Ranking the 6 QBs drafted in first round by their landing spots

Quarterbacks have become the prized commodity in the NFL Draft in recent years as every team tries to find the next Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow to lead their team to the promised land. Five quarterbacks went in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, including the top three picks on the board.

While time will tell whether one of these passers becomes a top draft pick in the history of their respective franchises, who ended up in the best position to succeed as a pro? Let's rank the first-round quarterbacks by who ended up in the best landing spot.

1. Caleb Williams

It wasn't at all a shock for Caleb Williams to go first overall to the Bears, who moved on from Justin Fields to take the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner as the new face of their franchise. This is the first time that the Bears made the first pick in the NFL Draft since 1947, but Chicago is in a much better position than they were when they took Fields in 2020.

Williams has two legitimate NFL receivers to work with in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, who the Bears acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers in the offseason and a solid tight end in Cole Kmet. Chicago also used the ninth pick to give Williams another elite playmaker in Washington wideout Rome Odunze, the last of the top receivers in this year's draft. The offensive line has some solid foundational pieces, including a first-round tackle from last year's class in Darnell Wright, so Williams has plenty of infrastructure around him to be capable of succeeding.

The question here surrounds whether Williams' coaching staff, headlined by new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, can help him reach his massive potential. Waldron played a big role in resurrecting Geno Smith's career in Seattle so that is a promising sign for his future.

2. Jayden Daniels

In a move that was largely anticipated in the past few weeks, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will take his talents to Washington. Jayden Daniels has special upside as a dual-threat quarterback but his unconventional style of play will require excellent coaching to get the most out of his gifts.

With Washington having Dan Quinn as a defensive-minded head coach, Kliff Kingsbury will be tasked with developing Daniels. This isn't a bad fit since Kingsbury was instrumental in helping Kyler Murray become a solid starter with the Arizona Cardinals, experience he can draw on to help Daniels become an NFL star.

The Commanders do have some solid weapons for Daniels to work with, including steady veteran Terry McLaurin and talented youngster Jahan Dotson. The offensive line is a bit of a concern, however, which could cause Daniels to spend time running to avoid pressure instead of working on reading NFL defenses.

3. J.J. McCarthy

From the moment they acquired a second first-round pick from Houston, rumors were swirling that the Vikings had their eye on a trade-up for a quarterback. J.J. McCarthy's slide reduced the cost of a trade to just a fourth and a fifth to move up one spot and take the Michigan man at 10, a move that will pay immediate dividends for the national champion.

Landing in Minnesota gives McCarthy arguably the best trio of pass-catchers of any rookie quarterback as he gets to work with the league's best receiver in Justin Jefferson, an ascending second-year man in Jordan Addison and an elite pass-catching tight end in T.J. Hockenson. Head coach Kevin O'Connell also has a strong reputation for his work with quarterbacks, helping Kirk Cousins put up elite numbers in his year and a half with him before Cousins tore his ACL in the middle of last season.

The offensive line is also solid, putting McCarthy in a good position to not have to do too much as a rookie. There will be some pressure of trying to live up to what Cousins did in Minnesota, especially since Jefferson will want to put up good numbers to set up his next contract, but McCarthy played in a pro-style offense at Michigan that should help him make the transition to the pros swiftly.

4. Bo Nix

Four and five on this list are similar in terms of undesirability but Bo Nix has a slight edge landing in Denver. The biggest check in Nix's column is his head coach as Sean Payton is a tremendous offensive mind who helped Drew Brees build a Hall of Fame resume, which is an excellent foundation for a young quarterback.

The Broncos also have better offensive weapons than New England with Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Marvin Mims offering a respectable receiving corps while Javonte Williams is a very capable starting running back. There is also little competition for the starting job as Nix will have to outduel Jarrett Stidham and recent trade acquisition Zach Wilson to land the gig.

There also aren't going to be a ton of expectations for immediate success from Nix, who is landing on a team that isn't expected to make a ton of noise this season as they look to clear their salary cap books after moving on from Russell Wilson's disastrous contract. Nix will have plenty of runway to make a name for himself, which isn't a bad place to be for a first-rounder.

5. Drake Maye

In terms of talent, Maye is right up there with Williams and Daniels for his potential to be an NFL star. There were even points prior to the 2023 college football season that Maye was considered to be a candidate for the top pick, meaning the Patriots could have a potential steal on their hands if they develop Maye correctly.

The landing spot leaves a lot to be desired, however, as New England needs help on all levels of their roster. The receiving corps has been the worst in the NFL for years and is quite thin in terms of playmakers, which hindered Mac Jones' development after a solid rookie year.

The offensive line is also in need of an overhaul and new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt doesn't have a proven track record of developing quarterbacks. The only positive is that New England does have veteran Jacoby Brissett in town to start initially, buying Maye time to learn from an established player while they build the talent base around him.

6. Michael Penix Jr

Let's make one thing clear here: this is nothing against Michael Penix Jr, who has a chance to be a solid quarterback in the NFL. The Falcons would be a good landing spot for Penix thanks to their elite collection of young offensive talent (Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts) along with a solid offensive line.

The problem here is that Penix, who is already an older prospect who will turn 24 on May 8, is going to have to sit behind Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year deal worth $180 million in free agency. While Cousins is coming off a torn ACL, he has been a strong performer over the past few years, so there is no way Penix will see the field if Cousins is healthy.

This pick feels a lot like when the Green Bay Packers took Jordan Love in 2020 instead of adding help for Aaron Rodgers, who proceeded to win MVP honors that year. Penix has to hope that he follows Love's career path since this landing spot was bad for his chances of being an impact player any time soon.