The 2024 NFL Draft is officially over and done with, which means now is the time for some quarterback rankings. Barring injury, every team has a good idea of who will be under center in Week 1 as all 32 organizations chase after a Lombardi Trophy. The only question is which players are most equipped to handle the responsibility of the game’s most important position.
Note that, for the sake of this set of NFL quarterback rankings, we’re going to assume that all of the first-round rookie quarterbacks except Michael Penix win the Week 1 starting job. Also, these rankings are based on their projected level of play entering 2024 – past accomplishments mean nothing.
2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings: Every Starter Entering the Season
Tier 1: Gods Amongst Men
1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Josh Allen
The top two players on the NFL quarterback rankings are the easiest selections on this list. Tom Brady’s retirement signaled the end of the old guard, so now it’s time for these two to wreak havoc on the league for the next decade. Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the game in terms of consistency and upside, but when Josh Allen is playing at the top of his game, he’s simply unstoppable.
*Patrick Star voice*
"PUSH!!"
The #Bills retell their version of 'The Brotherly Shove' on Josh Allen's touchdown run vs the Chiefs.
"There's a lot of grunting. A lot of grunting!" pic.twitter.com/rPMBx3Lghs
— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) December 14, 2023
Tier 2: Elite
3. Lamar Jackson
4. Justin Herbert
5. Joe Burrow
6. C.J. Stroud
The Ravens gave Lamar Jackson two reliable receivers last year, and he responded by winning the second MVP of his career. Justin Herbert is the only reason the Chargers didn’t go 0-51 during the three years of the Brandon Staley Era. While Jim Harbaugh is a clear upgrade as a head coach, Herbert will still need to create miracles to win with no help at wide receiver. Joe Burrow battled through injuries in the 2023 NFL season, but a healthy version of the quarterback still deserves a top spot on these rankings. C.J. Stroud, meanwhile, took the league by storm as a rookie and should only improve with more experience and Stefon Diggs.
Tier 3: Franchise Guys
7. Dak Prescott
8. Jalen Hurts
9. Matthew Stafford
10. Brock Purdy
11. Jordan Love
Dak Prescott led one of the best offenses in football last year with CeeDee Lamb as his only reliable option. While he must improve in the playoffs, the Cowboys wouldn’t be nearly as successful in the regular season without him. Jalen Hurts might never recapture his MVP-caliber play from 2022, but an improved scheme should help his production in 2024. Matthew Stafford might have lost a bit of his fastball, but the one-time Super Bowl champion still deserves a high spot in the NFL quarterback rankings. Brock Purdy is playing on easy mode in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, but the former seventh-round pick is still smart with the football and capable of making plays outside of structure. After a rocky start to the season, Jordan Love finished strong in 2023 and could climb these rankings in 2024.
Tier 4: Solid Starters
12. Trevor Lawrence
13. Jared Goff
14. Baker Mayfield
15. Tua Tagovailoa
16. Kyler Murray
Trevor Lawrence entered the NFL as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. While he hasn’t justified that level of hype, the Jaguars passer is still a franchise player who was considerably better than his numbers indicated last year. Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson have done wonders for Jared Goff, turning the one-time bridge quarterback into one of the more reliable options in the game. Baker Mayfield might not be a guy capable of lifting an entire organization, but 2023 proved he can ball out in the right environment.
Tua Tagovailoa has some of the best numbers in the game, but that doesn’t justify a higher spot in the NFL quarterback rankings. Mike McDaniel is one of the best offensive minds in the game, and the elite duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle make up for his subpar arm. Once Tagovailoa can hold his own against the NFL’s best competition, he can earn a higher spot. Kyler Murray throws one of the prettiest deep balls in the game (the 2022 season notwithstanding) and is electric as a runner. However, he misses too many layups, which puts a cap on his ceiling.
Tier 5: Club Achilles
17. Kirk Cousins
18. Aaron Rodgers
Healthy versions of Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers deserve higher spots on the NFL quarterback rankings. However, both players are attempting unprecedented comebacks from season-ending Achilles injuries. Cousins was playing his best football before the injury, while Rodgers had a relatively rough 2022 before missing all but four snaps of the 2023 season.
Tier 6: Bridge Quarterback
19. Geno Smith
20. Russell Wilson
21. Derek Carr
The 2023 version of Geno Smith wasn’t nearly as good as 2022, but he is still one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the league. Even if this is his last year with Seattle, he should be starting somewhere in 2025. Russell Wilson isn’t the player he once was, but he’s still an adequate short-term starter who should do well on Pittsburgh’s talented roster. Derek Carr is exactly as good as the players around him, which means the Saints should go about .500 next year.
Tier 7: Young Promise, Old Panic
22. Will Levis
23. Deshaun Watson
24. Daniel Jones
25. Bryce Young
26. Aidan O’Connell
Both Will Levis and Bryce Young had flashes of gold during their rookie seasons, but subpar supporting casts prevented them from showing what they could do. With the Titans and Panthers adding talent, it’s time to see just how good these guys can be. Deshaun Waston should add theft to his ever-growing list of crimes, as he’s guilty of stealing $230 million from the Cleveland Browns. Daniel Jones got rich thanks to one well-timed average season, and it might cost Brian Daboll his job. Aidan O’Connell did as well as you could expect as a rookie, but he lacks the physical tools to be anything more than a high-end backup in the NFL quarterback rankings.
Tier 8: Fewer Than 8 Starts
27. Caleb Williams
28. Jayden Daniels
29. Drake Maye
30. Anthony Richardson
31. J.J. McCarthy
32. Bo Nix
Sort this tier of the NFL quarterback rankings in any order you desire, as every player in Tier 8 lacks an adequate sample to evaluate. Anthony Richardson is the only non-rookie on this list, as the 2023 fourth-overall pick was fun to watch, but made too many carless mistakes and actively sought out contact. If he wants to survive in this league, he must change his play style. Wiliams, Daniels, and Maye all have the potential to be top-10 quarterbacks in the league, while McCarthy and Nix are unlikely to be anything more than just solid starters at best.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
