The Franchise
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2024 quarterback class may be the deepest in years at the position.
There is the potential to have as many as six QB’s selected in the first round when April rolls around. Let us look at the top 6 QB’s in the draft:
Caleb Williams, USC: Regarded as the best QB prospect in years, all signs point to Williams being selected by the Chicago Bears with the first overall selection in the draft.
Williams, a former Heisman winner, has the arm and mobility to be a franchise QB in Chicago.
The Bears will part ways with Justin Fields and hopefully learned a valuable lesson about putting pieces around a young QB so he can be successful. Atlanta Falcons are you paying close attention to this situation?
Drake Maye, North Carolina: Expect a run on QB’s with the first few selections, and now the beauty contest begins.
With the third overall pick in the first round the New England Patriots select the big bodied, big armed prototypical QB that fits right into the Patriot way.
Mac Jones will be cast off to greener pastures and Maye will lead a proud franchise for the next 12-15 years. Maye will have a distinguished career for the Patriots.
Jayden Daniels, LSU: The 2023 Heisman winner revives football in the nation’s capital.
The Commanders select Daniels with the second overall pick in the first round and Commanders begin the March back to being a playoff team in the NFC East.
Michael Penix Jr., Washington: Experts think Penix will drop into the second or third round, but his productivity cannot be questioned.
Could the Bucs at 26 or the Steelers at 20 take a shot at a productive player like Penix Jr.?
I can hear the so-called draft experts use every draft day buzz word phrase regarding this player. Penix could be a steal for someone. I predict the Raiders will take the QB with the 44th overall selection in the second round.
Bo Nix, Oregon: Bo Nix is quietly rising up draft boards. I now fully expect Bo Nix to be drafted by the Denver Broncos with the 12th selection to be the replacement for Russell Wilson, who will get traded before the 2024 draft.
Sean Payton will have his QB moving forward to turn Denver into a Super Bowl contender.
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan: Jim Harbaugh thinks his national title winning QB should be one of the first QB’s off the board.
I will take it a step further as I think the Minnesota Vikings will draft McCarthy with the 11th pick in the first round to replace Kirk Cousins who will be somewhere else this fall.
McCarthy has the arm talent and mobility that the Vikings want moving forward.
Sleeper Selection: Spencer Rattler, South Carolina: I think Rattler could be on the biggest steals of this draft.
The QB was the only bright spot on a bad football team in 2023. Regardless of what the New York Giants say publicly about Daniel Jones they are not saying it privately.
The Giants take their QB of the future with pick seventy in the third round.
This 2024 QB class will go down as one of the greatest QB draft classes in history a decade from now.
