10 quarterbacks had been chosen within the first two rounds of the previous two NFL drafts, together with a record-setting six within the top-12 picks in 2024.
Of the ten, Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. (backup to Kirk Cousins) and Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy (season-ending meniscus damage in August) have but to make their first begins, however the different eight have performed extensively.
Here is how we rank every of these eight amongst their friends after Week 11.
1. C.J. Stroud | Houston Texans (second general choose, first spherical, 2023)
Profession stats: 6,736 yards passing, 35 TD passes, 12 INTs, 63.7 completion proportion | 16-10 report as starter
Stroud seemed like a seasoned veteran in his first 12 months within the NFL, turning into the primary rookie because the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to guide the league in touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.6). Regardless of enduring a minor hunch early in his second 12 months, Stroud deserves the highest spot on this checklist, particularly due to his historic rookie season.
Forward of the Dallas Cowboys-Houston Texans “Monday Evening Soccer” matchup in Week 11, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy recommended Stroud’s arm expertise and composure, per CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell.
“I feel simply the way in which he got here onto the scene, the very first thing that jumped off to me was his arm expertise, however actually his skill to get the ball out in tight quarters,” McCarthy stated. “There’s throw after throw on faculty tape, and I assumed it translated very nicely to the professional sport…He could make all of the throws. Good athlete. …his composure within the pocket may be very spectacular.”
2. Bo Nix | Denver Broncos (twelfth general choose, first spherical, 2024)
Profession stats: 2,275 passing yards, 14 TD passes, six INTs, 65.5 completion % | 6-5 report as starter
After throwing zero touchdowns and 4 interceptions by his first three begins, Nix has discovered his footing and is likely one of the league’s premier younger QBs. In Week 11 in opposition to the Falcons, he grew to become the second rookie in NFL historical past to throw for 300+ yards and 4 touchdowns in a sport whereas posting a 140+ passer ranking, per NFL Communications.
On ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter’s podcast on Tuesday, Corridor of Fame QB John Elway, the previous Broncos star, praised Nix’s skillset and sky-high potential.
“Bo’s bought all of the instruments, and I feel in in the present day’s sport, despite the fact that you may get by with out the motion, it positive is an added bonus to have the ability to transfer round and prolong performs like Bo’s been capable of do,” Elway stated. “I feel the sky is the restrict for him and he is simply going to proceed to get higher and higher the extra comfy that he will get.”
3. Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders (second general choose, first spherical, 2024)
Profession stats: 2,338 passing yards, 10 TD passes, three INTs, 68.7 completion % | 7-4 report as starter
Earlier than struggling a rib damage in Week 7, Daniels was the league’s best quarterback and seemed like a replica of former Washington QB Robert Griffin III, who excelled as a rookie in 2012. Though he has struggled to regain his magic in current weeks, Daniels stays the odds-on favourite (-400) to win Offensive Rookie of the Yr and ranks twelfth in MVP odds (+2500) on DraftKings Sportsbook (as of Nov. 20).
Following Daniels’ 52-yard game-winning Hail Mary go in opposition to the Chicago Bears in Week 8, ESPN’s Domonique Foxworth said the previous LSU star deserved the MVP award. That is a stretch now however nonetheless illustrates Daniels’ potential.
“He took a workforce that all of us thought was a foul state of affairs — with an offensive coordinator that all of us type of snickered at in Kliff Kingsbury and a head coach in Dan Quinn that nobody was climbing throughout themselves to rent — and now this workforce is likely one of the greatest within the NFC,” stated Foxworth, who performed cornerback six seasons within the NFL. “He is doing magical issues.”
4. Caleb Williams | Chicago Bears (first general choose, first spherical, 2024)
Profession stats: 2,016 passing yards, 9 TD passes, 5 INTs, 61.8 completion % | 4-6 report as starter
Whereas he hasn’t but blossomed into the celebrity he was projected to, Williams has proven quite a few flashes that he is able to doing so. Taking part in behind one of many league’s worst offensive traces, Williams has thrown for 300+ yards in a sport twice and tossed 4 landing passes in a London sport in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
However he is removed from excellent. In an article for The Athletic by Insider Jeff Howe, an unnamed rival government of the Bears identified key flaws in Williams’ sport.
