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QB Scouting Reports 2024

Bird’s Eye View: Positional Analysis

The 2024 QB class looks to be one of the best in years and potentially the best since the storied class of 1983 (Elway, Marino). The class is led by a pair of Heisman Trophy winners in Caleb Williams (USC - 2022) and Jayden Daniels (LSU) and a handful of other top prospects who could go in the first round including JJ McCarthy (Michigan), Drake Maye (North Carolina), Bo Nix (Oregon), and Michael Penix (Washington). There could be ten QBs who get drafted the last weekend in April who eventually become NFL starters.

Positional Grade: A

Caleb Williams / USC

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Player Comparison:
Patrick Mahomes / Kansas City

Caleb Williams / USC

6011 / 214 / 9.6” Hands / 32” Arms / 75.7” Wingspan

Transfer from Oklahoma. 2022 Heisman Trophy winner. Prototypical height and build. Extremely strong arm – can make every NFL pass with the required zip. Excellent release speed. Can throw accurate passes out of various arm positions – near clone of Patrick Mahomes in this respect. Throws exceedingly well on the move, regardless of going left or right. Great scrambling ability to buy time for receivers to get uncovered. Consistently throws with excellent touch. Fast, physical runner with good burst and is a true running threat – although he prefers to operate from the pocket. Calm demeanor and difficult to rattle. Effective manipulating DBs with his eyes. Good decision maker – has a flair for the dramatic play. Well-developed field vision and ability to go through progressions. Rare skill set. Plays with moxie and is willing to throw a block. Tough and can take a hit and still make the play. Natural leader with great huddle presence. Trusts his arm too much at times and forces some passes. ND was able to overrun USC’s O-line, forcing Williams to scramble on nearly every play and forcing uncharacteristic mistakes (three first half INTs) in a road loss in South Bend in 2023. Prone to fumbles due to playmaking approach while scrambling. Holds on to the ball waiting for receivers to get open and does not throw many timing routes. Potential generational talent.

Drake Maye / North Carolina

6043 / 223 / 9.1” Hands / 32.3” Arms / 76.1” Wingspan

Prototypical size and athleticism. Excellent arm strength – capable of making any NFL throw with desired zip. Quick release and shows the ability to change arm slots and deliver the ball on-time. Very accurate and throws with NFL timing and touch – throws his receivers open consistently. Equally adept at throwing while rolling out to his right or left. Scrambles while still going through his progressions. Rare combination of elite tools. Trusts his arm too much and forces some passes. Lacks experience – only his second year as a starter. Excellent athlete with speed and agility to do damage running the football – dangerous in the open field. Decision making is still under development and he sometimes make bad decisions under pressure. Effective pooch punter.

Drake Maye / North Carolina

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Player Comparison:
Justin Herbert / LA Chargers

Jordan Travis / Florida State

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Player Comparison:
Geno Smith / Seattle

Jordan Travis / Florida State

6010 / 200 / 9” Hands / 31.3” Arms / 76” Wingspan

Transfer from Louisville. Good height with an adequate build that lacks some desired girth to withstanding the pounding received at the position. Quick release with good arm mechanics. Plenty of arm strength. Very good athlete and is a running threat but prefers to stay in the pocket and find a receiver. Will make some poor decisions when under duress but typically is a good decision-maker. Gritty, tough leader. Very experienced. Throws well on the move, especially to his right. Suffered a gruesome broken leg against North Alabama on 11/18 – ending his season.

Bo Nix / Oregon

6021 / 214 / 10.1” Hands / 31.7” Arms / 74.2” Wingspan

Transfer from Auburn. Looks the part of an NFL QB – good height, build, and athleticism. Extremely experienced – 4+ years of college starting experience. Has significantly improved in his decision making and field vision – not the gambler he was at Auburn. Very good arm strength – throws with excellent zip. Can adjust his platform and throw from different arm slots. Throws with nice touch and accuracy. Capable of making spectacular plays – has a little Brett Favre to his game. Very mobile and capable of breaking long runs – displays excellent speed in the open field. Throws well rolling to his right. Completed an NCAA record 77.4% of his passes in 2023.

