The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is still underway.
But it has already made history.
As expected, the draft started like this. chicago bears Selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams. As we noted shortly after his selection, Williams is perhaps the ideal quarterback for modern football, with the instincts to function as a pure pocket passer, but with the ability to create off structure and outside the pocket. .
Following Williams, they had two picks that were once again largely selected. commander of washington Drafted quarterback Jaden Daniels LSU, won countless awards including the Heisman Trophy last season. Following that selection, new england patriots They stayed at No. 3 and didn’t trade away spots, drafting UNC quarterback Drake Maye.
While these selections were relatively expected, the rest of the top 12 was unexpected.
Because if you thought this might be the first draft with six quarterbacks in the first round since the legendary 1983 NFL Draft, you were right.
However, a fourth quarterback, Jim Kelly, was selected with the 14th pick in that draft. buffalo bills We didn’t have to wait long to see the fourth quarterback selected tonight.because atlanta falconsYes, the team that just acquired Kirk Cousins in free agency dropped its first true impact player of the night in the draft with the No. 8 overall pick in Michael Penix Jr.
Eight selections, four quarterbacks.
But the league wasn’t over yet.
After Rome Odunze was taken in the ninth by the Chicago Bears, providing resident Bears fan Ricky O’Donnell with his second moment of pure ecstasy of the night. minnesota vikings Finally succeeded in the trade that everyone expected, new york jets Draft JJ McCarthy.
10 selections, 5 quarterbacks.
In 1983, Ken O’Brien, the Jets’ fifth quarterback in the first round, was taken 24th overall.
After the Jets added Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu; denver broncos It was right on the clock. Sure, the Broncos recently traded for Zach Wilson, but there have been rumors throughout draft season that Sean Payton was looking to move up in the draft to land a quarterback. A lot of stories were written about the 2017 NFL Draft when Payton was an NFL head coach. new orleans saintsand that he wanted to draft Patrick Mahomes. kansas city chiefs He was snapped up in a draft-night trade with the Buffalo Bills.
message? Payton wasn’t going to miss out on quarterback this year.
In the end, he didn’t have to make a trade to get a quarterback. Oregon passer Bo Nix, stand back. You are a new member of the Denver Broncos.
12 selections, 6 quarterbacks.
Back in 1983, Dan Marino was the sixth and final QB, coming in at 27th place. miami dolphins.
For decades, the legendary QB class of 1983 set the standard. The six quarterbacks were an NFL Draft record until tonight. In this class, he needed 27 picks to reach that number.
This year we needed just 12 people.
But what is the ultimate question?
Will these six passers match what the 1983 graduates (Kelly, O’Brien, Marino, Tony Eason, Todd Blackledge, John Elway) accomplished in the NFL?
