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The first four picks of the 2024 NFL draft could be quarterbacks.
That is exactly what NFL Media’s Peter Schrager projected in his mock draft published Tuesday. While the first three picks go relatively according to expected script with the Chicago Bears selecting Caleb Williams at No. 1, the Washington Commanders taking Jayden Daniels at No. 2 and the New England Patriots taking Drake Maye at No. 3, the first major development happens at No. 4.
Schrager projected the Arizona Cardinals to trade that pick to the New York Giants, who then use it on Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
“This is merely a mock draft, but I could see this deal coming to fruition,” Schrager wrote. “Joe Schoen didn’t draft Daniel Jones, J.J. checks a lot of boxes, and Big Blue can get out of Jones’ contract after this upcoming season.”
Jones has dealt with inconsistency and injuries throughout his career, and this could give the Giants the opportunity to move into a new direction and start focusing on the future in an NFC East that looks particularly difficult heading into the 2024 campaign.
As for the Cardinals, they ended up with the No. 6 pick in the draft as part of the trade and used it to take Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze after the Los Angeles Chargers selected Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 5 pick.
That’s not the end of the quarterback position in the first round, though, as Schrager projected the Minnesota Vikings to take Oregon’s Bo Nix at No. 23.
Minnesota could use another option at the position after Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, and Nix is someone who can spread the ball around to weapons in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson.
While he doesn’t have the same ceiling as Williams or the other top names, the 2023 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year completed a stunning 77.4 percent of his passes last season for the Ducks. He also had 45 touchdown throws to just three interceptions.
That ability to avoid key mistakes and take advantage of open looks underneath at an incredibly efficient rate works perfectly in an offense that thrives on getting the ball into the playmakers’ hands and letting them go to work.
It could also lead to a relatively seamless transition from the Cousins era.
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