2024 QBs

Most likely to bust: Michael Penix Jr. due to his injury history and the offenses he runs at Washington.


Most likely to be a star: Caleb Williams. The Mahomes comparisons are warranted.



And Drake Maye is pretty damn accurate. Don't let one game fool you (and even on Saturday he had some gorgeous, drop-in-the-basket throws).

Whether we earn the right to draft him naturally or have to trade up to get him, he’s who I want.

re Allen. The big knock on him was his accuracy issues coming out. Both on tape, and in his low completion percentage at a low level of football. The accuracy issues continued at the beginning of his career, and still pop up from time to time

was that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn

has zoomed by sleeper status months ago.

He's in the hunt for the top slot.

no knock on Caleb but I prefer a taller QB. Penix has too much injury already for me.. McCarthy aint doing it for me.. and is Nix a good QB or a function of the system he is playing in? Im unsure.

when he plays against a good team or a good defense.

Daniels is going to go top 5/6 at this point. Anthony Richardson went 4th overall with mediocre, at best, play at Florida. I see Lamar Jackson in Daniels, with a better arm.

In comment 16296622 Chip said:

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when he plays against a good team or a good defense.

He’s had 1 bad game all season, against Notre Dame, and you make this blanket statement. Right.

With Maye at all. Clemson made him look very average. I think Penix is intriguing but his injury histiry is a major concern plus his age. Williams is clearly the best but i am concerned he operates 100% out of the shotgun. Keep in mind though, his OL sux and he still has ridiculous stats. Oh, and Daniels, while a very good athlete, he overthrows his targets alot and pulls it down to run, way too quickly.

It's a crapshoot, which QB will be great and which QB will be lousy, and all the mediocrity in between.

Full disclosure (I'm no expert not even close): 2018 draft
Liked Josh Rosen & Lamar Jackson
thought Darnold was sloppy with the ball
thought Mayfield was undersized & not athletic enough
thought Allen was waaaay too Boom or Bust (he boomed nicely)

Most drafts with 3 high QB pics are similar: a pretty good one, a mediocre one and an disappointing one

Occasionally they are all good: 2004

IF NY pics at 5 and three top QBs are gone go BPA, and see whose still on the board in the mid-late 20s or round 2 (Nix, Penix, McCarthy, etc.)

At the risk of being wildly redundant, until we have significant improvement in the OL, it won't matter much who the QB is.

Against good teams? Yeah, so Notre Dame is better than Utah, Oregon and Washington. All ranked higher than ND. He went 70-103 with 4td's vs 0 int's.
Ok pal.

Daniels is the star. Most explosive, dynamic and athletic. Is credible accuracy both short and deep. Good decision maker. And he's done it in the best conference in the country. You absolutely have to commit a guy to be a spy against him, limiting what the D can do. Only question mark is weight (and maybe that he plays behind a great O line).

Bust? Nix no. 1, Maye number 2. One of the best things about Penix is his decision making. I read comments from a backup QB and a wide receiver who said they are amazed at what he sees on the field and the decisions he makes on the fly, often reacting in a way that is the opposite of what is called for. The backup QB and receiver stated they never saw what Penix saw. But his decisions were right. The backup QB commented that he asked Penix how he does it and Penix said he doesn't know - he just sees it. Sounds like the child prodigies who walk up to a piano and can play it.

Every city has intense media and in fact most information and scrutiny is on a national level. If there is any truth that some cities are tougher than others as to media focus and criticism, I would say a small market may be worse than a larger market. In a small market, there is less to distract the local media.

In comment 16296630 redwhiteandbigblue said:

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With Maye at all. Clemson made him look very average. I think Penix is intriguing but his injury histiry is a major concern plus his age. Williams is clearly the best but i am concerned he operates 100% out of the shotgun. Keep in mind though, his OL sux and he still has ridiculous stats. Oh, and Daniels, while a very good athlete, he overthrows his targets alot and pulls it down to run, way too quickly.

