The 2024 NFL Combine has wrapped and the biggest event of the offseason is less than two months away: the 2024 NFL Draft, set for Thursday, April 25th through Saturday, April 27th. That means it’s also time for Chris Simms and the team at Chris Simms Unbuttoned to put together their draft rankings, kicking off with the top six names at quarterback.
“All these guys can be really good starting quarterbacks in the NFL, and all of them have a type of game that translates to the NFL,” Simms said on today’s episode of Chris Simms Unbuttoned. “So that’s where it made it hard.”
“I don’t remember a year of liking this many guys at the top of the draft.”
For a full rundown of Simms’ 2024 NFL quarterback rankings entering this year’s draft, including who stands above the rest, who will likely need time to develop on the bench, and a full player-by-player breakdown, see below.
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2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings
Tier One — A Class of His Own
1. Caleb Williams (USC)
What Simms Said: “The power in the arm is second to none. Second to none. In any way you want to talk about it. Off a back foot, perfect pocket, standing, I gotta run up in the pocket and throw a bomb down the sideline, I gotta run to the sideline, either way — he’s one of the best on the run throwing quarterbacks I’ve ever seen in my life. He is one of the most machine throwing quarterbacks in a clean pocket that I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Tier Two — #1 In Other Years
2. Jayden Daniels (LSU)
What Simms Said: “Special player. Special! Like I said, in years maybe where it’s not C.J. Stroud or Caleb Williams or Patrick Mahomes... I think in a lot of years Jayden Daniels is clearly the No. 1 pick in the draft. He just came along in a year in which, I mean, you heard all the things I said about [Caleb Williams].”
“First off: machine throwing the football. That’s the one thing I’ve been blown away by, for all these guys, but especially Jayden Daniels, mechanically flawless. Jayden Daniels is mechanically flawless throwing the football.”
Tier Three — Franchise Starting QB
3. Bo Nix (Oregon)
What Simms Said: “One of the most pleasant surprises of this process. I of course saw Oregon on TV and did all of that, I get that. But I think where I love Bo Nix is one, I love his overall body and look. He’s got a great NFL body, he’s got a little structure and muscle on him. He’s a really awesome athlete. He is a really good runner. I mean, really good. He plays quarterback in a lot of ways like an NFL quarterback. His ability to read the field, make quick decisions, throw the appropriate ball... his backyard playmaking ability, I think, is elite.”
4. Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)
What Simms Said: “Seeing him in person, seeing the way the ball spins, seeing the way he can push the ball effortlessly down the football field is damn special. And of course he’s tough to hang in the pocket and take a shot, but within that, that would be one of my concerns a little, he’s got one of the more frail bodies in this... You’re not going to get a lot of outside the pocket type of plays with Michael Penix. You’re not... But you’re going to get a lot of in the pocket [throws that make you say] ‘Whoo what a throw.’”
5. J.J. McCarthy (Michigan)
What Simms Said: “He has different arm angles. J.J. McCarthy can throw the ball sidearm, he can slide and still hit an in-cut, and throw it sidearm between a gap between the guard and the tackle and do all that. Totally naturally smooth fluid motion with very good power in his arm. He does not get enough credit for how powerful his arm is.”
Tier Four — Talented Project
6. Drake Maye (UNC)
What Simms Said: “I think there’s potential here. That’s where it’s tough. There’s some thing where I go ‘Yes.’ But I don’t think it’s anywhere near right aroun the corner. He needs to sit on the bench a bit, he needs to work on some real mechanical issues that he has. Going through reads, I don’t think he’s in the same class as the guys we’ve talked about.”
