• Drake Maye → Minnesota Vikings: Many signs point to the Vikings moving on from Kirk Cousins at the end of this season, and Maye could excel under head coach Kevin O’Connell.
• J.J. McCarthy → New York Jets: Perhaps it's not too realistic, but the Jets selecting McCarthy to have him sit behind Aaron Rodgers would be interesting.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
We’re halfway through the 2023 college football season and almost to the midway point of the NFL campaign. With that, the 2024 NFL Draft picture is beginning to take shape, from team needs to potential landing spots for the top prospects.
The 2024 quarterback class is a good starting point, so we'll pair some of the top gunslingers with viable NFL teams based on their profiles and draft stocks.
CALEB WILLIAMS, USC: CHICAGO BEARS
The Chicago Bears own the top two overall picks through Week 6 due to their own 1-5 record and an offseason trade with the winless Carolina Panthers. Trading away the top overall selection won't be on the table this year. Chicago should use it on a quarterback, assuming the pick remains in their possession.
The Bears' offensive line is still a work in progress, so resetting their roster-building timeline with a rookie quarterback contract would be smart. Selecting Williams would also be smart, as he excels under pressure. He is coming off one of his worst games against Notre Dame, so perhaps he’s not seen as the no-brainer No. 1 pick like he was a week prior, but make no mistake: Williams is supremely talented and would fit in perfectly in Chicago.
DRAKE MAYE, NORTH CAROLINA: MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Many signs point to the Vikings moving on from Kirk Cousins at the end of this season. He is in the last year of his latest contract, and the rest of the roster is not built to compete with a veteran quarterback. The 2-4 Vikings own a top-10 pick as things stand, and if that remains the case by the end of the year, they should be fixated on this quarterback class.
The dream is Drake Maye, a dual-threat quarterback with true NFL arm talent. Maye has recorded one of the top big-time throw rates in the FBS over the past two seasons (7.8%, fifth). The idea of Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell — a former quarterbacks coach and NFL quarterback himself — getting a chance to groom Maye as his franchise signal-caller is enticing.
BO NIX, OREGON: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Current-day Bo Nix is not the same Bo Nix many of us saw at Auburn. This version is a highly efficient dual-threat quarterback who can operate RPO and quick-game offenses with accuracy. He possesses the NFL arm talent to open things up and take deep shots when the opportunity arises.
To this point, Mac Jones has not been consistent enough to remain the Patriots' starting quarterback. If they have the chance to upgrade, they should. The franchise currently holds a top-10 pick after the worst start to a season in Bill Belichick’s career, so it looks like they’ll be in range to do so.
Selecting Nix would allow New England to build its offense around a quarterback who provides a rushing threat. The Patriots are going to have to start from zero in a lot of ways on offense, so adding that type of versatility is a good foundation.
MICHAEL PENIX JR., WASHINGTON: ATLANTA FALCONS
Penix, while good last year, is on a Heisman Trophy trajectory in 2023. He is currently in possession of the highest PFF passing grade in the FBS and has made 18 big-time throws — the second most. Yes, Washington's offense features legitimate NFL receivers, but isn’t that more so a foreshadowing of what Penix could accomplish in an NFL offense rather than a knock on him as a player?
The Falcons boast playmakers, including big contested-catch athletes Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Penix is showing that he has the arm talent and the mentality to take advantage of such weapons.
J.J. McCARTHY, MICHIGAN: NEW YORK JETS
Look, the article isn’t titled “Most Realistic Team-Prospect Fits,” so let's dream a little.
The Jets likely won't use their first-round pick on a quarterback to take over for Aaron Rodgers down the road. But if McCarthy is on the board, maybe they should.
The Michigan signal-caller brings big-time arm talent, and his velocity is as good as that of most other prospects in this class (excluding Joe Milton, whose arm strength is not from Earth). His big concern going into the season was the mental aspect of playing quarterback, particularly under pressure — when he feels it and the decisions he makes. McCarthy is performing better in those areas thus far, but getting to sit behind Rodgers would help him tremendously.
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