The Touchdown 2024 QB Draft
By Jack Brentnall
Welcome to The Touchdown’s inaugural quarterback draft. The rules for this are simple. Our team of writers took turns to draft current NFL starters on the basis of who we would want to lead a franchise for the next three seasons. To make things a little more interesting, we also factored their contracts into the situation.
Our team of four writers (Lee Wakefield, Simon Carroll, Rory-Joe Daniels, and Jack Brentnall) sat down for the four-round, 20-pick draft.
1. (Lee) - Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Thanks to the random number generator we used to choose the order, I had the easiest decision of the whole draft in picking first overall.
Patrick Mahomes is in his own tier and has been for a few years now. It’s not only typified by the on-field success but also the general quarterback discourse amongst fans and NFL media members in recent years. There is no conversation on who is the best passer in the league. It simply is Mahomes. He is the force multiplier, the tide that raises all ships and he can do it in any kind of offense, on different styles of roster, and without a whole load of star power around him catching his passes.
The conversation only revolves around which other quarterback is second to him.
What’s more is that his contract is like the finest Bordeaux wine that only ages well, and will continue to do for some time.
2. (Simon) - Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Forget the contracts at the top of this list – irrespective of the order, the top five pick themselves and are worth every penny. Much like Andy Murray in an era of Federer, Djokovic and Nadal, it seems somewhat unfair that a quarterback like Josh Allen happens to share his NFL career with possibly the greatest ever to do it.
Drop him into any other generation and he’s likely a multiple Super Bowl winner in his own right – and I wouldn’t count him out doing that regardless of the overbearing shadow of Patrick Mahomes. Allen is a durable dual threat QB with an unmatched arm at the peak of his powers.
3. (Rory) - Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
HOMER PICK ALERT! As a Bengals fan, I have found the offseason amnesia in relation to Joe Burrow baffling. Of course, injuries are an issue and Burrow is in desperate need of a full year without missing time, but still he remains one of the most efficient passers in the league. Just go back to the 49ers tape last year to see how he can pick apart a defense that went to the Super Bowl.
He only has a cap hit of $29 million in 2024 and is under $50 million in the two seasons after that. The final kicker, his head-to-head with Mahomes is currently 3-1 to Joe and if you’re going to win rings, you need to go through Pat and co.
4. (Jack) - Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar might not be the cheapest quarterback available at this spot, but any chance you get to take a two-time MVP who is still only 27 years old it feels like a pretty easy choice to make. He is obviously a generational talent as a runner, but it’s his maturation and growth as a passer from the pocket that makes me really confident about his future.
The biggest question mark with Jackson has always been durability, but he looked much better in 2023 and didn’t miss a single game due to injury. That makes me feel even better about what he can do over the next three seasons.
5. (Lee) - Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Full disclosure for readers who aren’t aware, but I am a Chargers fan. But regardless of any perceived bias that this may bring, I’m equally shocked and delighted to be able to select Justin Herbert here.
I feel ending the season injured the past two years and having a down year on a disappointing Chargers team has hurt Herbert’s stock amongst my fellow writers and also the wider NFL community. Perhaps that is somewhat understandable, however, the ceiling remains as high as ever for a player who has all the mental and physical attributes to challenge Patrick Mahomes for the title of league’s best passer.
Under Jim Harbaugh, the counting stats will probably take a hit due to a run-first mindset. That said, I feel that Herbert’s level of play could actually go through the roof once he’s got a running game and competent defense to lean on, for the first time in his career.
When we revisit this exercise in 12 month’s time, I suspect getting Herbert at No. 5 will look like a bargain. Bookmark it.
6. (Simon) - Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
The first tough pick of this exercise. I was tempted to go with CJ Stroud’s promise (and his attractive rookie salary to boot), but ultimately I need a bigger body of work before I can crown him a franchise quarterback.
In that regard, Hurts fits the bill. He might fall a tier below the top five on this list, but his leadership, live arm and livelier legs make him a quarterback who can win games. $45 million a year for a QB who gives you a legitimate shot at making a Super Bowl? I’ll sign that check right now.