Does UNC have all that much talent on their team? I admittedly dont know. For instance Jones put up mediocre stats with a bad supporting cast at Duke so that was always an excuse for his lack of production. Now Maye is putting up incredible stats with what looks to also be a pretty mediocre supporting cast. Clemson is not what they used to be, but they still have incredible talent on their team and will more often than not beat up on teams like UNC

not having studied these guys very closely yet, I am on the Jayden Daniels train. Williams has excellent potential, Maye is tall, athletic enough and accurate from what little I have seen (throws an excellent deep ball). Penix is NOT athletic enough. Don't know what to think about Nix yet.

Highest Upside - Williams
Most likely to bust - Maye, Pennix, Nix (if you see him as anything more than a 3rd Round pick)

I am definitely on the Daniels hype train as I am just not convinced that Williams has the head needed to be a successful NFL QB. Daniels may not have his upside, but I think there is a high floor.

This all being said, I don't see any "generational" QB in this year's crop. However there are a few that could be longtime starters.

In comment 16296622 Chip said:

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when he plays against a good team or a good defense.

What about all the good teams he lit up last year?

Or aren't you familiar with that? Which very likely.

Here's an idea. Go ESPN, click on NCAAF, select Teams, find USC, choose Stats, click on Williams, choose Gamelog, change 2021. Now read. And remind of the good teams he played poorly against.

JFC.

I like Williams and Daniels.

GA. Don't know nuthin. Haven't seen him play and don't pretend to be able to parse his potential. He's only 21. Would be interested in what the "experts" here think.
Link - ( New Window )

Is the biggest bust. We saw how he played at Auburn. Needs the most ideal conditions to succeed.

Loaded roster in a bad defensive conference.

In comment 16296682 clatterbuck said:

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GA. Don't know nuthin. Haven't seen him play and don't pretend to be able to parse his potential. He's only 21. Would be interested in what the "experts" here think. Link - ( New Window )

I still like Cameron Ward if you let him sit on the bench as a rookie

In comment 16296687 Mike in NY said:

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In comment 16296682 clatterbuck said: Quote: GA. Don't know nuthin. Haven't seen him play and don't pretend to be able to parse his potential. He's only 21. Would be interested in what the "experts" here think. Link - ( New Window ) I still like Cameron Ward if you let him sit on the bench as a rookie

He has some great tools. But you’re right he needs to sit. He picked up some bad habits this year and I don’t like how he holds the ball so long at times.

So take this with a grain of salt.

Most likely to bust is Caleb Williams. Why? Talented, talented guy….but has ball security issues and plays too much hero ball. Maybe that can be coached out of him, but he scares me. Super high expectations for him, not sure he can handle that when he struggles (and he will).

Most likely to star is Jayden Daniels? Why? Immediate impact as a runner. Good enough passer, get him in the right system with the right coach and he can be good right away.

Highest ceiling is Drake Maye? Why? Best combination of size, arm, athleticism, touch, makeup. Will take longer to develop based on level of competition and age.

Sleeper is Penix. Kid can play - good arm, accurate, quick decisions, gamer, athletic. Injury history a concern but think he will be a good to very good NFL QB if he stays healthy.

I don't know how to evaluate Maye.

His coaching is awful. While Brown is a great coach, he is not known for his QB development. His two best prodigies were Vince Young and Colt McCoy.

He is trained to play like a robot. Everything is done in slow motion, until it breaks down. Maye has a great arm and is an exquisite deep ball thrower. His mechanics need work, but he is so moldable. The question will be can he be coached to be more fluid.
I hope is more Hebert than Vince Young.

Everything that Williams does is the exact opposite.My favorite QB coming out. He does everything well and has no weakness in his game.

He is Mahomes, but a better athlete. He is trying to do too much this year rather than letting the game come to him.
But he is the best college QB that I have at extending plays that I have seen.

I have a bias against Nix as it is hard for me to forget his play at Auburn. But after watching his recent games I have a hard time finding holes. He reads defenses and is so quick to react. These are traits that play well in the NFL. He does not have an exceptional skill like Maye or Williams but he may be better than I thought.

