2024 NFL Mock Draft: Quarterbacks Have the Power

It's historic just how much buzz quarterbacks are getting in the 2024 NFL Mock Draft predictions. Of course, that will likely spill into the actual draft.  The NFL Draft is finally here, and the first round will kick off Thursday night (April 25) in downtown Detroit. This year, three quarterbacks expected to be the top three selections in the opening round. This year's first round will have 32 picks.

So, just how rare is this surge of quarterbacks that are hot in the draft? Well, if six quarterbacks are picked in the opening round, it will actually tie the record set in 1983. Back then, the six first-rounders included John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, all of whom made it into the Hall of Fame. The others were Ken O’Brien, Todd Blackledge and Tony Eason and Ken O’Brien. Here are my 2024 NFL Mock Draft picks for the first three players.

Former Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to be called first, going to the Chicago Bears. It's a no-brainer why the Bears want him in the fold. They sent Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers because they knew they wanted to snag Williams. What's more, Williams is ready to start right now as a franchise quarterback. While a lot of the quarterbacks in this year's draft are strong, not all of them are ready to hit the ground running. Williams is ready, and he will.

The Washington Commanders are largely expected to pick quarterback Jayden Daniels of LSU with their No. 2 pick. Daniels has an incredible combination of running and passing, and that should help him excel in the NFL. He'll be a much-needed addition to the Washington Commanders. There was a little drama recently when Daniels sent out a tiny emoji that seemed to express some frustration he had with the team. But, sources say the Commanders are still 100% in on Daniels being their guy.

In my 2024 NFL Mock Draft, I'm guessing the third pick will also go to a quarterback, and that's Drake Maye of North Carolina. There's lots of talk about the New England Patriots possibly trading away their No. 3 overall pick, but ESPN reports that it would take an "unprecedented deal" for the Pats to trade down, and they want to use the pick to add a franchise quarterback. I'm guessing they'll go with Maye, but if Daniels is still available, they may go that route. J.J. McCarthy of Michigan is another option, but many think he'll end up with the Vikings. Reach out to me with your thoughts and listen to my new interview with Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff here and below.

I know it's probably early to talk about the Super Bowl for next season, but really, is it? I actually don't think it's ever too early to start speculating and wishing for your team to make it all the way next year. This year was so very close for my team, the Detroit Lions. But, no cigar. So, maybe next year will be our year. But, aside from the Lions, there are other teams that are on target to be major contenders next season. Some of them didn't even make the playoffs this year. So, what are some early Super Bowl contenders for next season?

Before we get into those contenders, let's look at why next season is already shaping up to be so exciting. For me, the main reason is because a whopping seven teams have new head coaches. That's really going to change the makeup of those teams. The Atlanta Falcons have brought on Raheem Morris. The Carolina Panthers have Dave Canales. The Las Vegas Raiders have knabbed Antonio Pierce. The Los Angeles Chargers have Jim Harbaugh. The New England Patriots have promoted Jerod Mayo. The Seattle Seahawks have brought on Mike Macdonald. The Tennessee Titans have hired Brian Callahan. Finally, The Washington Commanders have hired Dan Quinn.

Of those new coaches, the most interesting to me is Harbaugh for the Chargers. For Harbaugh, this is his final shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy. He just won a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines, and now, he wants a Super Bowl victory. He has a chance with the Chargers' stellar quarterback Justin Herbert. But, it will take time, in my opinion. I mean, it could take time with any of these teams with new coaches. That said, the Houston Texans had a rookie coach this year in DeMeco Ryans, and they almost went all the way, so all things are possible.

Let's get into seven early Super Bowl contenders for next season with my commentary.

One thing I like about this list is that I'm not necessarily even picking teams that made it to the playoffs this year. I'm picking teams that I think could be strong enough next season. The Seattle Seahawks are one of those teams. Their new coach, Mike Macdonald, is the former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Enough said. This guy is golden. Seattle's defense is going to improve drastically with him at the helm, and they could go all the way very soon.

The Buffalo Bills missed the playoffs by a hair. They played so well against the Kansas City Chiefs, but it just wasn't enough. Josh Allen is a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, but he hasn't taken them there. Will next year be the year? Maybe.

The Houston Texans will be the team to beat very soon. They pulled off an incredible season with a rookie coach and quarterback. They're just getting started. The team got first place in AFC South this season but lost in the divisional round to the Baltimore Ravens.

Speaking of the Baltimore Ravens, I'm still shocked that they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. I think pretty much everyone was at least a little surprised. But, Lamar Jackson is back next year, and he's not going to let it slip away again. Next year could be their year.

It was a massive decline for the Philadelphia Eagles towards the end of last season. Everything fell apart at the seams. But, the Eagles have legacy, and they have Jalen Hurts. As long as he's healthy, the Eagles will be back next year ready to fight.

Yikes. Can the Green Bay Packers really be this good already? They almost upset the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs this year. Jordan Love is the real deal. Watch out for this young team next year.

Okay, yes, I'm a Detroit Lions fan, born and raised. But, I think there's reason to believe that the Detroit Lions can and will be back next year. They've had a taste of victory, and they liked it. Plus, golden guy Ben Johnson is coming back to Detroit, and he wants to take the Lions all the way. Jared Goff is playing fantastic football, too. The Lions could really make it to their first Super Bowl next season. What do you think? Let me know here.