Ranking top 5 QB draft prospects in 2024: Who will the Commanders take?

We are getting closer to the 2024 NFL Draft and a selection that will change the Washington Commanders for the foreseeable future. The team is looking for fresh blood and a potential face of the franchise at quarterback with the No. 2 overall selection.

Adam Peters and Dan Quinn will be tasked with making that choice. One that could get them continuous contract extensions or have them looking for new teams to work for within the next two to three years.

While it might be obvious who the expected No. 1 overall pick will be, the Commanders will be spending the coming days the 10 minutes they will have on the clock to decide who they will draft with their first selection. This reminds me a lot of how the top of the order was debated during last year’s draft when the Carolina Panthers ultimately took Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud. Though this is not to say the decision was good or bad considering the situations of both signal-callers during their rookie campaigns.

It’s important to know that the Commanders already have a stable crop of skilled players for their new quarterback. The likes of cornerstone wide receiver Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Dyami Brown. Not to mention they added veteran Zach Ertz at tight end. However, it should be noted that the offensive line may struggle in Year 1, especially at both tackle spots.

I have spent the last several weeks digging deep into this year’s quarterback class, one that features plenty of talent at the top while providing developmental depth throughout. I’ve come to like this group of signal-callers due to their unique individual skill sets that can set them apart from one another.

Without further ado, here are the five best QBs in this year’s draft in order.

Honorable Mentions

Bo Nix

After an up-and-down career with the Auburn Tigers, Bo Nix spent the last two seasons with the Oregon Ducks and became one of the most prolific passers to come through the program. The signal-caller was PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year, Second-team All-American, and a Heisman Trophy finalist.

There are plenty of things to like about Nix as a prospect such as his overall mobility and near-elite athleticism at the position. He has an adequate arm that is good enough to attack all three levels of the field while showing drastic improvement in ball security with a 74:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

However, Nix is still a volatile quarterback. He doesn’t have the best internal clock and can bail out of pockets prematurely. On top of that, the former five-star high school recruit’s footwork is messy and will sometimes cause him to sail throws due to too wide of a base. He also needs to do a much better job of working from read-to-read within his progressions.

Nix has a lot of room to grow before stepping onto an NFL field. But he projects as a scheme-diverse quarterback due to his athleticism and tools for development.

Michael Penix Jr.

We stay in the PAC-12 with the man who led the Washington Huskies to the National Championship this past season. Michael Penix Jr. has had quite a road to the NFL Draft and battled his way to a potential early-round selection.

It’s fair to have significant concerns about Penix’s medicals. He’s torn his ACL in his right knee twice and had two season-ending shoulder injuries at Indiana before transferring to Washington before the 2022 season. However, if his medical assessments check out, he’ll likely be drafted within the first two rounds.

Last year’s first-team All-American signal-caller has one of the most beautiful deep balls you will see from any prospect in this class, including the top names of this list. A lefty passer, Penix offers a quick release and velocity while sporting composure and a gunslinger mentality when attacking the middle of the field.

I was impressed with Penix’s resilience in pressure situations. He’s also effective when working off-platform, displaying a potential seamless fit into the Commanders' new system under Kliff Kingsbury. He has a lot of inconsistencies that need improvement at the next level such as lower-half mechanics and displaying better anticipation but has the chance to be a starter down the line.