There is something that bothers me about Daniel's game. He is the best athlete of all the QBs and could be turn out to be the best. But he is a run first QB who holds the ball way too long. He doesn't take the easy throws relies on his athleticism to bail him out. While he throws a great ball with plenty of zip, he has a weird throwing motion and no touch. Daniel's may have the best supporting cast of receivers and his ability to extend plays allows them to freelance. He has better skills than Lamar, and in the right system he could flourish.

but I am concerned (and maybe misinformed) that Caleb Williams could turn out to be a prima donna, or that there seem to be character issues that could distract from his game.
Tell me I'm wrong.
Schoen is going to be looking at attitude as well as talent.

In comment 16296619 blueblood said:

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no knock on Caleb but I prefer a taller QB. Penix has too much injury already for me.. McCarthy aint doing it for me.. and is Nix a good QB or a function of the system he is playing in? Im unsure.

Same with me. Maye or Daniels

Excited about these quarterbacks, against my better judgement, with 7 games to play; Giants are now 1-0 in those seven games.

I m back to just watching the games play out and might join the fray when we get to game 16, depending on circumstances of draft position

But for the past 2 weeks, Williams seemed to be the most athletic, and I want no part of any more injury prone players, Penix.

not being able to handle NY media may well be true but to base it on the game he lost and went to the stands afterwards and cried in his mothers arms is ridiculous. From all accounts, he is incredibly passionate about each game and he was probably just releasing pent up emotions. Many forget he is just a college kid playing for a program that gets major media coverage. The fact he won the heisman last year must have put an enormous amount of pressure on him this year How did he react to the pressure, How about 3633 yards in 12 games and 30 td's and 5 int's not to mention 6 rushing td's. Not too shabby.

In comment 16296697 Archer said:

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I don't know how to evaluate Maye. His coaching is awful. While Brown is a great coach, he is not known for his QB development. His two best prodigies were Vince Young and Colt McCoy. He is trained to play like a robot. Everything is done in slow motion, until it breaks down. Maye has a great arm and is an exquisite deep ball thrower. His mechanics need work, but he is so moldable. The question will be can he be coached to be more fluid. I hope is more Hebert than Vince Young. Everything that Williams does is the exact opposite.My favorite QB coming out. He does everything well and has no weakness in his game. He is Mahomes, but a better athlete. He is trying to do too much this year rather than letting the game come to him. But he is the best college QB that I have at extending plays that I have seen. I have a bias against Nix as it is hard for me to forget his play at Auburn. But after watching his recent games I have a hard time finding holes. He reads defenses and is so quick to react. These are traits that play well in the NFL. He does not have an exceptional skill like Maye or Williams but he may be better than I thought. There is something that bothers me about Daniel's game. He is the best athlete of all the QBs and could be turn out to be the best. But he is a run first QB who holds the ball way too long. He doesn't take the easy throws relies on his athleticism to bail him out. While he throws a great ball with plenty of zip, he has a weird throwing motion and no touch. Daniel's may have the best supporting cast of receivers and his ability to extend plays allows them to freelance. He has better skills than Lamar, and in the right system he could flourish.

Good evaluation. Can't see anything wrong with what you said. No idea if the Caleb Williams diva thing is overblown or what, but something to consider given the NY media.

In comment 16296720 redwhiteandbigblue said:

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not being able to handle NY media may well be true but to base it on the game he lost and went to the stands afterwards and cried in his mothers arms is ridiculous. From all accounts, he is incredibly passionate about each game and he was probably just releasing pent up emotions. Many forget he is just a college kid playing for a program that gets major media coverage. The fact he won the heisman last year must have put an enormous amount of pressure on him this year How did he react to the pressure, How about 3633 yards in 12 games and 30 td's and 5 int's not to mention 6 rushing td's. Not too shabby.

Was there any truth to that story about Williams wanting ownership in the team that drafts him? I have to imagine that was an extreme over embellishment of something that was said in passing

a team like the Cardinals passing on Williams or being willing to trade down and take another QB.

I don't see the Bears passing up either Williams or Maye.

