A few clubs in need of a quarterback are presently positioned outside the top 10 picks in the NFL Draft order for 2024; therefore, they will need to make a trade up if they hope to select one of this year’s top prospects at the position that matters most in the game.
In the most recent CBS Sports NFL mock draft for 2024, the Denver Broncos surprise everyone by selecting a quarterback who falls into the top 10 and becomes a new franchise quarterback.
The Broncos trade up to the No. 7 pick in this mock draft to choose Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, even though LSU’s Jayden Daniels is still available.
Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports commented on the change as follows:
In my one and only deal, Denver leaps ahead of Atlanta to acquire J.J. McCarthy, the quarterback it desires from Michigan. McCarthy is a fantastic athlete with a strong arm who can throw from a variety of arm angles and moves through his progressions quickly. He didn’t throw the ball nearly as frequently in college as the other quarterbacks in this class, though. Sean Payton will want a quarterback like him to guide the Broncos.
Fit may undoubtedly play a significant role in a quarterback’s performance as they advance to the next level, but with his raw talent, output, and potential, it’s difficult to see any team choosing to trade up for McCarthy rather than Daniels.
The Broncos’ decision to trade up for McCarthy gives the Atlanta Falcons the chance to choose Daniels at the very next round, making them the largest beneficiaries of this scenario. It would be entertaining to watch the explosive Heisman Trophy winner join an offensive line that already features Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London.
Following the selection of four quarterbacks in the top 10, this first-round mock draft lacks a replacement signal-caller, so top prospects such as Michael Penix Jr. of Washington and Bo Nix of Oregon will have to wait until Day 2 to have their names called.