7. (Rory) - CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
If Stroud enjoys another season like 2023, it’s reasonable to think he leapfrogs at least 3 if not 4 of the guys above him here. That’s how impressive he was as a rookie. For now his inexperience means he straddles the divide between elite and very good.
He has the arm talent and processing ability to make any throw needed and it all comes at a discount. Stroud is going to account for less than 4% of his team’s cap space for the next three years. You can build a star-studded roster around one of the best young QBs in the game. Super Bowl windows don’t get much more wide open than that.
8. (Jack) - Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak is certainly the kind of quarterback that divides opinion, but if you’re looking for a player who gets the most out of his talent, he’s right up there. Dak is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the game, and his ability to be a difference maker at the line of scrimmage sets him apart from plenty of other quarterbacks in this range.
This is a player at the peak of his powers who was a borderline MVP candidate for much of 2023. He certainly won’t come cheap, with a $55 million cap hit this year and an open market deal likely to push $60 million APY next summer. That said, his track record speaks for itself and he is still just 31 years old.
9. (Lee) - Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
This is the first pick I had to make where I actually feel like I had a decision to make.
Full disclosure of the thought process; I was primarily tossing up between Jordan Love and Kirk Cousins, with Trevor Lawrence also in consideration.
Kirk is obviously much older and coming off a major injury, whereas Love has his whole career ahead of him after what was a very encouraging first season piloting the Green Bay offense. Love is also cheaper than Cousins is, even with his record-setting extension.
At the top of round three, I’ll take an up-and-coming passer who has already thrown for over 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns, marks that Lawrence has yet to hit through three seasons as a starter and numbers that would be the greatest season ever, statistically speaking, in Chicago Bears history. (I had to get that in there before Caleb breaks those records – sorry Bears fans).
10. (Simon) - Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
It might feel like Trevor Lawrence has been around for a while now, and maybe not quite hit the heights expected when he was selected by the Jaguars first overall in 2021. But it’s very early doors for a quarterback actually younger than Jordan Love, Will Levis and Bo Nix. His new deal means he doesn’t come cheap – right now – but three years down the line we’re probably looking at a very standard contract for a franchise QB.
I’m still a believer – Lawrence is good now, and has the chance of being great very soon.
11. (Rory) - Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
This feels like a natural pivot point. QBs after this point are not the same as those above. And frankly, that feels exactly like where Tua fits in. Below him you will have guys with little or no NFL experience, or older guys who in three years may be sapping your finances without the end product being good enough.
Tua has flashed talent and avoided the recurring injuries last season, but he has done so in a quarterback-friendly offense. Take him away from that, add the fact he’s just earned a huge contract it’s understandable to feel uneasy. That said, I’ll take his experience over Caleb Williams who will likely need at least a year to settle into the NFL. If I have three years to get a Super Bowl, I think Tua gives you an outside shot in all three.
12. (Jack) - Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
I was debating here between a rookie and a long-time NFL veteran but settled on the incoming No. 1 overall pick. Opting for a rookie quarterback this early always comes with a degree of risk. How many times have we seen players shine in college, only to fall flat upon their arrival in the pros?
Despite that risk, I’m still willing to bet on Williams’ upside. He is one of the most creative throwers we’ve seen coming through the draft in recent years and has the arm talent, mental processing, and extension capacity to make some spectacular plays. In a sea of expensive veteran deals you also cannot overlook the fact that he is set to make an average of less than $9 million over each of the next three seasons. That gives me the room I need to build a Super Bowl calibre roster around him.
13. (Lee) - Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
So, in the end I get my guy. As was pointed out in the chat amongst us as we drafted, maybe I am just a Kirk guy.
And do you know what? I am absolutely fine with that. I think Kirk Cousins is a good NFL quarterback. He isn’t thought of as highly as he should because he dresses the way he does and has become a bit of a meme, but on the field he’s a borderline top-10 guy.
I understand the negatives. Kirk is 35 and he makes the same money as Patrick Mahomes. He’s obviously not at Mahomes’s level and he is also coming off a major injury.
