Bo Nix

Could five quarterbacks fly off the board before the midway point of the first-round of the 2024 NFL Draft?

In NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter's latest mock draft, he had Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye coming off the board with the first three picks, and the Minnesota Vikings trading up to the No. 4 pick to snag Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Additionally, he had the Denver Broncos drafting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th pick.

He has Minnesota parting with two first-round picks and a fourth to make the trade. That would theoretically give the Cardinals three first-round picks in the 2024 draft, and the franchise does end up trading back to No. 8 to grab wide receiver Rome Odunze in Reuter's latest projection.

Other notable landing spots in Reuter's mock include Marvin Harrison Jr. going to the Los Angeles Chargers, Malik Nabers going to the New York Giants, Joe Alt going to the Tennessee Titans and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. going to the Las Vegas Raiders in the second round.

McCarthy is rated as the fourth-best quarterback and the 30th overall prospect in the draft by Bleacher Report's Derrik Klassen. The Vikings would be moving quite a lot of value to grab him, but the franchise needs a franchise quarterback after Kirk Cousins left in free agency.

Grabbing McCarthy and having him on a rookie deal could be a perfect solution for a Vikings team that needs to extend wide receiver Justin Jefferson, but it would also require McCarthy to take a big step forward. The positives with him revolve around team success, as he went 27-1 and led Michigan to a national championship in 2023.

However, his statistics didn't jump off the page, as he never eclipsed 3,000 passing yards in a season during his collegiate career. Still, he was very efficient, only throwing 11 career interceptions, and had a career completion percentage of 67.6. He also passes the eye test with a 6'3" frame, so he has plenty of room for development.

Nix has significant experience, but also is older at 24 years old and may have a lower ceiling than McCarthy. Still, he could join a Broncos team coached by Sean Payton and be allowed to take the keys to the franchise early, with Jarrett Stidham currently projected as the starter.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix may have to wait until day two of the 2024 NFL Draft to find out where his NFL destination will be.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote that, as of now, Nix won't be selected in the first round and that he is viewed as a player with the potential to be a second-string quarterback by front offices.

"I had too many people at the combine refer to Nix as an NFL backup to ignore it."

Nix has been rated as the sixth-best quarterback available in the 2024 NFL Draft by Bleacher Report's Derrik Klassen. However, he has been mocked as high as No. 12 in the draft by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr, and could potentially benefit if an early run on quarterbacks happens in the first round.

He threw for 15,352 yards and 113 touchdowns across his five collegiate seasons split between Oregon and Auburn. In his final season in 2023 for the Ducks, he threw for 4,508 yards with 45 touchdowns and three interceptions and finished third in Heisman voting.

While his stats are certainly eye-popping, he is 24 years old and is older than established signal-callers like Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud. He was already considered to be a "fringe" round-one player, and with many teams solidifying the quarterback position through free agency and the trade market, he could find himself as a day-two selection to serve as a backup in 2024.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. said during Tuesday's NFL Live that he "saw a little Drew Brees" in Bo Nix while evaluating the Oregon quarterback.

"Hand size even, exactly the same," he said of the two quarterbacks. "Nix 6'2", Drew Brees 6'0.5". Both around 215 [pounds]. Accurate passers. Don't have the big arm—Brees didn't have the big arm, that's why he was the first pick in the second round, right? Nix doesn't have the big arm. Cerebral. Can beat a defense with their legs. Nix can, Brees had legs coming out, had had over 600 yards rushing in that last year at Purdue."

Kiper went on to suggest that the Denver Broncos—who don't appear to have a long-term answer for the quarterback position on the roster—could potentially make sense as a suitor for Nix, given the many years Sean Payton worked with Brees in New Orleans.

"I think [Payton] will see a lot of Brees in Nix," Kiper concluded.

It's a lofty comparison, obviously. Brees is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer after a career that saw him win a title, lead his team to 10 playoff berths and earn 13 Pro Bowl bids and one first-team All-Pro selection. He's second in NFL history in passing yards (80,358), passing touchdowns (571) and completions (7,142), trailing only Tom Brady in all three categories.

Nix, meanwhile, is ranked as the B/R NFL Scouting Department's No. 81 player on its latest big board, ranking fifth among quarterbacks behind Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy.

In that scouting report, B/R's Derrik Klassen called Nix an "incomplete player for someone who has played so much football" though his "tools are undeniable" and added that he will "ultimately be a dice roll on athleticism and accuracy."

The comparison the B/R NFL Scouting Department made was Gardner Minshew, not Brees, noting it was "a little worrisome that Nix is still unrefined in some areas as an older prospect with a ton of games under his belt."

