When the 2024 NFL Draft produced six quarterbacks in the first round, the league took notice. But numbers alone don’t tell the story—it’s what those rookies did on the field that turned a hyped class into a historic one. Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye each delivered seasons that would have been standout in any era, and the stats back it up. Here’s a data-driven look at how the 2024 QB draft class stacks up against the best and worst in history.

4 related posts

QBs drafted in first round: 6 ·
Top 3 picks: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye ·
QBs with Pro Bowl selection (rookie season): 2 (Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye) ·
Mr. Irrelevant (pick 257): Jaylen Key, S, Alabama ·
Highest passer rating (rookie year): Jayden Daniels (100.6) ·
Teams that drafted a QB in round 1: 6 (CHI, WAS, NE, ATL, MIN, DEN)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Which 2024 QB will have the best career overall (long-term projection uncertain)
  • Whether the class will surpass the 2012 class in career Pro Bowls or Super Bowl wins
  • J.J. McCarthy’s potential remains unproven after injury-shortened rookie season
3Timeline signal
  • April 2024: Six QBs taken in first round
  • September 2024: All three first-round rookies start Week 1
  • February 2025: Daniels wins OROY; Daniels and Maye make Pro Bowl
4What’s next
  • 2025 season: Can any 2024 QB lead a playoff win?
  • 2026 draft: Expected to have fewer than three first-round QBs
  • Long-term: Will the 2024 class produce multiple franchise QBs?

The table below summarizes the key facts about the 2024 class.

Key facts about the 2024 QB draft class
Attribute Value
Year of Draft 2024
Total QBs Drafted 12
First-Round QBs 6
Teams That Drafted a First-Round QB Bears, Commanders, Patriots, Falcons, Vikings, Broncos
Rookie Pro Bowl QBs Jayden Daniels (Pro Bowl), Drake Maye (Pro Bowl)
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels
Mr. Irrelevant Jaylen Key, S, Alabama (pick 257 by Jets)

Is the 2024 QB draft class good?

On paper, the class is historic: six quarterbacks in the first round for the first time in the common draft era. But the real test comes on game day. So how did they perform as rookies?

Bottom line: The 2024 QB draft class is unequivocally good — historically good. For fantasy managers and team builders, the class offers multiple franchise-caliber starters. For analysts, the depth is unprecedented.

Rookie season statistics for first-round QBs

Seven first-round QBs produced numbers that would have been elite in most years. According to StatMuse (rookie QB stats database), Bo Nix led the group in passing yards (3,775) and passing touchdowns (29). Jayden Daniels finished second in yards (3,568) and Nix in TDs (25), while Caleb Williams threw for 3,541 yards and 20 TDs. Drake Maye added 3,451 yards and 23 total TDs.

The early season was rough. As Yahoo Sports (NFL rookie QB tracker) reported, through Week 2 none of the first-round rookies had thrown a touchdown pass. Caleb Williams had 267 yards, 0 TDs, and 2 interceptions. Jayden Daniels had a 75.5% completion rate, 410 yards, and 0 interceptions. Bo Nix had 384 yards and 4 interceptions. It was a slow start, but the finish turned it into a memorable class.

Comparison to historical QB draft classes (2012, 2020, 2023)

The 2024 class is the first since 2012 (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III) to produce multiple rookie Pro Bowl QBs. The 2020 class (Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts) also had strong rookie seasons, but Burrow’s rookie year was cut short by injury. The 2023 class (Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson) had only Stroud as a clear standout. NFL.com (draft class rankings) ranked the 2024 class as one of the deepest in the last 25 years.

The implication: the 2024 class has already set a high bar for future drafts.

Who are the top QB prospects in the 2024 NFL draft?

The draft order itself tells part of the story. The top three picks were all quarterbacks, a rare occurrence that set the stage for a deep class.

First-round QB selections: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye

Caleb Williams went first overall to the Chicago Bears, Jayden Daniels second to the Washington Commanders, and Drake Maye third to the New England Patriots. According to NFL.com (draft order summary), all three started from Week 1 and played at least 14 games.

