Quarterbacks have been the most popular commodity in final 12 months’s NFL draft. Now they’re the largest query.

With Ward because the consensus No. 1 choice, media personalities and draft specialists nearly unanimously undertaking Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders as a first-round choose of their mock drafts. Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart has additionally been gaining steam in latest weeks, and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe is among the many 17 gamers who the NFL says will attend the draft in individual.

Rogers views Ward as a “top-15 choose” even in final 12 months’s stacked quarterback draft class, which featured Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. He sees Sanders, nevertheless, as somebody with the expertise to be taken within the again finish of the primary spherical in a “determined class like this.”

Dart and Milroe have excessive upside, too, however Rogers prompt they could want time to develop earlier than they begin within the NFL. Dart, he mentioned, must grow to be extra comfy working from beneath heart, and Milroe should enhance his consistency throwing the ball.

NFL Community analyst and former professional scout Daniel Jeremiah outlined an identical view on Ward and Sanders on a name with reporters forward of the NFL scouting mix. He mentioned his grade for Ward matches the pre-draft grade he gave final 12 months to Bo Nix, the previous Auburn and Oregon quarterback and the twelfth total choose in 2024. And Jeremiah’s grade for Sanders falls simply behind what he gave Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., his sixth-ranked quarterback that 12 months, whom the Atlanta Falcons surprisingly took with the eighth choose.

Each Ward and Sanders have been profitable throughout a number of faculties of their lengthy faculty soccer careers — Ward’s profession culminating as a Heisman Trophy finalist and the winner of the award given to the nation’s high quarterback, whereas Sanders received the award given to the highest senior quarterback. And even when Ward and Sanders examine extra with the again finish of final 12 months’s class, Nix is contemporary off of a profitable rookie season in Denver and the Falcons are leaning on Penix as their starter after he confirmed some promise on the finish of the season. 

However Rogers mentioned evaluating the final two draft lessons is an effective lesson of provide and demand. Final 12 months, the demand for quarterbacks was large, however “the provision was good.” Now, issues are totally different. 

The highest of Thursday’s draft runs via the Tennessee Titans, a crew that has struggled to seek out its footing on the place in the previous couple of years and holds the primary total choose. Quarterback Will Levis, the crew’s second-round choose in 2023, began the vast majority of the crew’s video games final season however had a mercurial and injury-plagued season. It’s not clear whether or not he has proven sufficient promise to get one other uncontested shot on the beginning gig. 

It’s a query that each crew has to reply — whether or not the positional worth at quarterback makes it value taking a swing or whether or not it’s safer to search for the reply amongst these already in your roster. The Titans might bypass Ward in favor of stud Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, although that doesn’t seem probably. 

The selection will likely be more durable for different groups.

The Cleveland Browns, choosing second, have an enormous gap at quarterback because of a giant swing that didn’t work out in Deshaun Watson. 

After the Browns controversially traded for Watson in 2022 and signed him to a report contract regardless of sexual misconduct allegations, their quarterback room stays unstable. Watson has struggled, and his soccer future is clouded by a torn Achilles he suffered final season. The crew traded for former first-round choose Kenny Pickett, who spent final season as a backup for the Philadelphia Eagles, and are reuniting with 40-year-old Joe Flacco, who performed for the crew in 2023. 

The New York Giants (with the No. 3 choose), the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6), the New York Jets (No. 7) and the Seattle Seahawks (No. 18) all signed free-agent quarterbacks this offseason. And the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21) have been linked to Aaron Rodgers, the perennial All-Professional on the downswing of his profession, though it’s unclear whether or not Rodgers will be a part of them.  

Whereas it’s potential a few of these groups finally choose quarterbacks, the frenzy to shore up the place via free company as an alternative of the draft sends a transparent message.

“The truth that groups are telling you that they’d quite go down that street in a weak veteran market most likely speaks volumes of the draft itself,” Rogers mentioned.

However even when there’s concern these quarterbacks don’t have high-end worth, they are going to discover houses. Positional shortage and the worth that comes with securing a quarterback on a cost-controlled rookie wage have lengthy prompted groups to take swings on the place. And a guidelines quirk might encourage a quarterback-needy crew to make the leap within the first spherical — all drafted rookies get four-year contracts; nevertheless, these picked within the first spherical are eligible for fifth-year choices at groups’ discretion. 

That’s why groups generally commerce into the ultimate slots of the primary spherical to seize sliding quarterbacks, as Baltimore did in 2018 to select future NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.

Most of the league’s high quarterbacks are former high draft picks, however being taken exterior the primary spherical isn’t a demise knell. In spite of everything, future Corridor of Famer Tom Brady didn’t hear his identify known as till the sixth spherical. 

Gamers with excessive upside for Days 2 and three embody Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Ohio State’s Will Howard, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel. It may be value taking a flier on Syracuse’s Kyle McCord and Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke, who shined after they transferred for his or her ultimate years taking part in faculty soccer. 

However none are thought-about positive issues, and few have seen their draft inventory dramatically enhance for the reason that season’s finish.

“If you stack all of that in opposition to final 12 months’s draft, it appears to be like very totally different,” Rogers mentioned. “You possibly can’t manufacture a quarterback class.”