Top 4 QB's

[DaveBrown74]

Why wouldn't you think that the youngest quarterback who has improved each of his college seasons doesn't have a high ceiling?

I didn't say McCarthy didn't have a high ceiling. I said I prefer the ceilings of the other three. That doesn't mean I'm down on McCarthy or his ceiling. We're talking about the top four QB prospects in one of the strongest QB prospect classes of the last couple of decades here.

[londonblue]

FWIW I have Daniels bottom of my 4. He bulked up for pro-day but did not run/jump. He plays at/under 200. I think injuries will be inevitable in NFL. Also when you watch his tape the LSU receivers consistently have to throttle back on deep routes as he does not get the ball far enough fast enough. Their scheme had guys running wide open so it did not matter but with better coverage in NFL I think interceptions will result.

If Maye fell to 6 (or an affordable trade up to 4 or 5) and we had the chance to grab him to sit him/develop slowly he would be my choice.

Maye has every attribute you need but is less polished/well coached than rest of top 6. I am not comparing tools/style of play directly if I observe that he has a similar high ceiling and low floor scouting profile to Josh Allen. We often forget how much Allen divided opinion coming out. It could go either way as a pro for Maye but Daboll did OK with Allen so...

[Gmo11]

Jackon has been able to complete only one full season out of 6, and he didn't have the wreckless running style of Daniels.

Plus, with Jackson, do you measure your team's success by your quarterback's awards and stats or by the team's success in the playoffs?

I measure the success of a QB by his performance on the field.  This wasn't a subject about how good the Ravens are.  Lamar has been one of the best QBs in the league since he entered it.  Daniels has a similar build and skill set.  Does that mean he's going to be as good as Lamar, who is objectively great? No, of course not.  But we also should write him off, as so many did Lamar, simply because he doesn't look like a typical QB looks.  He's got off the charts athleticism and has improved every season.  I'd be thrilled if the Giants were to somehow land him but unfortunately he seems pretty solidly slotted in as QB2 right now which means the Giants won't be able to get him.

[bamagiantfan]

Do we think we know who the top 4 are? I ask because the top 4 now were not the top four last month. It changed the month before that, and it changed again from the month before that.

I don't get the love for Drake Maye. He has all the tools but he isn't a guy who can carry a team. I you are looking for a guy with a live arm, scrambling/running ability who throws some WTF interceptions and could be the next Ryan Tannehill, he's your guy.

Caleb Williams looked great in 2023, and again to start 2024, then the back half of the season happened. Yes, those were better teams. However, throwing 1 TD or less in 5 of the last 7 games has raised some questions. I still think his best football is ahead of him. He is worth the #1 overall pick.

Bo Nix was the best QB in college football last year and nobody wants to talk about it because we all watched several years of so-so quarterbacking while we waited for him to become this player. He HAS matured and is the most NFL ready NFL QB in this draft mentally and physically. Has an NFL body today. If you want to spread the field with a QB who can make the right reads in a dink and dunk offense, adjust and scramble when the first read isn't available, and hit a guy downfield when you try to sneak someone over the top every now and then, he could be very, very good. I wish his release point was higher but I said that about Oregon Duck Justin Herbert too. At 6'4" Herbert can get away with it. The 6'2" Nix may have some work to do, but he is a steal in Round 2.

Jaden Daniels is amazing but still raw and didn't shine throwing the ball against good teams, using his legs instead to move the ball. That's what COLLEGE QBs do and very few have had much success doing that at the next level. He has good height but he is not big and threw to two incredible receivers last year which would make almost any QB look good. The next Justin Fields?

If five years in college helped Bo Nix mature, it resulted in an advanced degree for Michael Pennix who played parts of six seasons. In my opinion he has the best arm of the top QBs in the draft (Joe Milton's arm is the best of all) but needs to work on his footwork and reads to bring down those interceptions and raise his completion percentage. After the knee injury in Indiana he didn't move out of the pocket as much but seemed to be regaining some mobility toward the end of last year. He's one of those guys who could win a preseason competition for the QB position or be a backup for a decade because everyone just loves watching him throw the ball, but he does need some work. He could be a very nice find early in Round 2 for someone. Geno Smith type skills and potential at this point.


JJ McCarthy has become the darling of this draft. He's the Daniel Jones of 2024. Looks great, but what has he really done? He didn't make many mistakes but to my eyes rode  a stout Defense and impressive running game to the national championship. Decent height, below average size, below average arm, only one pass over 50 yards last year. Does that sound like anything more than a game manager to you?

[Bob In PA]

Quarterback- as it would be premature and, in most cases, too costly. More particularly, however, it's McCarthy

Larry: Nice post. Like you, I'll be hopeful (and maybe even thrilled) if they DO take a QB with Pick Six, because it will mean people who's lives are pro football (and who stand to get fired if they're wrong) truly believe in the guy they picked, which can't hurt for a team not known for fielding a dominant (or even good) offense. Bob