As your New Orleans Saints prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, we take a look at the top 10 ranked players at various positions. The 2024 NFL Draft big board rankings are reflective of Bucky Brooks' top five 2024 NFL Draft prospects by position 1.0 and ESPN's NFL Draft "Best Available" list.
Here are the top 10 ranked draft prospects at quarterback:
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 1 Caleb Williams | USC
A consensus No. 1 quarterback according to NFL.com and ESPN, Williams began making waves during his time at USC. The 6-foot-1 play-maker's time in college was highlighted by his ability to keep his team in games. Williams possesses a great pocket presence with the ability to recognize when the play is breaking down and escape using his legs. This can lead to some errant throws if he does not set his feet again. He also has shown some hints of indecisiveness in the pocket, missing passing windows. He still shined statistically in 2023, passing for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He also boasted a QBR of 82.4.
Height: 6 feet 1
Weight: 214 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.76
NFL.com overview: "Williams' play is highlighted by rare escapability paired with the talent to exploit defenses once the play breaks down. He's not tall, but he is well-built, with an arm to challenge defenses across the field. He can be a high-impact play-maker on the go or an effective pocket passer when he allows himself to trust his eyes on second and third reads. He can improve his accuracy and placement on intermediate and deep throws, but he's unlikely to be known for pinpoint accuracy. Williams is tremendously talented but often bites off too much responsibility and plays off-schedule. He has a good chance to hit new heights with a surrounding cast he trusts, but greater self-discipline and a well-structured offense might be needed to help him become a quarterback who can elevate a franchise to championship contention."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 2 Jayden Daniels | LSU
Listed as the second best QB on NFL.com and ESPN.com, Daniels is coming off a Heisman-winning season and will be looking to continue a legacy of LSU Heisman winners producing success in the NFL. Daniels is one of the top prospects when it comes to the ability to read a defense and get his team on the same page pre-snap. He is a very intelligent passer, moving through progressions quickly and understanding when to use his legs. The biggest concern for Daniels will be his durability at only 210 pounds. He has everything required to be a starter in his first season for whichever team takes him.
Height: 6 feet 4
Weight: 210 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.73
NFL.com overview: "With five seasons of starting experience under his belt, Daniels possesses a rare blend of play-making talent and command from the pocket. He's tall but slender, so there will be concerns about durability, considering how often he ran in college. However, teams must also recognize that he has no issues sitting in the pocket and working through progressions as a platform thrower with good mechanics and footwork. Daniels possesses the football intelligence to get himself protected and take care of the football with quality decision-making. He's an accurate passer over the first two levels and throws with anticipation to slice and dice zone coverages. He had noticeable issues putting deep throws on faster receivers in stride, though...Daniels is positioned to become a very good NFL starter in a spread-based passing attack."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 3 Drake Maye | North Carolina
Maye is listed as the third best quarterback on NFL.com and ESPN's Best Available, but some inconsistencies to his game make him an intriguing prospect. A personnel director for an AFC team had this to say about Maye: "He's big and mobile and can sling it around but he didn't play consistent football (in 2023). I thought his processing was a problem but it was hard to tell sometimes because of how his line played in front of him." Maye's biggest strength is his arm talent, but his inconsistencies in accuracy pose a problem for receivers. The bright side is that Maye was a two-year starter that can be shaped to fill whatever holes a team will need help filling.
Height: 6 feet 4
Weight: 223 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.50
NFL.com overview: "Challenging evaluation with top-flight measurables and tools but inconsistencies that create a lower floor. Maye's size and arm talent jump off the tape immediately. He can make every throw, but he will try to make throws that he shouldn't have attempted. The gunslinger mentality creates a fearlessness that can turn into interceptions, but it will also allow him to win in tight windows and make splash throws that get crowds (and evaluators) on their feet...There is an undeniable energy to Maye's game that can create momentum or turn chaotic when plays come off-schedule for him. The combination of traits and tape make him a boom/bust prospect who might need patient management and coaching to help shepherd him toward his potential."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 4 Michael Penix Jr. | Washington
Rated the fourth-best quarterback prospect by Bucky Brooks but No. 6 by ESPN, Penix is coming off an incredibly productive season at Washington, but injury concerns in his past drop his draft stock slightly. An NFC area scout said, "He played well (in 2023) and hasn't missed a game since he got to Washington, but you just can't turn a blind eye to all the games he's missed and all the injuries he's had." If the injuries remain a non-factor, Penix can be an incredibly productive quarterback for a team in need. He has a great arm and evasive feet to avoid pressure, but his late season touchdown to interception ratio raise a few red flags. Penix has some proving to do about his arm and injury history, but he has what it takes to start for a team if needed.
Height: 6 feet 2
Weight: 216 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.25
NFL.com overview: "Penix will be a 24-year-old rookie with a history of season-ending injuries at Indiana and impressive production while at Washington. The Huskies' offensive design helped declutter coverages for Penix, allowing him to throw a higher number of intermediate and deep passes. He plays with smart pocket mobility and a willingness to get rid of the football, which makes it difficult to sack him. His delivery is bundled and his release point is very low, but his monster game against Texas showed flashes of impeccable touch. Penix has plenty of arm but needs to work with more consistent timing between the numbers to eliminate unnecessary contested throws...Playing in a shotgun-based spread attack might give him his best chance to succeed, but he needs to prove he can thrive outside of the Washington offense and stay free from injury."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 5 J.J. McCarthy | Michigan
McCarthy comes in as the fifth-best prospect on NFL.com and the fourth-best prospect according to ESPN. Fresh off of a championship-winning season in 2023, McCarthy will be looking for the same success in the NFL. He has all the required traits to succeed as a quarterback, but using them effectively can be a different beast. He has shown a tendency to get stuck on his first read, but he does have great pocket awareness and that can often lead to him escaping the pocket and making great throws through tight coverage.
