2024 NFL Draft: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye lead QB debate 

By Frank Cooney
NFLDraftScout.com

Just when you thought the quarterback draft debates were done, it's time to discuss new ones as the 2023 college football season, with those 2024 draft prospects, is almost within view.

See it? Right there on the calendar, starting Aug. 26 with seven games, including a brave San Jose State visiting University of Southern California and reigning Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams. 

As the names Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud fade, the quarterback discussions are revived as Williams is, for now, rated ahead of North Carolina's Drake Maye on early lists for the 2024 draft. 

Plenty of quarterbacks are vying for attention.

Not counting freshman — with apologies to Texas' Arch Manning — NFLDraftScout.com is tracking 664 college quarterbacks who, by some stretch of rules or imagination, could become a part of the 2024 draft. 

Leveraging the almighty transfer portal, 303 of these quarterbacks sought better playing opportunities by moving to another team. In fact, 42 transferred at least twice. Six, led by Rice's J.T. Daniels, transferred three times. Six!

Here are CFB's Transfer Triple Crown quarterbacks: 
(Player, School, Pos, Ht, Wt, Class, 40 Time, Draft Yr, Transferred) 

• J.T. Daniels, Rice, QB, 6026, 226, rSr, 4.86, 2024, 3x
• Layne Hatcher, Ball State, QB, 5115, 210, rSr, 4.73, 2024, 3x
• Jason Brown, Jackson State, QB, 6025, 230, rSr, 5.05, 2024, 3x
• Ben Bryant, Cincinnati QB, 6031, 220, rSr, 4.90, 2024, 3x
• Brady McBride, Appalachian State, QB, 5116, 200, rSr, 4.87, 2024, 3x

Well, that's as of May 3, 2023. There might be some quarterbacks who were unhappy with their spring game and are looking at that portal. 
 

Sanders, Manning: What’s in a name?

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders isn't one of them. The Buffs put on quite a show for Shedeur’s dad, Coach Prime, as in Pro Football Hall of Famer DEION SANDERS, a couple of weeks ago. Despite snow and 32-degree weather, the game drew in excess of 45,000 fans, more than the total of Colorado's previous four spring games combined. 

Shedeur is ranked No. 3 on our early list of 2024 quarterback draft prospects, just ahead of Texas' Quinn Ewers, who will try to keep his job despite the presence of that aforementioned Manning, an imposing freshman who already is reportedly worth millions in NIL money. Family tradition. 

The list includes Spencer Rattler. The name should sound familiar. Rattler was a Heisman Trophy favorite going into the 2021 season at Oklahoma, but lost his job to a guy named Caleb Williams. Yep, the same Caleb Williams who won the Heisman Trophy last season at USC.

Rattler also moved to USC — University of South Carolina — where he had a decent 2022 with an 8-5 record, but it ended with a Gator Bowl loss to Notre Dame, 45-38. Still, that No. 19 AP ranking was South Carolina's best since 2014. Rattler returns for another chance to prove himself and will start No. 7 on our list. 

Here is a look at 30 quarterbacks who could find their way into the NFL's 2024 Draft. At this point, ratings are pure guesswork based on what we think we know and counting on none of these guys transferring again before the season.

There is only one guarantee: This list will change before the 2024 NFL Draft:

(QB Rank, Player, College, Position, Ht, Wt, Class, 40 Time, Draft Year)

1. Caleb Williams, Southern California, QB, 6005, 220, Jr, 4.48, 2025

2. Drake Maye, North Carolina, QB, 6043, 220, rSo, 4.58, 2026

3. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, QB, 6006, 215, Jr, 4.78, 2025

4. Quinn Ewers, Texas, QB, 6021, 207, rSo, 4.76, 2026

5. Jayden Daniels, LSU, QB, 6025, 200, rSr, 4.52, 2024

6. Michael Pratt, Tulane, QB, 6025, 220, Sr, 4.73, 2024

7. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina, QB, 6002, 215, rSr, 4.70, 2024

8. Bo Nix, Oregon, QB, 6016, 213, rSr, 4.62, 2024

9. Cameron Ward, Washington State, QB, 6021, 220, rJr, 4.87, 2025

10. Jordan Travis, Florida State, QB, 6005, 212, rSr, 4.52, 2024

11. Kyle McCord, Ohio State, QB, 6026, 222, Jr, 4.73, 2025

12. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan, QB, 6031, 196, Jr, 4.56, 2025

13. Brock Vandagriff, Georgia, QB, 6030, 205, rSo, 4.74, 2026

14. D.J. Uiagalelei, Oregon State, QB, 6042, 235, Sr, 4.76, 2024

15. Jaxson Dart, Mississippi, QB, 6021, 220, Jr, 4.72, 2025

16. Tyler Buchner, Alabama, QB, 6006, 215, Jr, 4.59, 2025

17. Michael Penix Jr., Washington, QB, 6021, 213, rSr, 4.64, 2024

18. Tyler Van Dyke, Miami, QB, 6041, 224, rJr, 4.93, 2025

19. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland, QB, 5105, 200, rSr, 4.70, 2024

20. Sam Hartman, Notre Dame, QB, 6005, 210, rSr, 4.76, 2024

21. Ty Thompson, Oregon, QB, 6026, 224, rSo, 4.59, 2026

22. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, QB, 5112, 203, rSr, 4.83, 2024

23. K.J. Jefferson, Arkansas, QB, 6025, 242, rSr, 4.76, 2024

24. Cameron Rising, Utah, QB, 6012, 218, rSr, 4.64, 2024

25. Jake Garcia, Missouri, QB, 6016, 194, rSo, ND, 2026

26. Miller Moss, Southern California, QB, 6020, 210, rSo, 4.83, 2026

27. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, QB, 6015, 194, rSo, 4.74, 2026

28. Jalen Milroe, Alabama, QB, 6015, 220, rSo, 4.63, 2026

29. Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech, QB, 6015, 223, rSo, ND, 2026

30. Preston Stone, Southern Methodist, QB, 6010, 209, rSo, 4.82, 2026
 

Additional NFL Draft coverage

• 2024 NFL Draft: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye lead QB debate
• 2023 NFL Draft recap: Open time capsule to gauge results
• 2023 NFL Draft: Friendly rivals Young, Stroud took different paths to top pick positions
• Recapping the 2023 NFL Draft
• Steve Largent’s words of wisdom to players entering 2023 NFL Draft
• NFL Draft: Zay Flowers’ 8 weeks to run 40 yards
• Pass defenders will crash QB-crazy 2023 NFL Draft party
• 2023 NFL Draft: KC BBQ in air as teams ask, ‘Where's the beef?’
• NFLDraftScouts.com's top 350 players in 2023 NFL Draft
• Top 350 players in the 2023 NFL Draft: Position-by-position rankings

EDITOR’S NOTE: Analysis on the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is provided by NFLDraftScout.com, established in 1987 by The Sports Xchange. For 30 years, it was the source draft information and coverage for NFL.com, USA Today, Sports Weekly, CBS Sports, FOX Sports and provided research for 21 NFL Clubs. Founder and publisher Frank Cooney, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee for more than 30 years, has covered the Draft since 1967. He helped create the underlying rating system for “Madden Football” and was on the launch team for FOX Sports.