Williams gets all the hype but Daniels does everything he does

I don’t get it with Maye - is he really the guy that says must have

Premix has dropped off his last number of games. To me he seems to throw a lot of passes that his receivers make him look good

Nix I am not touching. He looks really good on a really good team, has looked average on an average team and bad on a bad team

Do we overblow the NY Media now?

I mean it's all national now - I feel like these smaller market QBs aren't as insulated as they used to be

On top of his age and his injuries, and even on top of whatever other flags there are on his profile (which seems to be hinted at by those who know college football far better than I do), the fatal flaw for Penix is a simple one, IMO:

He's left-handed. Which means that Neal, not Thomas, would be protecting his blindside, unless the Giants flipped the entire OL to accommodate Penix (and then flipped it back for any RH QBs on the roster).

Cmon. Really? The kid would have to be brain dead to think a team would do that. That story was so bs and was out there for like a day or two and then nothing. If that had been true, the media would have been all over it and would be talking about it each time they discussed draft order. Cmon....

In comment 16296786 redwhiteandbigblue said:

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Cmon. Really? The kid would have to be brain dead to think a team would do that. That story was so bs and was out there for like a day or two and then nothing. If that had been true, the media would have been all over it and would be talking about it each time they discussed draft order. Cmon....

Lol I don't disagree. Always cautious with the "red flags". Toney's turned out to be very true and Thibs turned out to be complete BS

Most likely to be a star, Daniels, most likely to bust is Williams. Daniel's just started slow, and Williams has all the tools, but his mental makeup is a real concern. Now I want to say this, that is my view, but Williams has the potential with his arm and mobility combination. But I think the kid played in the best conference to make a QB look good, while Daniels plays in the toughest conference. This adds to my feelings on him.

mark one way or the other…

His talent at QB should not be questioned at all... His problem is demeanor. His demeanor reminds me of Kyler Murray.

Also JJ McCarthy should be on this list. He does something most QBs don't do. He moves well in the pocket and keeps his eyes down field while progressing through reads.

From the "He's a Giant" podcast series on QBs (highly recommended) His advanced stats are insanely good and he's known for being an excellent processor who doesn't let himself get sacked often. however his skill is between the hashmarks for short and intermediate throws. His comp is a better version of Purdy.

He is the type of high-floor guy who intruiges me. Basically, Nix sounds like a guy who could run a supercharged version of the 2022 Giants and be very efficient right off the bat. On the other hand, he doesn't posess that high-level arm talent that Daboll utilized with Josh Allen. To me his the ideal guy to fit a trade-down + build the surrounding team approach to success if the Giants miss out of Maye or Williams. His ceiling might be an 11-win type team, but should we scoff at that given recent results?

In comment 16296870 Amtoft said:

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His talent at QB should not be questioned at all... His problem is demeanor. His demeanor reminds me of Kyler Murray. Also JJ McCarthy should be on this list. He does something most QBs don't do. He moves well in the pocket and keeps his eyes down field while progressing through reads.

It's not just his demeanor. He has a lot of things he needs to clean up. The upside is sky high though.

What do the DC's faced by these QB's have to say. I know we won't hear it, but would value their opinion. How did they defend against these guys, can you read them, can you fool them by disguised coverages?

JJ McCarthy has been held back all year. Michigan wants to control the clock and run the ball.This is their winning formula.

JJ is a really good athlete with a strong and accurate arm. JJ reportedly ran a 4.4 forty in the Spring, which actually makes him faster than Daniels. He comes from a pro style offense that stresses reading the defense. He is very efficient but does not make the highlight reel plays.

I think that he is very underrated and will outperform many of the other highly touted QBs.

Penix Jr.
A very talented player who has all the skills. I can't see a team drafting him in the first round. His injury history is scary. Knees and a shoulder. Plus he is overaged.
He would make a great 3rd round pick up.

My sleeper is Michael Pratt, Tulane. If you have not seen him play go watch some highlights. He is 6'-3" and runs a 4.6 forty. He is athletic with a strong arm. He is the best QB out of Tulane. Tulane is 10-1 and Pratt is the reason why. Tulane does not have a lot of talent around him. He is a winner, tough, and should be a good pro.

with some of the postgame shenanigans. Jumping into the stands to cry in his mother’s arms, and then this weekend refusing to meet the press after a loss to UCLA. If you don’t think NFL GM’s see that, think again. He’s going to have to convince them he’s mature enough to handle the heat.

