NFL analyst claims 2024 NFL draft could feature most QB-heavy first round since Dan Marino’s 1983 class with J.J. McCarthy rising

The quarterback position is expected to be highly competitive in the 2024 NFL draft, with a large number of highly-rated prospects. Numerous mock drafts have forecasted that quarterbacks will dominate the top three picks, and as many as six may be selected in the first round.

During a recent episode of Get Up, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg highlighted the potential historical significance of this year. He made a comparison to the notorious 1983 NFL draft, where Dan Marino was the sixth quarterback chosen in the first round.

Despite the rise of other positional prospects, Greenberg believes that we may witness a situation similar to last year with the presence of J.J. McCarthy.

According to Greenberg:

[00:07:16] “Does J.J. McCarthy move into the top three quarterbacks? It feels like there have been three guys at the top with Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, and then J.J. McCarthy on the outside. But he has been rising so fast, is it possible that he maybe steps into the top three?

“Then the big question is, are we going to have four quarterbacks in round one? Are we going to have five quarterbacks in round one? Are we going to have six quarterbacks in round one? Images of 1983 go through your head with Dan Marino going at the very end.

“Does Michael Penix Jr. wind up in round one? Is Bo Nix a certainty to go in round one? I think we are sure to have four, probably five, and I think it’s possibility that we wind up with six, because teams will make trades.”

Despite the grading round of each quarterback prospect, this may not have an impact when the 2024 NFL draft begins. The position is consistently overdrafted every year, and for good reason, as the discovery of an exceptional quarterback can have a game-changing effect on any team.

According to Mike Greenberg, up to six quarterbacks could potentially be chosen in the first round of this year’s draft. This would equal the number of quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 1983 draft, which included Dan Marino as the sixth pick.

Marino was able to establish most of the major career passing records during his tenure and subsequently retired, indicating that there are still high-quality choices available further down the list. This could be a contributing factor to teams’ willingness to select them earlier than expected.

Who were the QBs drafted before Dan Marino in the 1983 NFL Draft?

The quarterback position in the 1983 NFL draft class is widely recognized as one of the most talented groups in history. This was evident in the selection of Dan Marino, who was chosen as the sixth pick and did not come off the board until the second-to-last pick of the first round.

The five who preceded him are:

1. John Elway
2. Todd Blackledge
3. Jim Kelly
4. Tony Eason
5. Ken O’Brien

Out of the six quarterbacks, three are currently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and one of them is Marino. It will be intriguing to witness if the 2024 NFL draft class can reach this remarkable standard. According to Mike Greenberg, it is feasible, at least in terms of quantity.