Bo Nix / Oregon

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Player Comparison:
Daniel Jones / NY Giants

JJ McCarthy / Michigan

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Player Comparison:
Dak Prescott / Dallas

JJ McCarthy / Michigan

6024 / 219 / 9” Hands / 31.5” Arms / 75.7” Wingspan
6.82 3-cone drill

Prototypical height, size, and athletic build. Former 5-star recruit. Very strong arm – capable of throwing the entire NFL route tree with desired zip. Very good arm mechanics with a quick release. NFL-caliber accuracy/timing/touch consistently displayed although he tends to fire fastballs when under pressure. Displays good mobility and has enough speed to threaten a defense with his feet. Throws very well rolling to his right. Decision making is sometimes questionable and he makes some bad reads. Has improved throughout the year in going through his progressions but still can get flustered by pressure in his face. Seems to have ice water going through his veins – cool and confident leader. Just tapping his potential and may be better as a pro than college player.

Sam Hartman / Notre Dame

6011 / 211 / 9.6” Hands / 31.3” Arms / 75.2” Wingspan
4.8 40 / 28.5” vertical / 8’10” broad jump / 7.19 3-cone drill

Transfer from Wake Forest. ACC career passing leader. Smart, decisive. Reads the field well. Steps through his progressions and makes the correct read. Leader and is in command in the huddle. Tough and is willing to take a hit and make the pass. Good arm strength. Displays a great combination of accuracy/timing/touch and he knows how to lead receivers open. Limited athleticism and mobility but not a statue standing in the pocket – buys time with his feet. Scrambles to work the pocket and buy time while reading coverage. Looks like an NFL QB.

Sam Hartman / Notre Dame

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Player Comparison:
Gardner Minshew / Las Vegas

Michael Penix / Washington

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Player Comparison:
Steve Young / NFL Hall of Fame

Michael Penix / Washington

6022 / 216 / 10.5” Hands / 33.5” Arms / 81” Wingspan

Transfer from Indiana. Left-handed. Prototypical height, size, and athletic ability for the modern era NFL QB. Slight windup but release speed is good. Can accurately throw from multiple arm slots. Very good arm strength – can make every throw. Accuracy / timing are very good but needs development in throwing with touch – great arm and sometimes trusts it too much. Extremely athletic with great mobility – a true running threat. Developing the ability to throw receivers open. Throws a beautiful deep ball – as good as any seen in years. Extensive injury history with all four seasons (2018-2021) at Indiana ending in injury but played the entire 2022 and 2023 seasons without missing significant time. Leader that inspires teammates. Suffered an abdominal injury against Oregon and kept performing well despite being hit regularly late in the game by an aggressive Oregon pass rush – physical, tough, and inspires teammates. Accuracy impacted by bad weather of rain and wind (see Oregon St game) but that is partially due to the vertical, attacking nature of the Husky offense. 2023 Maxwell Award winner.

Joe Milton / Tennessee

6050 / 235 / 10.2” Hands / 33.3” Arms / 80” Wingspan
10’1” broad jump

Transfer from Michigan. Excellent size and stature – looks the part of an NFL QB. Extremely strong arm – throws with zip even when he doesn’t step into the throw. Good release speed. Footwork and mechanics are inconsistent which leads to accuracy issues. Throws better from the pocket than when rolling out where his footwork issues are especially noticeable. Lacks touch and tends to throw fastballs when an off-speed throw is required. Athletic, fast, and physical as an open field runner although he prefers to operate from the pocket. Decision making is often questionable and he trusts his arm too much. Bird dogs his primary receiver too often and will lead defenders to the ball.

Joe Milton / Tennessee

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Player Comparison:
Anthony Richardson / Indianapolis

Devin Leary / Kentucky

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Player Comparison:
Andy Dalton / Carolina

Devin Leary / Kentucky

6010 / 215 / 9.4” Hands / 30.7” Arms / 74.3” Wingspan

Transfer from North Carolina State where he started 26 games. Prototypical size. Very strong arm. Displays the ability to modify arm position and throw from awkward angles while still delivering an accurate pass. Accurate and throws with excellent touch although timing still needs development. Needs continued development in going through progressions and looking off DBs. Solid ability in leading receivers open. Taking snaps from under center for first time in his career and noticeably improved over the season.

