The 2024 NFL Draft led to a wave of young quarterbacks entering the league. As the regular season draws to a close, it’s important to look at how they have performed and who has already cemented themselves as one of the league’s rising stars.
Hopefully, these rookie and sophomore QBs will lead a new generation of NFL players and continue the success of the league. With amazing talents like Jayden Daniels, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson, there’s definitely the potential for the emergence of some new all-time greats, and players that teams can build around for future success.
Bo Nix – Denver Broncos
When betting on the NFL, people often makes bets on underdog teams and players for potential big gains and Bo Nix is one such example. Many people were betting on him to be a second-round pick and no one expected him to be such a solid QB for the Broncos. Nix has excellent mobility and short-passing abilities which have made him incredibly dangerous and helped lead the Broncos to the playoffs.
Bryce Young – Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young played 13 games this season with 12 touchdowns and 2,152 yards. It’s tough for rookie QBs to make a name for themselves on struggling teams like the Panthers, but he has done a good job and had some standout performances that show with the right components, he can be a devastating QB. Perhaps his most memorable performance was the season finale, where he completed 25/34 passes for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns. This spurred the Panthers on to 44 points and perhaps their best win of the 2024-25 season.
Anthony Richardson – Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson is an enigma. So far in his two NFL seasons, he has only played 15 games total. Injuries have hampered his career to date, so it’s difficult to tell if he will be a sustainable star or not. When he has played, he has showed flashes of greatness, but as the saying goes, the best ability is availability, and so far, Richardson has failed in this area for the Colts.
C.J. Stroud – Houston Texas
After winning the offensive rookie of the year in 2023 and making a Pro Bowl appearance in his rookie season, Stroud has looked like one of the most promising QB talents in the league despite his sophomore season not being as successful as his incredible rookie year. Hopefully, this is just a typical sophomore slump which is often seen in other professional leagues like the NBA. We have no doubt that he will bounce back and continue to be an incredible QB.
Will Levis – Tennessee Titans
Levis played in 11 games for the Titans in the 2024-25 season. He has probably had less of an impact than the other new QBs, although you would never call him one of the worst NFL players of all time. With 12 touchdowns in those 11 games and 1,916 yards, he definitely has potential. However, as the Titans have a first-round draft pick next year, it’s likely that he will remain the backup QB for the foreseeable future unless he is traded.
Caleb Williams – Chicago Bears
As the first pick in the 2024 draft, the expectations were incredibly high for Superman, and they have both been met and not met. It’s hard to ignore the fact that he was the most-sacked QB in the NFL in the 2024-25 season, which is something that needs improving (or perhaps the Bear’s defense!). At the same time, Williams has played 19 games, netted 3,393 yards for 19 touchdowns, and he has certainly had a positive impact on the team.
Jayden Daniels – Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels is the hot rookie QB and made his first Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. He has played 16 games for the Commanders and has been impressive, earning the 2024 offensive rookie of the year award. Out of this draft class, Daniels is the shining star, and it’s expected that he will go on to be an all-time great. He doesn’t even look like a rookie when playing and can easily be classed as one of the top five QBs in the league already.
Drake Maye – New England Patriots
Drake Maye has struggled with consistency. During one game he can be All-Pro level, while the next he will truly look like a rookie. However, as the season has progressed, his consistency has improved and he is becoming more reliable with each game. In the 2024-25 season, Maye played 12 games, made 15 touchdowns and 2,276 yards. In time, he is expected to become a top QB and a star for the Patriots.
Will these QBs evolve into all-time greats? Only time will tell
There is great anticipation surrounding this new wave of QBs as the 2024 Draft is seen as one of the strongest in recent years. Their performances in the 2024-25 season have been generally positive, with only a few having struggled to adjust to the league.
The playoffs will be the real test for these quarterbacks on teams that make it. We could even see some breakout performances that cement the rookies as future Pro Bowl and All-Pro candidates. Whatever happens, the future of the league is certainly in great hands!