There’s a lot to like about Maye, but his stinker over the weekend is a little concerning. It’s the only decent D he’s played all year, and he really struggled. I’m certainly not giving up on him being the pick, but some red flags have gone up. I really like Daniels game and I think he very well could be the top pick.

Pratt
Link - ( New Window )

In comment 16296631 3000_MilesToMeadowlands said:

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It's a crapshoot, which QB will be great and which QB will be lousy, and all the mediocrity in between. Full disclosure (I'm no expert not even close): 2018 draft Liked Josh Rosen & Lamar Jackson thought Darnold was sloppy with the ball thought Mayfield was undersized & not athletic enough thought Allen was waaaay too Boom or Bust (he boomed nicely) Most drafts with 3 high QB pics are similar: a pretty good one, a mediocre one and an disappointing one Occasionally they are all good: 2004 IF NY pics at 5 and three top QBs are gone go BPA, and see whose still on the board in the mid-late 20s or round 2 (Nix, Penix, McCarthy, etc.)

This. Year after year most 1st re QBs just don't do well. While there books Maye the best there's very few QBs they I feel are true can't miss guys. Every year that proves true 2-4 years later.

In comment 16296616 KDavies said:

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re Allen. The big knock on him was his accuracy issues coming out. Both on tape, and in his low completion percentage at a low level of football. The accuracy issues continued at the beginning of his career, and still pop up from time to time

Completion % can be engineered by the OC.
Does he hit the receiver in stride? Throw him open? Anticipate?

In comment 16296930 Strahan91 said:

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In comment 16296870 Amtoft said: Quote: His talent at QB should not be questioned at all... His problem is demeanor. His demeanor reminds me of Kyler Murray. Also JJ McCarthy should be on this list. He does something most QBs don't do. He moves well in the pocket and keeps his eyes down field while progressing through reads. It's not just his demeanor. He has a lot of things he needs to clean up. The upside is sky high though.

Talent wise every QB has things he needs to clean up. He is more talented than all QBs in this class. Where he comes up lacking is size, demeanor and character though.

People that want to compare him to like BBI favorite Jayden Daniels.

Jayden Daniels
3rd year
2380 passing yards with a 10 TDs and 10 Ints

Caleb Williams
worst year (true FS year)
1912 yards with 21 TDs and 4 Ints

Jayden Daniels playing in his 5th year of football
12514 yards 85 TDs and 20 int

Caleb Williams playing in 3 years of football
10082 yards 93 TDs and 14 int

If Caleb Williams played as many years his stats would be all time great.

His playing talent is unquestionable. His intangibles though are questionable.

In comment 16296687 Mike in NY said:

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In comment 16296682 clatterbuck said: Quote: GA. Don't know nuthin. Haven't seen him play and don't pretend to be able to parse his potential. He's only 21. Would be interested in what the "experts" here think. Link - ( New Window ) I still like Cameron Ward if you let him sit on the bench as a rookie

That's a waste of a rookie QB year, thanks to the salary structure.

In comment 16296960 Section331 said:

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with some of the postgame shenanigans. Jumping into the stands to cry in his mother’s arms, and then this weekend refusing to meet the press after a loss to UCLA. If you don’t think NFL GM’s see that, think again. He’s going to have to convince them he’s mature enough to handle the heat. There’s a lot to like about Maye, but his stinker over the weekend is a little concerning. It’s the only decent D he’s played all year, and he really struggled. I’m certainly not giving up on him being the pick, but some red flags have gone up. I really like Daniels game and I think he very well could be the top pick.

I mean it is more than that... Watching him on the sideline and you are like bro you know you are on camera and if they see you being all pissy they going to show you. I just don't see that leader you want to see in a QB. Saying that I would take Caleb, Mayes, Daniels or McCarthy in a heart beat. As long as we don't have to give up crazy draft picks to get them.