Spencer Sanders / Ole Miss

6007 / 211 / 9.4” Hands

Transfer from Oklahoma State where he was a multi-year starter. Transferred to Oxford but failed to beat out Jaxson Dart for the starting job. Very good arm mechanics. Very quick release. Strong arm that is capable of throwing every NFL pass with desired zip. Works the pocket well to buy time for his receivers to get open. Athletic and mobile and can create while running the football. Displays good timing and touch. Throws with anticipation.

Spencer Sanders / Ole Miss

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Player Comparison:
Tyrod Taylor (NY Giants)

Jayden Daniels / LSU

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Player Comparison:
Lamar Jackson / Baltimore

Jayden Daniels / LSU

6040 / 210

Transfer from Arizona State. Good height but a somewhat thin and modest build. Very good athlete who can run and gain yards but prefers to stay in the pocket and distribute the ball. Has very good run instincts. Displays quick feet and loose hips. Good long speed and can pull away from defenders. Strong arm capable of making all the throws. Shows the ability to throw with accuracy/timing/touch but only when his feet are set and his shoulders are square to the line. Seems more comfortable outside than inside the pocket. Good field vision and reads coverages well. 2023 Davey O’Brien Award and Heisman Trophy winner.

Jack Plummer / Louisville

6041 / 220 / 9.6” Hands

Transfer from California (via Purdue) where he started games at both schools. Good size and stature. Good, not great arm. Good release speed – ball is released from near the ear. Effective touch on intermediate throws. Streaky accuracy and timing. Flashes desired touch. Displays good ability to read coverages and step through his progressions. Questionable decision making at times and doesn’t always see the whole field – gets tunnel vision. Not overly elusive and is not a true running threat but can buy time in the pocket for his receivers to get open. Rattled by pressure and his mechanics go out the window. Coaches’ son who displays solid intangibles and leadership.

Jack Plummer / Louisville

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Player Comparison:
Tyler Heinicke (Atlanta)

Frank Harris / UTSA

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Player Comparison:
Tyler Huntley / Baltimore

Frank Harris / UTSA

Left-handed. Average height with a solid build. 7th year of college football – extremely experienced and also has missed significant time with injuries. Fast and athletic – extremely mobile. Productive and a winner while at UTSA. Attempts to make plays when discretion would be preferred. Strong arm. Generally accurate but timing is sometimes off. Footwork is sometimes an issue. Forces some passes. A winner and a leader – tough and gritty and teammates respond well to him.

Michael Pratt / Tulane

6024 / 217 / 9.2” Hands / 30.6” Arms / 77” Wingspan
7.20 3-cone drill

Good height with an athletic build that lacks substantial mass. Very strong arm – throws with zip. Clean and quick release. Excellent field vision and processes what he sees well. Good decision maker. Throws with nice accuracy and touch. Very good leadership skills. Throws well rolling to his right. Tough and willing to take a hit to make the pass. Throws with anticipation. Fourth year as a starter and he, and his team, has improved substantially over the years. Has missed significant amount of time with injuries and body lacks some desired armor to withstand playing style.

Michael Pratt / Tulane

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Player Comparison:
Derek Carr / New Orleans

Kedon Slovis / BYU

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Player Comparison:
Davis Mills / Houston

Kedon Slovis / BYU

6024 / 223 / 9.7” Hands / 31.1” Arms / 74.3” Wingspan
4.55 40 / 1.58 10-yard split

Well-traveled QB who has started at USC and Pittsburgh. Good size and stature. Very good arm strength – NFL caliber. Displays good mobility and throws well on the run – squares his shoulder and gets his body into the throw. Typically, accurate but timing is sometimes off. Throws with nice touch. Tough and willing to take a hit to make the pass – stands tall in the pocket. Buys time within the pocket with good command of the pocket.

John Rhys Plumlee / UCF

6000 / 199 / 9.2” Hands

Transfer from Ole Miss. Average height and build. Played QB and WR at Ole Miss and transferred to UCF for a chance to play QB. Rushed for 1,000+ yards at Ole Miss. Good release speed and release point. Average arm strength but has good zip on intermediate throws. Excellent ball handler and really sells play action fakes well. Throws well on the move – both to his right and left. Good pocket awareness and senses the rush well. Improving ability to throw with timing and anticipation. Very athletic - excellent agility and speed. A true running threat in the open field with vision, feet, and burst. Missed significant time due to injuries in 2023.

