The quarterback has always been the best most valuable position in football, and perhaps all of of sports, and the NFL's 32 teams have never made that fact more clear than they did in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft Thursday night.
The 2024 first round made the following quarterback draft history according to CBS Sports Research:
- First draft with four quarterbacks in the first eight picks
- First draft with five quarterbacks in the first 10 picks
- First draft with six quarterbacks in the top 12
- Draft with shortest span of picks for six quarterbacks at any point in a draft (previous mark: 20 picks in 1992 from picks 211-230)
However, a number of teams still didn't come away with a new quarterback to develop, whether that's to play right away or sit and cook for a little while. Stunningly, the 2024 NFL Draft became just the third ever to have no quarterbacks taken in the second or third round, joining the 1983 and 1994 drafts. In fact, there were a record number of picks between QBs, with 138 picks separating Bo Nix going to the Broncos at No. 12 and Spencer Rattler joining the Saints at No. 150.
There are still some NFL squads who could still be suitors for new passers to add to their depth charts, such as the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, to name a few.
Here is a closer look at seven of the top remaining options with a brief scouting report and possible NFL team fit.
* All QB measurables are from the NFL Scouting Combine
- Height: 6-2 1/2" | Weight: 217 pounds
- Hand Size: 9 1/4"
- Accolades/notable statistics: 2023 AAC Offensive Player of the Year, Tulane all-time leader in pass yards (9,611), pass TD (90)
Michael Pratt helped lead the most successful two-year stretch of football in Tulane history with 12-2 2022 season that was capped off with a Cotton Bowl win over 2024 first overall draft quarterback Caleb Williams and USC plus an 11-3 campaign in 2023. Pratt threw an efficient 49 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions during the stretch, the 15th-best touchdown to interception ratio in the nation among 109 qualified in quarterbacks since 2022. That's pretty, pretty good.
He has smooth throwing mechanics, and does a good job of throwing with anticipation regularly in order to connect with targets in a way that sets them up for yards after the catch. Pratt is decent at moving up in the pocket to duck the first wave of a pass rush despite not being a jaw-dropping athlete. The cons are his passes on average as far as the zip on them, and he struggles going deep if he can't cleanly step into throws. Pratt will start his NFL career as a backup, but he may have the potential to be a starter if surrounded by the right supporting cast.
Potential fit: Miami Dolphins
Neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Pratt are known for their arm talent, but both have found ways to succeed at high level despite that. The way both quarterbacks compensate for this knock is with football IQ and and middle-of-the-field, anticipatory throws. Tagovailoa enters the final year of his rookie deal in 2024, and he has history of injuries. Pratt could develop well under Mike McDaniel's tutelage and potentially be ready to play if the worst happens with Tagovailoa.
- Height: 6-2 | Weight: 206 pounds
- Accolades/notable statistics: 2021 Honorable Mention All-CUSA, 54% comp pct, 40 pass TD, 33 INT in career
Hardison became University of Texas-El Paso's starting quarterback in 2020, but he failed to put much on tape in his final collegiate season because he needed elbow surgery to fix a UCL ligament, just like San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy after the 2022 NFL season. The arm strength is there for Hardison, but he needs to improve in big way with anticipation and breaking down different coverages. He is at his best operating in a scheme that frequently utilizes run-pass option plays.
The accuracy isn't quite there, but he has a live arm. Hardison just needed to become more refined.
Potential fit: Green Bay Packers
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the Packers hosted Hardison for a visit back on April 17, and after seeing the work head coach and play-caller Matt LaFleur did in refining Jordan Love, Green Bay could be a landing spot for the UTEP alum. He of course would be brought in strictly to develop and push Sean Clifford for the backup quarterback job. Who knows, perhaps Hardison looks like a much different player after working in the Packers quarterback factory.
- Height: 6-1 | Weight: 205 pounds
- Accolades/notable statistics: 2022 SoCon Offensive Player of the Year (set school single-season pass TD record with 36)
After two years at Murray State and two years at Northwest Mississippi Community College, Michael Hiers broke out at Samford. He threw 36 touchdowns to only four interceptions in 2022, setting the school's single-season record for passing scores en route to leading the Bulldogs to a Southern Conference title.
Hiers is quick on his feet in the pocket, which is mostly good, but he could stand to chill out and not bounce around as much. Accuracy is strongest attribute, competing 76.6% of his passes in 2022 and 71.3% of his throws in 2023. He throws with touch over the middle of the field, but his ball security needs work. Hiers combined for 12 interceptions and 22 fumbles in two years at Samford. He isn't a stunning athlete, but he has touch on his throws and his accurate. That could help keep Hiers' football career going for a few more years.
Potential fit: Cincinnati Bengals
Cincy's roster is starting to get expensive with quarterback Joe Burrow on the biggest contract in the NFL from an average-per-year standpoint (five years, $275 million), and Ja'Marr Chase's extension looming on the horizon. Backup quarterback Jake Browning, who started seven games after Burrow's season-ending injury, is in a contract year in 2024. Hiers could be a cheap backup option who could learn a few things from Burrow and head coach/play-caller Zac Taylor. An accurate backup is ideal, and Hiers is that.
- Height: 6-1 | Weight: 215 pounds
- Hand Size: 9 1/2"
- Accolades/notable statistics: 2021 Honorable Mention All-ACC, set NC State school single-season pass TD record (35) in 2021
Devin Leary has a rocket launcher for an arm, and he has a tight, quick throwing motion, which allows him to utilize his arm strength regularly. He can also throw these deeper passes downfield. Leary regularly throws with a anticipation and can throw on the run. He is slightly undersized, but he does have a strong build.
Accuracy is the big question after registering completion percentages of 61.1% and 56.3% in his last two seasons of college football. Leary needs to do a better job of knowing when to dial up the heater and when to loft a more softly thrown ball. He can also speed through his route progressions and miss his third option, preventing him from finding a bigger gain. Leary threw an SEC-most 12 interceptions while also having seven fumbles last season. That's not great, and he isn't exactly a developmental prospect as Leary turns 25 on Sept. 10.
Potential fit: New York Giants
The Giants need a new quarterback. Daniel Jones regressed in 2023 (two touchdowns to six interceptions in six starts) prior to tearing his ACL. The 2022 magical run where he registered the lowest interception rate (1.1%) in the league looks to be an outlier and not the real Daniel Jones.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll clearly doesn't trust him to air it out: Jones' 6.5 air yards per pass attempt are the second lowest in the NFL since 2022, when Daboll was hired. New York just drafted perhaps the most electric receiver in the 2024 draft in LSU's Malik Nabers. Why not pick up a strong-armed passer and see what he can do in training camp?
- Height: 6-3* | Weight: 213 pounds*
- Hand Size: 9 3/8"*
- Accolades/notable statistics: 2021 Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Conference (2022-2023)
* From Pro Day
Carter Bradley has an NFL body with better than average arm strength, which allows him to connects on passes to all parts of the field. Bradley does a good job of reading his route concepts and diagnosing what's open and what not. His mechanics are in synch, and does a pretty good job of avoiding sacks. He is the son of former NFL head coach Gus Bradley, so his football IQ is strong.
However, he can get off balance at times when throwing, and his release needs to be more efficient, so that he can get the football out faster. Bradley also isn't very mobile. He is inconsistent, which means he likely won't have too many chances to prove himself in the NFL.
Potential fit: Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford is 36 and much closer to the end of his football journey than the beginning. Bradley learning in a quarterback room with Stafford and head coach Sean McVay would be an ideal place to incubate while ironing out the inconsistencies in his game. Perhaps he is ready to be a real deal NFL quarterback after a couple years in this football ecosystem.