What happens in the NFL Draft is always a mystery until all 32 teams start announcing their picks for all seven rounds. While there’s always intrigue about who will be the top picks, the National Football League typically keeps all of that a well-kept secret. However, the upcoming draft in April might prove to be a slight exception.
While the Chicago Bears have publicly denied reports suggesting the first overall pick is decided, the Justin Fields trade all but confirmed what everyone around the league knew for months. USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams will be the first overall pick.
Related: Scouts, executives ‘love’ this position in 2024 draft class
After Williams, the Washington Commanders (second overall pick) and New England Patriots (third overall pick) are widely expected to use their first-round selections on quarterbacks. There remains debate over whether it will be Drake Maye then Hayden Daniels or visa-versa, but the expectation of quarterbacks coming off the board with the first three picks remains the same. However, as draft day nears, there is now a growing belief that quarterbacks will dominate the top of the 2024 NFL Draft.
According to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, the “STRONG expectation” in the NFL is that four of the first six picks in the 2024 NFL Draft will be quarterbacks.
Related: 2024 NFL Draft quarterback rankings
The Minnesota Vikings are the team most heavily tied to NFL trade rumors for a top-five pick. Minnesota’s odds of moving up increased even further this past week when it acquired the 23rd overall pick from the Houston Texans. When combined with the value of their original pick (11th overall), Minnesota now has the draft assets to move up for a quarterback.
However, the Vikings aren’t the only team interested in trading up for a young quarterback. The Denver Broncos (12th overall pick) and Las Vegas Raiders (13th overall pick) are also believed to be in the market. For now, though, odds and leaguewide expectations all point to Minnesota trading up.
As for which quarterback that will be for, Michigan Wolverines’ signal-caller J.J. McCarthy is rated as the fourth-best quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. If the Vikings snag him within the first five selections, there remains a real possibility a fifth quarterback (Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr.) will be drafted near the end of Round 1 on April 25. It’s especially likely to happen because teams are reportedly low on the 2025 quarterback class.