Nix will hit the draft at 24 years of age after playing for both Auburn (2019-21) and Oregon (2022-23) in his college career, throwing for 15,352 yards, 113 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,613 yards and an impressive 38 scores, including 20 with the Ducks.

But would Nix thrive in an NFL offense that didn't prioritize running a spread attack that was heavy on screens and RPOs?

That remains to be seen. He still seems likely to be off the board late in the first round or early in the second, which could make it tricky for Payton's Broncos to acquire him unless they trade back from No. 12 or find a way to add a second-round pick.

The Broncos are in a bit of a tricky spot at this year's draft when it comes to the quarterback position. The top four picks could all be used on quarterbacks, and the Broncos likely won't be giving up the major resources required to trade into that realm given the other needs on the roster.

So the team will either have to see what shakes out at No. 12 or wait until later in the draft to bolster the position. But if they can get back into the second round, Nix would make sense as a target.

Now that the first wave of free agency is done, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has released his third mock draft of the offseason.

The top four picks remain the same from his previous mock from Feb. 28. Caleb Williams is going No. 1 to the Chicago Bears, followed by Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders, Drake Maye to the New England Patriots and Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Arizona Cardinals.

Among the notable changes is the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos both taking quarterbacks. Since Kiper didn't project any trades in this mock, he has the Vikings landing J.J. McCarthy at No. 11 and Broncos taking Bo Nix at No. 12.

It seems like a given that both Minnesota and Denver will come out of the draft with a quarterback.

Once Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, Minnesota immediately jumped out as a quarterback destination early in the draft.

The Vikings appear to be positioning themselves to trade up. They acquired a second first-round pick (No. 23 overall) in a trade with the Houston Texans in which they gave up a 2024 second-rounder (No. 42 overall), sixth-rounder (No. 188) and a 2025 second-rounder.

Kiper called the Vikings "the most interesting team in this draft" after their trade with Houston.

Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Vikings have arranged a private workout with McCarthy that head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will attend.

If there's a concern for both the Vikings and Broncos in their quest for a quarterback, it's the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick. Kiper has the Giants using that selection on Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.

SNY's Connor Hughes reported on March 15 that some people within the NFL believe McCarthy is the player the Giants want. They don't have to make as big of a jump to ensure they get him if they want to make a trade.

Of course, the Cardinals sitting at No. 4 might be more inclined to take an offer from the Vikings or Broncos knowing they will get more from a team trading up seven or eight spots instead of just two.

Kiper suggested the Broncos could look to trade down a few spots, recoup some additional draft assets and end up with Nix. They have eight picks this year, but six of them are in the fourth round or later.

ESPN's NFL draft guru also noted Broncos head coach Sean Payton "might see a little Drew Brees" in Nix because he's a "super-fast processor who can make every throw and was one of the most productive passers in college football the past two seasons."

Based on Kiper's current projection, a total of five quarterbacks will come off the board in the top 12 picks. If this scenario plays out, it will mark the second time five quarterbacks have been taken in the top 12.

It previously happened in 1999 with Tim Couch (No. 1 overall), Donovan McNabb (No. 2), Akili Smith (No. 3), Daunte Culpepper (No. 11) and Cade McNown (No. 12).

The top quarterbacks available in the 2024 NFL draft class aren't expected to have to wait too long to hear their names called this spring.

There is a "strong expectation around the NFL" that four quarterbacks will be taken in the top six of the this year's draft, according to NFL Network draft guru Daniel Jeremiah.

The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots own the top three picks in the 2024 draft, and all are widely expected to take a quarterback.

Chicago is expected to land USC standout Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall, and UNC's Drake Maye is believed to be the second-best signal-caller available behind him. LSU's Jayden Daniels is also in the mix to be taken within the top three.

Beyond the trio, perhaps Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon's Bo Nix could be taken in the first round with a number of franchises desperate to add a quarterback this spring.

For example, the New York Giants, which own the No. 6 overall pick, could draft a replacement for Daniel Jones. According to SNY's Connor Hughes, there's buzz around the league that McCarthy is the player the Giants want.

The Las Vegas Raiders have also held "exploratory talks" to move up into the top three, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. After the franchise released Jimmy Garoppolo, could it be targeting a quarterback?

It should come as no surprise that a number of teams are interested in this year's quarterback market.

Jeremiah reported on Feb. 10 that he believes between four and five teams could look to move up in this year's draft to select a quarterback. He added that "teams aren't excited" about the 2025 quarterback class.

One NFL scout also told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Pete Thamel that he believes there's a big drop-off in talent in the 2025 quarterback class.

"It won't be anything close to this year," the scout said.

The 2025 class is expected to include the likes of Texas' Quinn Ewers, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Georgia's Carson Beck and Penn State's Drew Allar.

