QB1?

Plenty of options await for quarterback-needy teams in the 2024 NFL Draft.

On the latest “Intel With Greg Cosell” on “Inside The Birds,” the legendary NFL Films analyst Cosell breaks down the top QB prospects.

GETTY IMAGES: USC Quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to be the number one overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Caleb Williams

Greg Cosell: “He is certainly a high-level prospect. One of the things that really stand out in a really positive way when you watch Caleb Williams is he has a really good ability to control the ball and place it where he wants to…He has great spatial awareness, he can calmly and effectively navigate chaos and he can function very intelligently and athletically at game speed to do that. One thing you did not see a ton of is executing meaningful NFL pass game concepts where he had to make a lot of timing window throws versus zone coverage.”

Jayden Daniels

Cosell: “As he has grown, there is a relatively refined passer with really solid fundamentals and mechanics that are there. He has an innate willingness to work from the pocket, has a sense of patience, is a progression reader, he does not just leave the pocket. He has gotten better and better every year. He has got that desirable combination of pocket efficiency and playmaking explosiveness.”

Drake Maye

Cosell: “You could easily make the argument that in terms of pure physical and athletic traits that Maye is the best of this entire group. That does not mean he is the best prospect, but you have a guy that has size, arm strength, for the most part ball placement. He is a good athlete who moves well…one thing that he needs to work on is he has a tendency to drift to his left in the pocket when there is no pressure or reason to move, and when you do that you create your own pressure.”

J.J. McCarthy

Cosell: “The film as far as him throwing the ball was not great. He was a guy that labored a bit to drive the ball. The ball did not jump out of his hands with natural velocity. He had to work to throw it hard. I would say he missed a lot of routine throws…What he does have is he does move really well, he can run and gain yards, he can throw on the move effectively, I would say there is a patience to his game that you would like.”

Michael Penix Jr.

Cosell: “There is no question based on his 2022-23 tape that he is the best intermediate and deep ball passer in this class. He has a strong arm, he can drive the ball with velocity. For the most part, he is precise with his ball location on the more difficult downfield throws…He is very accountable to the system with his drops, his sets, timing, and rhythm, playing within the structure of the designed passing game. The issue for him is the movement.”

Jordan Travis

Cosell: “His tape is interesting…He has pretty quick delivery, compact, there is no wasted motion. He made good throws between the numbers, made some excellent layered throws, we know that when he is healthy he has great movement ability. To me, he wasn’t a natural throw, but is an interesting guy.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.