That said, Kirk is a really productive player, having thrown for at least 4,000 yards and played at least 16 games in every season when he was a starter. He doesn’t make many mistakes or lose his team games and has also has a clutch factor that is simply not talked about enough, with 28 game-winning drives throughout his career. With the weapons around him in Atlanta, I back Kirk to continue being very good.
14. (Simon) - Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
I had Kyler Murray close to Trevor Lawrence in my own rankings, so to see him still available four picks later was surprising. Murray feels like a forgotten name in a league that doesn’t have enough quarterbacks to go round, perhaps at the mercy of an offensive coordinator knowing how to get the best out of him. There’s still lingering durability concerns, and a floor lower than you’d like for $38 million a year. But in the right system I believe we can achieve a ceiling of a ‘Lamar Jackson-lite’ – and at this juncture that will do for me.
15. (Rory) - Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Don’t mistake me for a Brock Purdy cheerleader, but I’m not a hater either. It’s easy to point to the Kyle Shanahan system and belittle what Purdy has done but like him or not, he continues to operate the offense at a high level. It’s clear he isn’t the most naturally gifted at the position but at this point his ability as a game manager plus his low price point (a cap hit of just over $1 million for each of the next two seasons) make him a low-risk bet. Stack up the talent around him and don’t make him do too much, and he may just get over the line and grab a Lombardi.
16. (Jack) - Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
I am quite surprised to see Stafford available this late. Granted, the guy is 36 years old and it is always difficult to predict what three more years will look like. That being said, if Stafford is anywhere near the player he was in 2023 you are getting borderline top five play from your quarterback. Last season he was tied for the highest big-time throw rate in the NFL, and had the third lowest turnover-worthy play rate. Even if he’s not quite able to maintain that level for the next three years, the ceiling he offers puts him ahead of a lot of other options for me.
17. (Lee) - Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Round five! Now it becomes super-interesting to see which direction we all go. I’ve gone the route of young and cheap here by taking Richardson, who showed a lot of promise in an albeit tiny sample size in his rookie year.
The most encouraging thing is, Richardson showed a surprising amount of promise as a passer, something he wasn’t renowned for in college. If he can continue to progress, he’s got a chance of hitting similar levels to those that CJ Stroud hit in 2023.
Physically, Richardson will always have the arm strength – he just needs to continue to refine his game, adding touch and further understanding of how to harness that power by continuing to be more and more accurate.
The floor will also always be there from a rushing point of view, which gives me an extreme level of comfort in making in pick; Richardson will almost certainly always be one of the most gifted runners from the position in the league throughout the early and mid portions of his career, which will gives defenses a lot to consider.
18. (Simon) - Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
As intriguing as it might be to bank on upside and swing for an unknown quantity at this stage, I think at quarterback it’s preferable to understand exactly what you have at the position, and how best to put the rest of the pieces in place to maximise their skillset.
Not only that, but having a quarterback who has taken one team to the dance before and another to the NFC Championship Game gives you confidence it’s a smart move. Jared Goff comes with some limitations, and a hefty new contract just signed this summer. Despite that, he’s in his prime, a guy who can galvanise a team, and has proven he can get the job done.
19. (Rory) - Drake Maye, New England Patriots
There’s a few different directions I could have gone here but once you dive into the veteran contracts things get a little rich for my blood. Baker Mayfield and Derek Carr were contenders, but they aren’t doing nearly enough on the field to warrant what I would have to pay them off it. Instead, I’ll take a swing at Maye. He has all the physical talents that give him the ceiling of being a top five guy on this list. It may take him time to put it together as things speed up in the NFL but the rookie contract allows you to put a strong structure around him to accelerate that process.
20. (Jack) - Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL. Those words might come as a surprise (and they certainly would have done if someone had said the same thing a few years ago) but he has been one of the most electric and entertaining quarterbacks to watch during his time in Seattle.
There is only one player with more big-time throws over the last two seasons per PFF, and that is Josh Allen, who went at No. 2 in this quarterback draft. That tells you everything you need to know about the way that Geno plays quarterback.

JACK BRENTNALL
HEAD OF NFL DRAFT CONTENT
Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.