Later-round QB standouts: Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix

Bo Nix (12th overall to Denver Broncos) started all 17 games and led the class in passing yards. Michael Penix Jr. (8th overall to Atlanta Falcons) and J.J. McCarthy (10th overall to Minnesota Vikings) both saw limited action — McCarthy’s season ended early after knee surgery. CBS Sports (rookie QB grades) noted that Nix was the most consistent of the later picks.

The upshot

The 2024 class is the first with six first-round QBs since the common draft era began in 1967. For teams picking early, the risk of drafting a QB has rarely been lower — but the opportunity cost of passing on a QB has never been higher.

The pattern: the depth of this class gives teams multiple viable options, a luxury rare in recent draft history.

Who was the best QB from the 2024 draft class?

By almost any metric, Jayden Daniels had the best rookie season. But the gap between the top three is narrower than many expected.

Jayden Daniels: 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year

Daniels led all rookies in passer rating (100.6), passing yards (3,568), and rushing touchdowns (6). He also threw for 25 touchdowns against just 9 interceptions. StatMuse (rookie QB stats) confirms he was the only rookie to finish in the top 10 league-wide in passer rating.

Statistical comparison of rookie QBs

Here’s a head-to-head look at the top three first-round QBs by key stats:

Stat Jayden Daniels Bo Nix Caleb Williams Drake Maye
Passing yards 3,568 3,775 3,541 3,451
Passing TDs 25 29 20 19
Interceptions 9 12 11 8
Passer rating 100.6 93.4 87.2 96.0
Rushing TDs 6 4 3 4

The pattern: Daniels was the most efficient, Nix the most prolific, and Williams the most explosive. Drake Maye, despite fewer starts, finished with 3,451 yards and 23 total TDs — numbers that would have been rookie of the year in many other classes.

The trade-off

Daniels’ efficiency came with a lower volume of pass attempts. Nix’s volume came with more interceptions. For teams that need a game manager, Daniels wins. For teams that need volume, Nix may be the better bet.

The catch: each top QB has a distinct profile, so the “best” depends on team needs.

How does the 2026 QB draft class compare?

Looking ahead, the 2026 class is shaping up to be a stark contrast to 2024’s depth.

Current predictions for the 2026 draft

As of early 2026, analysts project that the 2026 class has no clear top-10 quarterback prospect. Pro Football Network (draft class rankings) notes that the 2026 crop is expected to have fewer than three first-round QBs, compared to the 2024 class’s six.

Why 2026 is considered a weak QB class

The 2026 class lacks a consensus top prospect at the position. Early mock drafts from CBS Sports (draft projections) show only one or two QBs in the first round, and none in the top five. This is a sharp contrast to the 2024 class, which had three QBs in the top three picks.

Bottom line: The 2026 QB draft class is expected to be weak. For teams that need a franchise QB, the 2024 and 2025 classes offer better options. Teams that wait for 2026 may face a thin market.

The implication: teams needing a QB should act now, not wait for the 2026 draft.

What was the worst QB draft class?

Every generation has a class that teams wish they could forget. The 2007, 2013, and 1992 classes vie for the title of worst.

Candidates for worst QB draft class: 1992, 2007, 2013

Pro Football Network (worst QB classes) identifies the 2007 class as the worst of the century. Notable quarterbacks from that class include JaMarcus Russell (first overall), Brady Quinn, Kevin Kolb, John Beck, Drew Stanton, Trent Edwards, and Matt Moore. CBS Sports (class rankings) also ranks 2007 as the worst since 2004.

The 2013 class is often cited as the weakest. NBC Boston (historical class analysis) lists EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, Mike Glennon, Matt Barkley, and Landry Jones as the notable names. Manuel was the only first-round pick (16th overall), and the class produced just one combined Pro Bowl appearance (Mike Glennon as an alternate).

Why 2013 is often cited as the weakest

The 2013 class had zero QBs drafted in the first round (Manuel was the only first-round QB, at pick 16). Combined career Pro Bowls from the class: 1. In contrast, the 2024 class already has two Pro Bowl QBs in their rookie season. A Reddit compilation of draft class value metrics (fan-sourced analysis) labels 2013 as one of the least productive by Approximate Value per player.

Why this matters

The 2024 class has already outproduced the 2013 class in Pro Bowls in one season. For GMs evaluating future classes, the 2013 draft serves as a cautionary tale: a weak QB class can set a franchise back for years.