John Rhys Plumlee / UCF

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Player Comparison:
Tayson Hill / New Orleans

Taulia Tagovailoa / Maryland

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Player Comparison:
Tua Tagovailoa / Miami

Talia Tagovailoa / Maryland

5102 / 200

Transfer from Ole Miss. Average height and build. Played QB and WR at Ole Miss and transferred to UCF for a chance to play QB. Rushed for 1,000+ yards at Ole Miss. Good release speed and release point. Average arm strength but has good zip on intermediate throws. Excellent ball handler and really sells play action fakes well. Throws well on the move – both to his right and left. Good pocket awareness and senses the rush well. Improving ability to throw with timing and anticipation. Very athletic - excellent agility and speed. A true running threat in the open field with vision, feet, and burst. Missed significant time due to injuries in 2023.

Spencer Rattler / South Carolina

6002 / 211 / 9.7” Hands / 31” Arms / 74.6” Wingspan
4.95 40 / 1.63 10-yard split / 7.21 3-cone drill

Transfer from Oklahoma. Good size but lacks some desired height. Strong arm – NFL caliber. Quick release. Throws the ball with accuracy/timing/touch. Throws well on the move. Very good mobility and is a threat with the ball in space. Not easily rattled by pressure. Has been under scrutiny his entire career – went from a Heisman Trophy contender at Oklahoma to leading an undermanned SEC East team at South Carolina. Rattler has matured and improved his leadership ability during his time in college football and looks like a potential starting QB in the NFL with a season or two of development.

Spencer Rattler / South Carolina

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Player Comparison:
Baker Mayfield / Tampa Bay

Carter Bradley / South Alabama

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Player Comparison:
Brock Purdy / San Francisco

Carter Bradley / South Alabama

6025 / 221 / 9.3” Hands

Transfer from Toledo. Son of long-time NFL coach Gus Bradley. Possesses NFL height and frame. Good arm strength. Quick release with a high release point. Throws with accuracy and touch. Throws well rolling to his right. Timing patterns need development as he doesn’t throw many receivers open. Tough and stands tall in the pocket against heavy pressure.

Darren Grainger / Georgia State

Transfer from Furman. Ideal size, stature, and frame. Has an elongated delivery which leads to inconsistent release points and less than ideal speed. Good arm strength but passes lack some zip. Good accuracy. Sneaky good agility, vision, and burst in the open field – very good running ability, similar to Cam Newton. Throws well on the run. Three-year starter at GSU. Leader who teammates seem to respond to well.

Darren Grainger / Georgia State

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Player Comparison:
Justin Field / Pittsburgh

Darren Grainger / Georgia State

Transfer from Furman. Ideal size, stature, and frame. Has an elongated delivery which leads to inconsistent release points and less than ideal speed. Good arm strength but passes lack some zip. Good accuracy. Sneaky good agility, vision, and burst in the open field – very good running ability, similar to Cam Newton. Throws well on the run. Three-year starter at GSU. Leader who teammates seem to respond to well.

Darren Grainger / Georgia State

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Player Comparison:
Justin Field / Pittsburgh

Darren Grainger / Georgia State

Transfer from Furman. Ideal size, stature, and frame. Has an elongated delivery which leads to inconsistent release points and less than ideal speed. Good arm strength but passes lack some zip. Good accuracy. Sneaky good agility, vision, and burst in the open field – very good running ability, similar to Cam Newton. Throws well on the run. Three-year starter at GSU. Leader who teammates seem to respond to well.

Darren Grainger / Georgia State

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Player Comparison:
Justin Field / Pittsburgh

Carter Bradley / South Alabama

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Player Comparison:
Brock Purdy / San Francisco

Carter Bradley / South Alabama

6025 / 221 / 9.3” Hands

Transfer from Toledo. Son of long-time NFL coach Gus Bradley. Possesses NFL height and frame. Good arm strength. Quick release with a high release point. Throws with accuracy and touch. Throws well rolling to his right. Timing patterns need development as he doesn’t throw many receivers open. Tough and stands tall in the pocket against heavy pressure.

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