2020 Watch List

Who’s In, Who’s Out for 2024 NFL Draft

It looks like the QB group for the 2024 NFL Draft will be excellent and deep. But that assumes just about all the top QB actually declare. The vast majority of them do indeed still have potential eligibility remaining for the 2024 College season. But there are some complex and/or under the radar circumstances that may influence the majority of the candidates. So based on information I am privy to, as well as some back-stories, the following represents my Top 10 list and my feeling about who is likely IN the next Draft, or who is going back to school and OUT. Players are listed based on my current evaluations of them and rough pecking order.

CALEB WILLIAMS     Southern Cal   6’1/215   JR      IN the 2024 Draft

I don’t care what his father said about Caleb not being certain about his football plans beyond the 2023 season at USC. I have seem his frustration this season behind a leaky OL, and without even a mediocre quality Defense. I think he’s fed up with having to lead his team to well over 30 points in most games and often still needing over 40+ to win. There is not much wrong with his game. His athleticism reminds me of  LAMAR JACKSON, but with better passing fundamentals already. Lincoln Riley’s track record in ignoring the “big uglies” in general, and defensive play require too much from his QB. Get out now before a major injury and/or bad habits develop out of desperation Caleb!

 

DRAKE MAYE     UNC      6’3/220      JR       IN for Draft

I don’t think MACK BROWN ignores his Defenses, but they have given away too many games and forced MAYE into scoring every-possession chaos too often. MAYE has nothing more to prove in ACC play. I believe the talk that he truly enjoys college life, but he is also wise enough to realize the money to be made over a long pro career is asking to be taken… like Top 3 Pick money. MACK has stated he will be back next season to coach, but I’d still get started on with my pro career now if I was MAYE. He has Dak PRESCOTT potential in my eyes.

JAYDEN DANIELS     LSU     6’3/210    SR*      IN for Draft

DANIELS is a senior, but can apply for the ‘Covid’ extra year with the NCAA. I am sure BRIAN KELLY would endorse his return. But really folks, what is there left for him to prove? He has improved so much in the last 2 years in the Kelly Regime that I’d vote for him in Heisman Balloting next month. His numbers have been awesome this year. He’s as ready as he will ever be, and in my book is a Top 15 Pick if he comes out for 2024.

BO NIX     Oregon     6’2/215          IN the Draft

Excellent frosh start at Auburn, then headed West escape a program in flux, with him as the whipping boy. He has been stellar for the Ducks and is getting serious Heisman consideration. All of his numbers are elite this season as he led his team to 11 Wins, only to be bested by unbeaten Washington in their showdown game back in October. But the PAC-12 title game is now on tap. His soph year at Auburn was lost to injury so I guess he could petition for a Covid extra season. But I doubt it. He’s moving on with his life (including a wife) and he should be a First Rounder next April.

SHEDEUR SANDERS    Colorado    6’2/215     Not Sure/in-out?

Like DANIELS, Prime’s son has progressed tremendously this season. They would still be wining games if they played Defense better and his OL was even average. But neither of these things is true for a full game. Shedeur is taking a beating every week. Logically, he should declare and be a late Round 1 Draftee. But Coach Prime is tight with his boys. And Shedeur will have to think hard about leaving his dad, and brother, for the pro game. Can/will Coach Sanders recruit heavily along the OL and DL to help his son if he does play one more year? This is the one that I am most unsure about right now. By the way, he sat out their season ending Loss with injuries. Stay tuned.

 

RILEY LEONARD     Duke      6’3/215         OUT/staying in school

The talent is here, IMO, but he too is taking a beating, not to mention lack of much legit talent in the receiving corps. He was hurt a lot in this his second year as their starter. He’s a Day Two draftee right now, with huge upside. Coach ELKO led the Dukies to a 9-Win season in 2022. But this year has been a pretty much a break-even effort. I think he’ll opt to return to Duke with assurances from his coaches that they will provide more help for him next season. He’s a Day Two prospect right now.

MICHAEL PENIX    Washington    6’3/215        IN for Draft

PENIX has had a great season leading an explosive Offense. His long balls wobble at times, but he has the arm to hit deep throws. Injury history is long and complex but has been healthy for his 2 years with the Huskies. Lefty thrower which still still bothers some coaches. His cache of talented receivers may all declare for the Draft (McMillan-Odunze-Polk) which should push him out the door quickly… and he really doesn’t have a choice this being year 7 of his college career.

J.J. McCARTHY     Michigan      6’2/200      OUT/Staying in school

His play the past two seasons would indicate a reasonable expectation for an above average pro career and I’d classify him as a late Day Two Prospect. He has a relatively slight build and an average arm, by NFL standards. Good football IQ [FBI]. But I am not sure he improves a bunch with another college season, and if the HARBAUGH issues blow up and Harbaugh goes pro (again) McCarthy might leave as well. But it appears to me that they will both be back at Michigan again in 2024.

These are my Top 100 QB prospects right now. But keep your eyes on CARSON BECK/Georgia, who has had an ascending trajectory taking over for Stetson Bennett as the Bulldogs starter. He has thesis, the arm and overall athleticism that Stetson cannily dream of.

A strange situation may be developing down in Austin for the TEXAS Longhorns. The already much traveled QUINN EWERS was supposed to be QB 1, then on to the pros, but he has had an injury plagued season to date. He had a lot to prove to the pro scouts this season, but lost precious playing time to impress them. The issue for HC SARKISIAN lies in what promises the MANNING clan was given to get young ARCH MANNING to commit to the Longhorns program. Many think they got assurances that ARCH would red-shirt this season, then be allowed to “win” the starting QB job next season. EWERS has already transferred once from Ohio State back to his home state of Texas. He may not want to transfer again to clear the way for ARCH, not to mention talented R/Freshman MAALIK MURPHY, who looked pretty darn good subbing for injured EWERS in several games. Stay tuned for quite the QB soap opera in Austin starting this Spring. At best EWERS might be a 3rd Rounder next April by some QB hungry NFL Franchise that buys into his potential .

Unless the majority of these, and a few other QB prospects, stay in school somewhere, it should be a quality/deep QB group out there for consumption in the 2024  NFL Draft.

P.S.   Spencer Rattler/South Carolina &   Michael Pratt/Tulane have already committed to play in the Senior Bowl, which should  tell you they are planning on  moving along. And CAM RISING has said he’ll take the RS Injury process to return to Utah.

 

Cheers

Pigskin Paul