This year’s rookie class saw a record number of quarterbacks being drafted. Six were selected in the first 12 picks, ending with Bo Nix at No. 12. No other quarterbacks were selected until Spencer Rattler was chosen at No. 150, followed by another four, for a total of 11 quarterbacks drafted. Let’s take a look at the best NFL Rookie Quarterbacks for 2024.
Which ones will start for their teams? Which ones will transition successfully to the NFL to get their team to the playoffs? Which ones will sit out the season, waiting for their chance to shine?
NFL Rookie Quarterbacks Drafted 2024
| Player | NFL Team | Round | Pick (overall) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Williams | Chicago Bears | 1 | 1 |
| Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders | 1 | 2 |
| Drake Maye | New England Patriots | 1 | 3 |
| Michael Penix Jr. | Atlanta Falcons | 1 | 8 |
| J.J. McCarthy | Minnesota Vikings | 1 | 10 |
| Bo Nix | Denver Broncos | 1 | 12 |
| Spencer Rattler | New Orleans Saints | 5 | 150 |
| Jordan Travis | New York Jets | 5 | 171 |
| Joe Milton | New England Patriots | 6 | 193 |
| Devin Leary | Baltimore Ravens | 6 | 218 |
| Michael Pratt | Green Bay Packers | 7 | 245 |
Caleb Williams as the Starting Quarterback
The Chicago Bears planned to take Williams as their first pick and surround him with talent to make his rookie season a success. They took wideout Rome Odunze as the No. 9 pick after adding Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift.
The Bears have only made the playoffs twice since 2011, and they’ve made many improvements to get them there this season. But they’re in the notorious NFC North, which will only add to their challenges. Will Williams get them over the hump this season?
Jayden Daniels with the Washington Commanders
The Commanders took Daniels over Drake Maye for the No. 2 overall pick. They’ve had quarterback problems for almost 20 years, and they hope it’s solved this year. In the off-season, they traded away Sam Howell to the Seahawks and added veteran free agent Marcus Mariota. Luckily, Mariota thinks highly of Daniels and should be a good support while the rookie finds his bearings. It looks like Daniels will get the nod as the starter, but there’s no official word from the franchise yet.
Drake Maye, the No. 3 Overall Pick
The Patriots continue to rebuild and plan on using veteran Jacoby Brissett as the starter. Perhaps New England will give him a chance and only replace him if he doesn’t perform, as they did in 2021 when first-round pick Mac Jones replaced veteran Cam Newton because of COVID-19 considerations.
Maye is 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, and can make any throw on the field. His 2022 numbers were 4,321 passing yards, 38 TDs, and only seven interceptions. I expect to see bets of when Maye will start a game and when he’ll become the starter.
Michael Penix, Jr., Signs with the Atlanta Falcons
Penix gets signed by the Falcons, and more than one fan is scratching their head. They just signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180M deal, so why waste their No. 8 pick on another quarterback? I guess it was too hard to pass up on such a good quarterback with effortless arm strength and excellent decision-making qualities.
Cousins will most likely be the starter, but Penix is the insurance if Cousins hasn’t fully recovered from his torn right Achilles last October. It doesn’t help that the recovering quarterback is turning 36 this summer.
The team hasn’t had a winning season since 2017, but they did win seven games last year with a good offense that was working with a below-average quarterback. Cousins should be able to make a difference for the team, but if he can’t, there’s always Penix. How long will management keep Cousins in if he doesn’t perform?
J.J. McCarthy Becomes a Viking
With starter Sam Darnold already holding the starting position, it’s unclear if McCarthy will start any games this season. He’s more of an insurance policy and future replacement for Darnold than a potential starter as one of the NFL rookie quarterbacks for 2024. But stranger things have happened in the off-season.
Bo Nix Joins Denver’s Revolving Door for Quarterbacks
The Broncos have been kept out of the playoffs since 2016, and during that time, 14 different quarterbacks started a game for them. Along with drafting Nix, Denver acquired Zach Wilson from the Jets to join quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who came from Las Vegas in 2023. The starter hasn’t been picked yet, but so far, Wilson is out.
The remaining drafted quarterbacks will likely not start this season, including Joe Milton, the second quarterback the Patriots drafted this year. Jordan Travis is the fifth quarterback for the Jets unless he can beat out some of his competition.
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