You know it’s time to worry when NFL analysts are already picking your team’s next starting quarterback for the 2024 season.
CBS Sports’ Emory Hunt did just that Friday morning after the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mitch Trubisky put up an all-time stinker Thursday night against the New England Patriots.
Let’s start from the top with the first player mentioned by Hunt in Jayden Daniels. First off, let me just get this out there, if the NFL draft was like The Bachelor, Daniels would get my rose.
The LSU senior stands 6-4 and weighs in at a light 210 pounds but has room to fill out his frame. Daniels is electric with the ball in his hands, literally being the embodiment of a dual-threat quarterback.
This season he has thrown for 3,812 yards with 40 touchdowns and just four interceptions. On the ground, he’s done just as much damage, rushing for over 1,134 yards and 10 scores. In four different games this season, Daniels has eclipsed at least 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards with his biggest game coming against Florida. He threw for 372 yards and three scores against the Gators while also rushing for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Over 600 yards (606). Five touchdowns. One game. One player. Insanity.
Before his two years at LSU, the fifth-year senior spent three years at Arizona State, where started as a true freshman. After a promising first year, Daniels sputtered due as a Sun Devil until eventually landing in Baton Rouge.
That rocky start to his career, thin frame and strong supporting cast are what most draft skeptics point to when talking about the Heisman front-runner, but that shouldn’t overshadow all of his improvements. Daniels has made a quantum leap as a passer specifically, showing a more willingness to stick in the pocket and deliver strikes. As a result, his accuracy numbers have skyrocketed from 60% as a freshman to 72% this year.
I could write about Daniels for days breaking down his tape, but I’ll save that for another day and move on to the next player Hunt lists: Spencer Rattler.
Oh, what a fall from grace Rattler has been through since bursting on the scene at Oklahoma. The former five-star quarterback was once pegged to be the first overall pick in 2022, but after losing his job to Caleb Williams, things took a turn.
Rattler struggled in his second full season as the Sooners starter, eventually taking his talents to the University of South Carolina. He had some highs as a Gamecock, most notably upsetting Clemson and Tennessee in back-to-back weeks in 2022, but questions about his processing still remain.
The quarterback makes head-scratching decisions from time to time, abandoning the pocket and throwing off his back foot far too often. That along with a small stature and middling athleticism has caused scouts to sour over time.
However, don’t be surprised if you see Rattler become a late-round darling after a strong Senior Bowl. After all, he still has an extremely live arm and all the traits that once made him a top-prospect.
Hunt’s next pairings are both NFL quarterbacks with him naming Justin Fields and Jameis Winston.
I won’t take long on Winston. At this point, we know what he is. The former first overall selection is a gunslinger by nature but prone to making mistakes by the dozen. For a team that would rather play a conservative brand of ball, I have a hard time seeing this fit.
Fields on the other hand may be worth a look. After struggling in Chicago, GM Ryan Poles and the organization seem primed to move on from the quarterback. While Fields also struggles with his processing, his elite athleticism provides him more ways to win. Also, it’s not like the dual threat is deficient as a passer. He has a strong, capable NFL arm that, if provided a good offense, could pick defenses apart.
Most importantly, Mike Tomlin certainly seemed interested in the Ohio State product back at his Pro Day.
Does this mean that the Steelers are destined to make a change at quarterback? CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson doesn’t think so, saying they team will likely roll with Kenny Pickett in 2023, but if the season continues to spiral, who knows?