Height: 6 feet 2 1/2
Weight: 219 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.39
NFL.com Overview: "Enigmatic quarterback lacking the measurables and splash throws associated with early round quarterbacks but possessing elements that require more study and consideration. McCarthy lacks frame thickness and a plus arm. He's fairly poised in the pocket but is average as a pocket passer. His ball placement and timing need to improve to help mitigate an average operation time due to a windup release. McCarthy doesn't seek to play out of structure but is fairly consistent at making positive plays when it happens and ramps up his focus late in games and on third downs. He is confident and seems to have the ability to take slights and digest it as competitive fuel. McCarthy should continue to improve as a passer, but he fails to stand out in many of the areas that tend to be predictive of top-level success in the NFL."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 6 Bo Nix | Oregon
Nix is listed as the fifth-best quarterback prospect on ESPN's Best Available. While he did not crack Bucky Brooks' Top 5, he was an honorable mention. He started for five years, so he will be entering the league at 24 years old. He has shown great promise, but that could be attributed to the style of offense he was playing with. An NFC area scout had this to say: "He's so much more confident than he was when he came in. The only thing you worry about a little bit is how he will respond when he's outside the comfort of that (Oregon) offense. Does he play with the same confidence?"
Height: 6 feet 2
Weight: 214 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 6.43
NFL.com Overview: "Rare five-year starting quarterback whose play has matured in front of our eyes. Nix displays the accuracy, arm talent and athleticism consistent with today's brand of pro quarterback. He can be punctual in getting the ball out at the top of his drop or he can work through progressions and beat defenses with second-reaction plays. He throws with good velocity and puts the ball on the money when throwing on the move. Nix has shown great improvement with his pocket poise. He's capable of moving the sticks as a scrambler or as part of the running game. Some of his gaudy production has been driven by the Oregon offense's design, but his talent clearly stands out."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 7 Spencer Rattler | South Carolina
Rattler's rough 2023 season may have dropped his draft stock in the eyes of some, with ESPN listing him as the seventh-best quarterback. While some of that may be attributed to a shaky offensive line and drop-prone receivers, his touchdown to interception ratio raises some red flags. He will likely need to learn and develop under a veteran quarterback for a year or two before getting his own shot at leading a team.
Height: 6 feet
Weight: 211 pounds
NFL.com Draft Grade: 5.92
NFL.com Overview: "Four-year starter who took more starting snaps at South Carolina than he did at Oklahoma. Rattler will still flash glimpses of what he showed in his 2020 season as a Sooner but fails to consistently sustain the type of play that NFL teams look for. He lacks desired height for a pocket passer and doesn't have enough arm strength to beat greedy NFL cover men. He was better than some of his 2023 numbers might indicate, as poor pass-blocking and drop-prone receivers often put him in bad spots. He can scramble and extend plays, but he's not a dynamic runner and needs optimal protection and separation in order to work in rhythm."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 8 Michael Pratt | Tulane
Pratt cracks the top 10, coming in at No. 8 on ESPN's Best Available. Although his role may end up being a backup, he would benefit and could possibly show growth under the right mentor and offensive system. He was a team leader and respected locker room presence at Tulane, so he has the character traits to be a leader in an NFL locker room. In a stacked quarterback class, he likely won't go in the first round but he has what it takes to be on an NFL roster in September.
Height: 6 feet 2 1/2
Weight: 217 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 5.84
NFL.com overview: "Highly experienced and a respected team leader, Pratt has shown consistent improvement from season to season. Pratt has done a nice job of making safe decisions instead of reckless ones and throws with touch over all three levels. He struggles to throw with consistent accuracy and placement on intermediate throws. Also, he appears to lack the anticipation and field awareness to beat NFL coverage across the field. Pratt has Day 3 potential but will be in a battle to win a future backup role."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 9 Joe Milton III | Tennessee
Milton has incredible arm strength, but has struggled to use it consistently. He can tend to put too much heat on short throws and has proven he needs some accuracy help on the deep balls. If he can develop, he can be a stud in the league, but over six seasons he has struggled to show much improvement, so that may be easier said than done. There may be a team willing to use a Day 3 pick on him, but he would need to show development to see any sort of immediate playing time.
Height: 6 feet 5
Weight: 235 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 5.80
NFL.com overview: "Rare physical specimen with the proverbial "arm talent to make all the NFL throws," but he's prevented from doing so by a lack of timing, accuracy and touch. Milton is gifted with a cannon for a right arm and can throw the ball as hard or as far as you want. His fastballs are often inaccurate and difficult to catch for moving targets, and he was wildly inconsistent locating his deep throws. He can elude pressure, extend plays and put jaw-dropping highlights on tape, but he's never been able to mature his game from splashy to consistent. He's primarily a single-side reader who struggles to improvise with his eyes."
2024 NFL Draft prospects - Quarterback | No. 10 Sam Hartman | Notre Dame
Notre Dame prospect Sam Hartman benefits from improv-style plays, but has shown a lack of consistency in more structured offensive schemes. He has shown flashes throughout college of his ability, but he needs to produce at a higher level than he currently is to find any playing time. He may warrant a Day 3 selection, but likely not higher than that in a stacked draft class.
Height: 6 feet 1
Weight: 211 pounds
NFL.com draft grade: 5.80
NFL.com overview: "Solidly built but shorter, Hartman plays with a competitive temperament but a lack of consistency. He can play inside structure, but at heart, he's an improv-oriented passer. He has big hands to pump and reset the football, and his Wake Forest tape showed a player capable of beating defenses on extended plays. He processes quickly and can go from read to throw in an instant, but the arm strength is average and could be exploited by ball-hawking defenders."