Only one NFL head coach, Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears, attended Oregon's pro day, which featured quarterback Bo Nix.

Albert Breer of The MMQB provided the news regarding Eberflus, who reportedly led a large group of Bears representatives in Eugene.

The Bears own the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, and the tea leaves suggest that USC's Caleb Williams will be heading to the Windy City.

The B/R NFL Scouting Department currently ranks Nix as the fifth-best quarterback prospect in the draft but provides an exciting pro comparison to the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts.

Of course, the Bears could be looking at other big-name prospects at Oregon's pro day. ESPN's Courtney Cronin notably mentioned center Jackson Powers-Johnson as being "the draw" here.

Powers-Johnson is 18th overall on the B/R NFL Scouting Department big board. Other notable names include cornerback Khyree Jackson (No. 40), defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus (No. 59), wide receiver Troy Franklin (No. 76) and running back Bucky Irving (No. 107).

Powers-Johnson could notably help fortify the offensive line as an immediate Day 1 starter. The Bears also need more help at wideout, especially with Darnell Mooney leaving in free agency for the Atlanta Falcons.

Ultimately, it wouldn't be a surprise to see an Oregon Duck land in Chicago.

Oregon's Bo Nix is a small fish in a large pond of quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft class, but he opened some eyes during his Pro Day workout with the school on Tuesday.

Nix displayed some impressive arm strength and mobility. He was accurate on his deep passes and he made multiple off-balance throws that were on target to his Ducks teammates, showing off his skills to NFL contingents from the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks and others.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranks Nix as the No. 6 quarterback on its latest draft big board. In the most recent mock draft, Nix is projected to be a second-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings.

Nix's Pro Day performance was enough to get fans on social media talking, and many had positive things to say:

Arm strength has never been a question for Nix, as B/R NFL scout Derrik Klassen noted that the 24-year-old's "greatest asset is arguably his athleticism." His ability to make off-schedule throws also earned praise.

"As a thrower, Nix has the goods physically. He has a loose arm and can bomb it down the field with relative ease. Additionally, Nix's velocity is well above the NFL threshold," Klassen stated. "He can drive the ball outside the numbers and into tight windows over the middle reliably. That even applies to Nix's ability to throw on the run, where he really shines."

Nix is more of a developmental prospect who could use some time on the sidelines learning behind a veteran, but he clearly has the tools to be a successful NFL quarterback when he puts it all together.

A whole new crop of quarterbacks will soon be entering the NFL via the 2024 draft. Some of these prospects are considered can't-miss, blue-chip talent who will go at or near the very top of the first round. Several others are regarded as riskier, developmental types, while the rest fall into the bucket of "safer" players with low upside.

Regardless of how scouts see them now, there's no guarantee any of these players will live up to those expectations as professionals. Justin Fields is a perfect example of this, as the Chicago Bears quarterback was considered a slam-dunk first-round pick just three short years ago.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department graded Fields out at a 9.2—indicating potential All-Pro talent—during the leadup to the 2021 draft. He was the No. 3 overall prospect on their big board and trailed only Trevor Lawrence for highest grade among the 14 signal-callers who were graded that year.

If Fields were to declare for the draft today, it's far from certain he'd even rate among the top five at his position.

Scouts were aware of many of Fields' potential issues ahead of the 2021 draft. At the time, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein pointed out the quarterback's "slower operation time and lack of a twitchy trigger" and predicted he would "take more sacks than coaches will be comfortable with". That projection was spot on, as Fields has gone on to lead the league in sacks taken with a whopping 135 since his rookie season.

Another of Zierlein's predictions wasn't quite on the mark. The analyst said Fields should develop into a "solid NFL starter within a couple of seasons", but the Bears quarterback has been anything but reliable during that span.

While Fields has flashed the dual-threat skills and playmaking abilities that led to him becoming a top-10 pick, he's done so inconsistently and has made plenty of errors between those glimpses of brilliance.

Since 2021, Fields has tallied up 6,674 yards and 40 touchdowns but has only completed 60.3 percent of his passes and has been responsible for 30 interceptions. He's run for 2,220 yards in that same span—a mark that trails only Lamar Jackson—and 14 touchdowns, but he's also lost 11 of his league-leading 38 fumbles on 356 totes.

Earning that same 9.2 grade in 2024 would put Fields on equal footing as Caleb Williams—the B/R Scouting Department's No. 4 overall prospect and No. 2 quarterback—and only 0.1 behind Drake Maye, the top-rated signal-caller in this class and No. 3 overall player.

It's clear that NFL evaluators don't believe Fields has anywhere close to that type of potential anymore.