There is a Canyon like difference who is coaching Williams vs who was the AZ State head coach (H. Edwards) regards to offense and philosophy

In comment 16296985 Amtoft said:

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Talent wise every QB has things he needs to clean up. He is more talented than all QBs in this class. Where he comes up lacking is size, demeanor and character though.

He has more to clean up than most surefire #1 picks. The fumbles are absolutely a problem. He also bails on the pocket more than he needs, just to name a couple.

The career stats of the two QB's isn't really all that useful. What matters is who they are today and who they will be (and no I wouldn't draft Daniels before Caleb Williams if that's what you're insinuating). Nobody is denying the fact though that Daniels has significantly improved from who he was.

In comment 16297007 Strahan91 said:

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In comment 16296985 Amtoft said: Quote: Talent wise every QB has things he needs to clean up. He is more talented than all QBs in this class. Where he comes up lacking is size, demeanor and character though. He has more to clean up than most surefire #1 picks. The fumbles are absolutely a problem. He also bails on the pocket more than he needs, just to name a couple. The career stats of the two QB's isn't really all that useful. What matters is who they are today and who they will be (and no I wouldn't draft Daniels before Caleb Williams if that's what you're insinuating). Nobody is denying the fact though that Daniels has significantly improved from who he was.

To be clear I am not insinuating anything. I am just pointing out my opinion which people should take it for what it is worth... Nothing hahaha. My point with the stats was only to bring out the fact Daniels has had more time to develop into who he is now. Caleb's talent made him great from day one until now. In fact he has so good for so long people are trying to find faults in him. If Caleb had that same amount of time as say Daniels his improvement should be even greater. His talent is insane. If he wasn't so much like Kyler Murray he would be a lock to go #1. He probably still will but I could make a case for other QBs over him, but not because of talent.

Both on the field and in the press…

Still amazed how JJ McCarthy flying under radar of draftniks… Curious as how he “climbs the draft boards” (i.e. reconciling with scouts and front offices)…

I don’t quite get Drake Maye… Accurate but not a big arm by any means… Fairly average athleticism and pocket mobility

Maybe 1 or 2 of these guys will be good.

In comment 16297089 give66 said:

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Maybe 1 or 2 of these guys will be good.

I don't think so... Actually I think this might be the best QB play in NCAA history this year. You could see 6+ starters come out of this draft. They may not be good starters but the talent is really strong.

In comment 16297101 Amtoft said:

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In comment 16297089 give66 said: Quote: Maybe 1 or 2 of these guys will be good. I don't think so... Actually I think this might be the best QB play in NCAA history this year. You could see 6+ starters come out of this draft. They may not be good starters but the talent is really strong.

You might be right about 6 starters and I hope so because the Giants are going to most likely pick one. I was just talking in the sense of which one(s) will be the best. Totally crap shoot in my opinion like 2018.

In comment 16297146 give66 said:

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In comment 16297101 Amtoft said: Quote: In comment 16297089 give66 said: Quote: Maybe 1 or 2 of these guys will be good. I don't think so... Actually I think this might be the best QB play in NCAA history this year. You could see 6+ starters come out of this draft. They may not be good starters but the talent is really strong. You might be right about 6 starters and I hope so because the Giants are going to most likely pick one. I was just talking in the sense of which one(s) will be the best. Totally crap shoot in my opinion like 2018.

The 2018 guys had more warts than this year's class does. The upside of those guys (sans Allen) also pales in comparison to these guys.

In comment 16296738 CoughlinHandsonHips said:

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Do we overblow the NY Media now? I mean it's all national now - I feel like these smaller market QBs aren't as insulated as they used to be

Some still overblow this, yes. If a guy is under pressure, it is from ESPN, not the Daily News. Stroud and Young are not flying under the radar because they are in Houston and Charlotte.

He has shown a lot of improvement during the season.
Really anxious to watch him play against Bama in SEC Championship.
He may stay in school one more year.
Dane Brugler has mentioned Beck quite a bit recently.

Lowest floor: Caleb Williams.