Rookie Quarterbacks Make Strong NFL Debuts

All six first-round picks saw their first preseason action on the weekend

Caleb Williams poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected first overall by the Chicago Bears during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in Detroit, Michigan., on April 25, 2024. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The 2024 NFL Draft was historic for a number of reasons. But the headlines were grabbed by the future of the league being in the hands of six young quarterbacks who were selected in the first 12 overall picks—tied for the most in the league’s history. The six selected in the first 12 picks were the fastest quarterbacks ever to come off the board.

Comparisons were immediately made to arguably the most famous first-round quarterback class when six were selected in 1983. That group included John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, three future Hall of Famers. When those names are listed next to an incoming class of rookies, the hype and hope associated are almost too much.

This past weekend, we saw all six take the field in an NFL game for the first time. Yes, these were preseason games, and not every player on the field will likely be a starter, either on the offenses with the young signal callers or on the defenses they faced. But there was still a great deal of scrutiny both inside the cities in which these players were drafted and around the league as the hype continues to build around them.

Each of the six quarterbacks played a different amount of snaps and was asked to do different things. Some played sparingly and didn’t attempt many passes, while others saw more time on the field and showed more of their abilities.

While over-reacting is the name of the game for fans, what we saw from the six first-round quarterbacks in their first NFL action was at least encouraging, if not exciting. Here’s a brief breakdown of what we saw from the six new quarterbacks in the league as they look to begin establishing themselves as the next generation under center in the league.

Pick 1—Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Williams got his first NFL start in Buffalo on Saturday afternoon. He completed four of seven for 95 yards and a 101.8 passer rating. He led two drives, the second of which started inside his own five-yard line, and both ended with a Chicago field goal. Williams also ran once for 13 yards.

His first pass was a rope into coverage to DJ Moore for a first down in a third-and-long situation. For all of the Patrick Mahomes comparisons made before the draft, Williams showed flashes of why so many scouts loved him before the draft.

Pick 2—Jaylen Daniels, Washington Commanders

Daniels saw his first NFL action on Saturday against the Jets in New Jersey. He didn’t get as much run as Williams; he completed only two of three pass attempts. But one of his attempts was a deep ball on a play he checked to at the line of scrimmage. We also saw flashes of his athleticism as Daniels ran for a three-yard touchdown.

Pick 3—Drake Maye, New England Patriots

On Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers, Maye only saw limited action. He completed two of three pass attempts for 19 yards and a quarterback rating of 84.0. What’s interesting: fellow rookie Joe Milton III may have looked better than Maye. Milton completed four of six for 54 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 22 yards on five carries. Neither

Pick 8—Michael Penix, Jr., Atlanta Falcons

On Friday night, Penix saw his first preseason action against an NFL defense in Miami. And he looked really good. Penix completed nine of 16 passes for 104 yards and a 76.0 passer rating. He looked balanced and in control throughout the start.

Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Atlanta Falcons warms up prior to a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2024. Rich Storry/Getty Images

His performance will only put more pressure on Kirk Cousins as the veteran works his way back from an Achilles injury.

Pick 10—JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

McCarthy got the ball at home for his first NFL action and looked terrific for the Vikings. He completed 11 of 17 for 188 yards, two touchdowns—including one deep ball that he dropped in a bucket—and one interception. He also ran the ball twice for 18 yards.

On the deep touchdown, the eruption from the Minnesota bench showed that McCarthy might already be impacting the vibes in the room for the Vikings the way he did at Michigan. You saw it all from McCarthy on Saturday.

Pick 12—Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Nix was the final first-round quarterback to get on the field with a Sunday game against the Colts in Indianapolis. And he, too, showed very well. He completed 15 of 21 for 125 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball three times for 17 yards.

Nix showed the experience he received in a long college career, staying calm under pressure and making the right reads from the pocket and on the move. His accuracy was also impressive.