This can be evidenced by the responses from executives recently polled by ESPN's Courtney Cronin. An overwhelming amount believe Chicago should trade its incumbent starter and draft Williams—the heavy odds-on favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook to go No. 1 overall—with one succinctly stating "it's not even a debate, trade [Fields] to Atlanta for two third-rounders and keep it moving".

Another scout noted how "revered" the quarterbacks in this class are, believing the Bears could get a historic haul if they elected to trade out from the top slot. While that's mostly a testament to the potential greatness of Williams and Maye, the other quarterbacks in this class aren't too shabby, either.

LSU's Jayden Daniels may only be the B/R Scouting Department's No. 24 overall prospect because of his 7.8 grade, but he's also been projected to become the No. 3 overall pick in its latest mock draft.

When summarizing the selection, Derek Klassen noted that Daniels isn't an elite pocket passer but highlighted his incredible athleticism and rushing talent as reasons why he'll be able to contribute right away in the NFL. Already possessing a skill set reminiscent of Fields' while also having far more upside, Daniels cannot rank behind a three-year starter who is likely far closer to his ceiling.

Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon's Bo Nix are the remaining class of 2024 quarterbacks with legitimate potential to be taken within the first two days of the upcoming draft.

McCarthy is generally the most well-regarded of this trio and recently had his grade bumped to a 7.7 by the B/R Scouting Department following an impressive showing at the combine. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that several front offices are high on the Wolverines passer—there's even been whispers that he could come off the board before Daniels—and it appears he's trending towards being drafted in top half of the first round at worst.

Given his surging stock, McCarthy should rank ahead of Fields and would almost certainly be selected before the veteran in the 2024 draft.

Penix (7.1) and Nix (7.1) are the most comparable prospects to Fields in terms of their grades. The Nos. 66 and 70 prospects, respectively, on the B/R Scouting Department's big board have both seen wild fluctuations in terms of where analysts believe they'll ultimately get picked on draft day. As much as the combine helped McCarthy solidify his Day 1 status, the event seems to have further mystified Penix and Nix in the eyes of many evaluators.

According to Yahoo! Sports' Charles Robinson, only three of the seven NFL scouts he spoke to still believe one or both of these quarterbacks could still become first-rounders. Both threw well in Indianapolis, but detractors highlighted their age (they will each be 24 years old during the 2024 season) and high volume of starts—giving a "defined feel for what they can be"—leading to a lower ceiling.

These same criticisms could be applied to Fields, who turns 25 today and has already put 40 NFL appearances on tape ahead of that milestone. While Fields isn't going to suddenly develop the next Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, there's still a chance he continues to grow as a passer and rounds out what has been the most frustrating part of his game at his next career stop.

While Penix and Nix are only slightly younger than Fields, their locked-in low contract costs and slightly higher upside would still give them a narrow edge if teams had to pick between one of them and Fields, who is heading into the final guaranteed year of his rookie deal.

There's a rather quick drop-off after Nix, with South Carolina's Spencer Rattler (6.6) and Tulane's Michael Pratt (6.0) the only other prospects receiving draft-worthy grades this year. Fields would get selected before those two and likely grade out at around a 7.0, making him the No. 7 overall quarterback in this class.

ESPN's Adam Schefter believes this year's draft could have a quarterback-heavy first round.

Making an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, Schefter explained that there could be as many as six quarterbacks taken in the opening frame of April's event.

"There are a lot of different opinions and a lot of different quarterbacks in this draft," Schefter said. "It certainly sounds like we could get up to six quarterbacks taken in Round 1. Certainly five, that could happen."

At least three quarterbacks seem like locks to be first-round picks, such as USC's Caleb Williams, LSU's Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye, but Schefter believes other signal-callers, like Oregon's Bo Nix, could sneak into the first round.

"There are people that are huge Jayden Daniels fans. There are people that are huge Bo Nix fans," Schefter said. "So we'll see how that shakes out."

The majority of mock drafts have Williams going first overall to the Chicago Bears, with Maye and Daniels going directly behind him to the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, respectively.

Nix, along with Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Washington's Michael Penix Jr., could be candidates to be first-round picks as well, depending on how the quarterback market plays out in free agency.

A handful of quarterbacks are set to be free agents this offseason, one of whom is the Minnesota Vikings' Kirk Cousins. Schefter noted that Cousins' decision could be a factor in how many quarterbacks are taken in the first round.

"I think the two primary suitors for Kirk Cousins, I would expect to be, Minnesota and Atlanta," Schefter said. "There's only one Kirk Cousins, so he goes somewhere, what does the other team do? If he goes to Atlanta, I wouldn't be surprised if Minnesota tried to move up in the draft and try to make a play up for a quarterback."

With plenty of talent in his year's draft class, it won't be a surprise to see the first round be very quarterback-heavy.