The Blaze’s Jason Whitlock blasted the recent 2024 NFL Draft Class’ quarterbacks, calling them “overdrafted” and saying none of them will be successful during a Friday episode of his podcast.
“Six years from now we’ll be calling this the worst draft class of quarterbacks ever,” Whitlock said during a Friday episode of his “Fearless With Jason Whitlock” podcast.
“I don’t think any of these guys will be successful quarterbacks six years from now,” he contended.
I personally think Caleb Williams is going to be very good. That’s a hill I’m willing to die on. I think his insistence on painting his nails and wearing dresses is dumb and girly but I still think he’s way too talented to not overcome that nonsense and ball out, especially given how good the rest of the Bears offense around him is.
But as for the rest of the class, I completely agree with Whitlock’s contention that “there isn’t an Elway, a Marino, an Aaron Rodgers, a Brett Favre” in the class.
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The class tied a record for most quarterbacks selected in the top 12, with six QBs coming off the board by pick 12. While some may insist that’s purely based on talent, Whitlock says “six in the first 12 is not an indication of talent, it’s an indication of what the league has become.”
And he’s right. Outside of Williams, every other guy was a reach. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, the second and third selections, respectively, are talented players. They’re definitely deserving of a first-round selection, albeit later in the first round in a more sane NFL landscape. But Michael Penix Jr., who the Atlanta Falcons inexplicably selected with the eighth overall pick, has a ton of question marks, including multiple ACL and shoulder injuries.
I could maybe make the argument that Penix was deserving of a late-first-round selection, though it’s hard to believe he’ll be better than Lamar Jackson, who the Baltimore Ravens selected with the last pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Heck, I’d be hard-pressed to even say he could be better than New Orleans Saints starter Derek Carr, who was a second-round selection in 2014. (RELATED: ‘Not Trying To Do Your Job’: Former NFL GM Michael Lombardi Blasts Falcons GM For Asinine Penix Pick)
But after Penix, the talent level drops off considerably, as we see Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix go 10 and 12 respectively.
McCarthy is a winner, I’ll give him that. But Nix shouldn’t have even been a day-two pick. To say the quarterback-needy Broncos reached for him would be a massive understatement.
The last time quarterbacks went in the eight, 10 and 12 slots – as CBS Sports’ Dan Schneier points out – they were all busts. Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder all flamed out as starters relatively quickly (though Gabbert has carved out a nice role as a backup.)
Just bc the NFL is doing it doesn’t mean your team — the #Giants — is losing out.
This was the last time QBs were selected at No. 8, 10 & 12.
To me: It was Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden or no top-5 ceiling you want to ultimately allocate 20% of cap on a second contract 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/S9PUggIAqT— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) April 29, 2024
If Whitlock is correct, this class is destined for the same fate. I still believe in Williams, but the other five … yikes. I’d be surprised if any of them makes it to a second contract as a starter.