six quarterbacks could go in the first round of this NFL Draft:
Yeah, the idea of six quarterbacks going in the first 32 picks has me jaw-dropped. I don’t imagine I’m alone in feeling this way. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t be all too surprised.
Caleb Williams is going first in the NFL Draft, but what other quarterbacks will follow?
There is no position that is more important to a football team than the quarterback. Heck, there might not be a position that is more important in all of American pro sports than quarterbacks in the NFL. Hence, teams are going to beg, borrow, steal, and do whatever else in their power to try and find their pick to click. And if it means that teams have to trade up and reach for a quarterback who might not have a first-round grade, then so be it.
If you have the time, Tom Pelissero’s pre-draft quarterbacks primer is a good read. Even if you don’t have the time right now, I’d recommend you bookmark or save it for later to read up on projected No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Here is a snippet via the post that Pelissero was able to get from an NFC executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity for the story:
“The further you get away from tape, the more people are making it more about the non-playing factors, whether it’s the personality, the dad, etc.,” an NFC executive said. “Then you get back to the tape — he’s got the most ‘wow’ plays of any quarterback in the draft. And he plays a lot of hero ball because people don’t realize he had one of the worst supporting casts of any of the quarterbacks in this draft.”
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I definitely vibe with this sentiment. If you’ve been following the pre-NFL Draft build up the way I have, then you probably feel similarly after reading the block quote above. There has been so much noise around Caleb Williams that was nothing more than babble to fill space. But whenever the conversation circled back to his on-the-field production and playing style, the silly chatter stopped. That probably isn’t a coincidence. With that being said, only one team can get Caleb Williams. And that team will be the Chicago Bears. I’d feel sorry for other teams who aren’t so lucky if I didn’t know any better.
What happens after the Bears take Caleb Williams at No. 1 in the 2024 NFL Draft is anyone’s guess.
Do the Washington Commanders like LSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as much as mock drafts suggest? Or was this all just one fuzzy smokescreen to distract from selecting North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Is Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy as good as Jim Harbaugh advertises? Or is Harbaugh just gassing his former Wolverines QB up knowing that any number of teams could trade up with the Chargers and give Los Angeles a treasure trove of draft picks. What about Michael Penix Jr.? The Washington standout shined brightly while throwing to Rome Odunze. Will a roll the dice there? Can Oregon’s Bo Nix land in the back half of Round 1?
I’m not sure what will go down after Chicago chooses Caleb. But that is part of the fun in following the NFL Draft. It is almost time to expect the unexpected.
