NFL Pre-Combine Mock Draft Roundup: Where Are Top QBs Projected to Go?

Quarterback-needy teams around the NFL—of which there are plenty—are about to get a closer look at a handful of their potential solutions.

The 2024 scouting combine kicks off in Indianapolis this week, where attention will be devoted to Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and the other highly touted QB prospects this draft season. On-field workouts for the 14 signal-callers invited to this year's event will begin at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, though it's not yet clear entirely who will (or won't) be throwing.

Among the behind-the-scenes activities for these draft hopefuls include medical examinations, measurements—it isn't combined week without a hand-size overreaction—and interviews with franchises, the results of which will factor into the contagious mock draft fever always present at this time in the league's calendar.

Heading into the combine, here's a roundup of where the top QBs stand in draft projections.

Caleb Williams, USC

The question at this point isn't so much when Williams will be selected. Trying to track down a mock draft that doesn't have the USC QB at the top is akin to searching for a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl appearance this century.

But who will draft him at No. 1?

The Chicago Bears remain on the clock—for now, at least. General manager Ryan Poles has yet to broadcast the franchise's draft direction, so Chicago's offseason dilemma may cloud over combine week.

Will the Bears deal the top pick for the second year in a row, sticking with Justin Fields under center and acquiring a historic haul? Or take the consensus top prospect and start over at quarterback with a potential franchise player? That lingering question, which Fields would mercifully like to be solved, seems to have a Williams answer—or at least that's what is reflected in mock drafts at ESPN, NFL Network and from a variety of the sport's other pundits.

Jayden Daniels, LSU

The other Heisman Trophy-winning QB set to hear his name called in April's draft has been climbing up prospect boards in the wake of his award-filled 2023 campaign. While Williams is mocked to go first in projections basically everywhere, Daniels enters the combine frenzy in the conversation for No. 2.

North Carolina's Drake Maye was long thought to be the quarterback who would be picked right after Williams or perhaps even a challenger for the top pick. And that first part is still in play. But Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN's draft guru for 40 years, had the "remarkable" LSU QB going second-overall to the Washington Commanders in his initial 2024 mock draft (relaying comparisons to Randall Cunningham in the process), a point that he and colleague Field Yates backed up in another edition Monday morning.

Daniels is also predicted to go to Washington in three of CBS Sports' mock drafts (the other has him going eighth to the Atlanta Falcons) and according to USA Today's Nate Davis. Views on the subject, though, are hardly unanimous.

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah has the 23-year-old going sixth to the New York Giants, while The Athletic's Dane Brugler has him at No. 8. Pro Football Focus predicts the New England Patriots will take him third.

Daniels' draft destination may be another offseason wild card this year. But the combine could be just the place for the LSU product to solidify his positioning on the QB leaderboard.

Drake Maye, North Carolina

Two months out from Draft Day in Detroit Maye is widely viewed as a top-three pick. Whether the UNC QB goes second or third, however, will continue to be a source of debate.

Jeremiah is sticking with Maye at No. 2, writing that the Commanders will "get their quarterback of the future." The Athletic, citing Maye as a "fantastic consolation prize" that could develop into a top-10 QB, believes the Tar Heel has held off Daniels and is the favorite for the second draft slot, while USA Today is split (Davis has Daniels at two and Maye at three, while Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz if flip-flopped).

CBS Sports is mixed (with Maye projections that range from No. 2 to No. 6). Kiper had Maye going No. 3 to the Patriots to kick off the post-Bill Belichick era in his mock draft 1.0, noting that he "really like[s] Drake Maye" despite giving the edge to Daniels.

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

The greatest quarterback in the University of Michigan's history—well, at least in the words of former Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh—ended his college career with a national championship and will seemingly soon add "first-round pick" to his resume.

Probably.

Brugler wrote in his latest pre-combine mock draft that despite having what he believes to be "mostly second-round grades, McCarthy's tools and intangibles could get him into the top 25." Or much higher.

"Wide-ranging" may not do justice to describe McCarthy's perceived draft value.

Jeremiah has among the warmest projections, mocking the QB at No. 8 overall to the Falcons, who he wrote could "bet on McCarthy's traits." Kiper believes the Seahawks could take the 21-year-old Michigan QB, 27-1 college record and all, at No. 16, while Brugler sees the title-winner as an option for the Rams at No. 19 to stash behind an aging Matthew Stafford.

At CBS Sports, two experts believe the Broncos will select McCarthy (either in their own spot at 12 or by trading up), while others project him to the Vikings (No. 11, also where both USA Today pundits place him) and Raiders (No. 13).

While McCarthy is among the four quarterbacks who, at this stage of the draft build-up, appear to be first-round locks, the NFL love toward his opponent in January's title game appears to have cooled off. Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. was projected to be among the first 32 picks amid his lights-out College Football Playoff run, though as of Monday is not projected to go on Day 1 by ESPN, NFL Media or USA Today.

The Athletic, citing in part Penix's complicated medical history, has the Huskies QB going No. 44 overall to the Raiders in the second round—where the outlet also projects former Oregon QB Bo Nix to go No. 34 overall.