“He’s doing the identical issues he did in faculty by way of holding the ball [too long] and being inconsistent along with his reads,” the chief stated. “He may get away with working round, throwing the ball up for grabs, throwing throughout his physique, and he had some success doing that. You do not get away with that on the NFL degree too usually. I am a little bit stunned they have not been capable of clear a few of this up.”
5. Anthony Richardson | Indianapolis Colts (fourth general choose, first spherical, 2023)
Profession stats: 1,807 yards passing, eight TD passes, eight INTs, 52.2 completion % | 6-5 report as starter
Richardson has struggled within the NFL, getting benched in favor of Joe Flacco following a Week 8 loss wherein he accomplished simply 10-of-32 makes an attempt. After reclaiming the beginning position in Week 11, nevertheless, Richardson appeared to have regained his confidence after main two 70-yard fourth-quarter landing drives in a win in opposition to the New York Jets.
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III weighed in on Richardson’s state of affairs following the Colts-Jets sport in a post on X.
“Richardson is not probably the most polished QB but, however you knew that if you drafted him,” Griffin III wrote concerning the 22-year-old. “He wants time to develop and perceive the gravity of being the franchise QB. Right now he confirmed why he is price it. Face to face in opposition to Aaron Rodgers, he was the most effective participant on the sphere.”
6. Drake Maye | New England Patriots (third general choose, first spherical, 2024)
Profession stats: 1,236 yards passing, 9 TD passes, six INTs, 66.8 completion % | 2-4 report as starter
In six profession begins, Maye, who turned 22 in August, has seemed surprisingly comfy main one of many least gifted offensive models, passing for not less than 200 yards 4 instances. In a 28-22 house loss in Week 11 to the Los Angeles Rams, Maye threw for 282 yards and accomplished 75% of his passes (each season-highs).
Rams head coach Sean McVay took be aware of Maye’s efforts in opposition to his workforce, as ESPN’s Mike Reiss noted.
“He appears to be like like a stud,” McVay stated. “I do know lots of people that studied him actually exhausting, that I really respect their opinions, they usually beloved what he was all about. You’ll be able to simply see the affect he has on his teammates. He appears to be like like he will be a particular participant for a very long time.”
7. Bryce Younger | Carolina Panthers (first general choose, first spherical, 2023)
Profession stats: 3,697 passing yards, 15 TD passes, 16 INTs, 59.9 completion % | 4-17 report as starter
It will be unjust to thoroughly pin the blame on Younger for his tumultuous begin as a result of Carolina has a rock-bottom roster. However he is definitely failed to fulfill expectations a year-and-a-half into his profession. In 21 begins, Younger has surpassed the 250-yard passing mark as soon as and has extra video games with a number of interceptions (5) than a number of landing passes (three).
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield, who began six video games for the Panthers in 2022, supplied his opinion on Younger’s struggles throughout a September news conference.
“Quarterback’s exhausting, particularly for younger guys, if you’re not given the chance to have success,” Mayfield stated. “Loads of the time guys have the expertise, they could have the brains, however they do not have the suitable alternative or the suitable match… For Bryce, a man that may relate to this, discovering that perception inside your self once more and he’ll get it. His story is much, removed from completed.”
8. Will Levis | Tennessee Titans (thirty third general choose, second spherical, 2023)
Profession stats: 2,977 passing yards, 16 TD passes, 12 INTs, 61.5 completion % | 4-12 report as starter
The lone second-round QB choose from the previous two years, Levis has endured highs, equivalent to his 98-yard touchdown pass to WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in Week 11, and excessive lows, headlined by his unfathomable fourth-quarter interception in opposition to the Chicago Bears in Week 1 of this season.
Following Tennessee’s current loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Titans senior writer Jim Wyatt suggested Levis probably saved face regardless of an terrible report as starter.
“Levis has been a punching bag for lots of followers since since he arrived in Nashville, and he is given people who by no means appreciated him loads of ammunition alongside the way in which,” Wyatt wrote. “He is made too many errors, and the Titans have misplaced too usually with Levis on the controls. However Levis was hardly the issue on Sunday. I assumed he confirmed guts in opposition to a tricky Vikings protection, when he was working for his life on numerous performs.”
