By Matthew Goodbred
@redlineproject
The starting rookie quarterbacks of the 2024 NFL draft class continue to impress and break records. Three rookie quarterbacks, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Bo Nix have led their teams to a winning record through Week 5, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since the complete merger of the NFL and the AFL in 1970. Their performances through the start of the season show they have many more records to break.
Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 draft, was picked up by the Chicago Bears as they seek to break their franchise long history of historically mediocre quarterbacks, as they are the only franchise in the NFL to never have a quarterback throw for more than 4,000 yards or throw 30 touchdowns during a season.
After a rocky start for the Bears’ offense that led people to question if Williams was worthy of being the first pick, he has come into his own after strong offensive showings in last two weeks, throwing for a combined 461 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions. Williams has led the Bears to a 3–2 record in an extremely competitive NFC North, the only division in the league currently with no losing records this season.
Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2024 draft, was the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU and was picked by the Washington Commanders. Daniels has led the Commanders offense to an explosive start with a four game win streak, scoring over 30 points in their last three games.
The current top prospect for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels has the stats to show for it, with an impressive showing in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, a team thought to be in contention for the Super Bowl this year, reaching a staggering passer rating of 141.7 and a completion percentage of 91.3. Daniels has wisely used his offensive weapons, leading the Commanders to first place in the NFC East with a 4–1 start.
Nix was the No. 12 overall draft pick of the 2024 draft by the Denver Broncos as they sought a top quarterback prospect to replace Russell Wilson. Coming off a strong end to his college football career, Nix has had a bumpy start on the Broncos’ offense, which has struggled to get the ball moving downfield, which is evident in Week 4 where they had a historically poor performance with only 60 passing yards in their win against the New York Jets.
Week 5 saw the return of the dominant college prospect where Nix led the Broncos to a strong showing over the Las Vegas Raiders, beating them 34–18. Heading in to Week 6, the Broncos are second in the AFC West at 3–2, only behind the currently undefeated Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.