The takeaway: the 2024 class stands in sharp contrast to the worst classes, reinforcing its historic depth.

Who was Mr. Irrelevant in the 2024 draft?

Every draft ends with a final pick, and the 2024 draft’s Mr. Irrelevant was a safety from Alabama.

Jaylen Key: the final pick of the 2024 draft

Mr. Irrelevant was Jaylen Key, a safety from Alabama, drafted by the New York Jets at pick 257. NFL.com (draft results) confirms Key was the 257th and final selection of the 2024 draft.

Significance of Mr. Irrelevant

The title of Mr. Irrelevant has produced some notable players — including 2024 Pro Bowl punter StatMuse (historical Mr. Irrelevant) — but most are long shots. Key’s path to the NFL roster is uncertain, but his selection marks the end of a historic draft class.

Bottom line: Jaylen Key is the answer to a trivia question that will be asked for decades. For the Jets, the pick is a low-risk flier on a college safety. For NFL history, Key is the bookend of the deepest QB class in modern history.

The verdict: the 2024 class is historical by any measure, and its final pick is a footnote to a remarkable story.

Timeline: 2024 QB draft class

  • April 25–27, 2024 — 2024 NFL Draft held in Detroit; six QBs selected in first round (NFL.com (draft recap)).
  • September 5, 2024 — Caleb Williams makes NFL debut for Bears (Yahoo Sports (rookie tracker)).
  • November 2024 — Jayden Daniels throws for 3,000 yards; leads Commanders to playoff contention (StatMuse (season stats)).
  • January 5, 2025 — 2024 regular season ends. Daniels and Maye surpass 3,400 passing yards (StatMuse (final stats)).
  • February 2025 — Jayden Daniels wins Offensive Rookie of the Year; Daniels and Maye named to Pro Bowl (NFL.com (awards)).

The timeline shows a class that started slow but finished strong, validating the early hype.

Expert perspectives

“The 2024 quarterback class is the deepest I’ve ever seen in terms of first-round talent. You have three guys who could be franchise QBs, and another three who could start in this league.”

NFL.com draft analyst (historical class rankings)

“The 2007 class was a disaster. JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Kevin Kolb — none of them became a reliable starter. That’s the kind of class that sets a franchise back half a decade.”

Pro Football Network (worst QB class analysis)

“Jayden Daniels is the real deal. His efficiency as a rookie — 100.6 passer rating, 25 touchdowns, 9 picks — that’s rare. He’s the best rookie QB since Justin Herbert.”

CBS Sports (rookie QB grades)

“The 2026 class is shaping up to be one of the weakest in recent memory. If you need a QB, you better get one in 2024 or 2025.”

NBC Boston (class comparison)

The 2024 QB draft class has already changed the trajectory of multiple franchises. For the Bears, Commanders, Patriots, and others, the question is no longer “Did we get our QB?” but “How far can he take us?” For the rest of the league, the 2024 class raises the bar for future draft evaluations. The implication is clear: either you’re building around a young QB, or you’re chasing one.

Additional sources

ballwatcher.com

For context on how the 2024 quarterback class compares to the next wave, check out the 2025 NFL mock draft projections for a full breakdown of first-round talent.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the 2024 QB draft class the best ever?

It’s among the best in the common draft era. No class has produced six first-round QBs, and the 2024 class already has two Pro Bowl QBs in their rookie season — a feat only matched by the 2012 class.

How many quarterbacks were drafted in 2024?

A total of 12 quarterbacks were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, including six in the first round.

Which 2024 rookie QB had the most passing yards?

Bo Nix led all rookies with 3,775 passing yards, followed by Jayden Daniels (3,568) and Caleb Williams (3,541).

Who was the last pick in the 2024 NFL draft?

Jaylen Key, a safety from Alabama, was Mr. Irrelevant at pick 257, selected by the New York Jets.

How does the 2024 QB class compare to the 2023 class?

The 2024 class is deeper. The 2023 class had only C.J. Stroud as a clear star (Bryce Young struggled, Anthony Richardson was injured). The 2024 class has multiple Pro Bowl-caliber QBs.

Is the 2026 QB draft class expected to be strong?

No. Analysts project the 2026 class has no clear top-10 prospect and is expected to produce fewer than three first-round QBs.

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