1 QB Broncos could target in each round of the 2024 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos are a team facing mounting pressure as we head into the final stretch before the 2024 NFL Draft. There is no doubt that the team needs a quarterback in the worst way, but it’s not as simple as just taking one at the No. 12 pick and that solves all the team’s issues… or at least, it shouldn’t be.

Sean Payton and George Paton knows that the team needs a new signal-caller, but how to go about getting that guy while also coming away with the best possible draft class that they can is the big question.

The Broncos can’t be blinded in this draft. There are many avenues to take and each of them needs to be explored. The team could decide to draft a quarterback as early as possible or just find a developmental prospect to put behind Jarrett Stidham for the time being.

Keeping those factors in mind, here are some quarterbacks the Broncos could target in each round.

1 QB Broncos could target in each round of the 2024 NFL Draft

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) passes the ball in the national championship game. | Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1: J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

It’s unlikely that J.J. McCarthy falls down to the No. 12 overall pick in this draft which means that the Broncos would have to make a move up in order to get him. How far they had to move up with dictate what it would cost to do so.

The Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 seems to be the spot many fans have circled for their teams to trade to but the Cardinals may be too drawn to Marvin Harrison Jr. to move from their spot. But if a team like the Tennessee Titans at No. 7 or the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8 were interested in moving back, that could be ideal for the Broncos if they see McCarthy as their guy.

There are questions surrounding pretty much every quarterback in this draft and for McCarthy, those questions surround his experience and if he was just the product of a great team, one that won the national title.

But during the draft process, McCarthy has passed the eye test for many general managers and that is what has caused his draft stock to rise like it has.

2023 Pac-12 Championship – Oregon v Washington | Ric Tapia/GettyImages

Round 2: Bo Nix, Oregon

Bo Nix is by far the quarterback that is being connected to the Broncos the most and he seems to be the prevailing choice by members of Broncos Country. However, he lands here as a second-round prospect for a reason.

The Broncos hold the No. 12 overall pick. Would anyone else be disappointed if the Broncos just took Nix at that spot, because I sure would. That is because the best play for the Broncos is to trade back in this draft. The fact that the team doesn’t have a second-round pick is a glaring problem and taking Nix at No. 12 would look like a panic pick, as his value is just not that high.

If the Broncos were to trade back in the first round and take a player such as Laiatu Latu or Brock Bowers if they were still available while also getting a second-round choice in the deal and then using that pick on Nix, that would be ideal and much easier to digest.

Nix is thought to be a perfect fit for Sean Payton’s offense and many have compared him to Drew Brees. But the Broncos need to be intelligent with their picks and the scenario described above would be intelligent.

Nov 18, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler looks to make a play against Kentucky. | Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3: Spencer Rattler, South Carolina

If I was the general manager of the Broncos and I could find a way to get any quarterback in this draft class, Spencer Rattler would be that guy. Back in February, I discussed how great of a fit Rattler was for this team and that has only become more evident in my opinion.

Rattler was once seen as a can’t-miss prospect back when he was featured on the Netflix series QB1. While on that show, he was seen as cocky, arrogant and immature.

His college career didn’t start out the way he had hoped, either. He went to Oklahoma but was benched by Lincoln Riley in favor of Caleb Williams, the player who will almost certainly be the No. 1 pick in this draft.

But Rattler transferred to South Carolina and while he didn’t have the school competing for a national championship, he put up solid numbers. He has grown as a player and as a person and is much more mature now than when you saw him on that TV show.

Rattler has an incredible arm and he can make the kinds of throws that you see from Patrick Mahomes. Nix can’t do that, Michael Penix Jr. can’t do that. His ability to overcome adversity is also impressive and if he were to come in and get to work with Payton, it could be a match made in heaven.

If the Broncos don’t take a quarterback in either of the first two rounds and Rattler is still on the board in the third, he absolutely must be the pick. There is a strong argument to take him in the second round, for that matter.

Nov 24, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave quarterback Michael Pratt (7) warms up. | Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

Round 4: Michael Pratt, Tulane

We are now entering the territory where if the Broncos have not picked a quarterback by this point in the draft, the team will be taking a guy to sit and study behind Stidham. Michael Pratt out of Tulane would be one of the top choices to fill that role.

Pratt was a starter as a freshman at Tulane and ended up playing in 46 career games for the Green Wave. He passed for over 9,600 yards and 90 touchdowns and as a result, there is a ton of tape on him.

Pratt is not going to wow you with his athleticism as a dual-threat quarterback. But he is a competitor and one who can become a great leader for an offense. His mechanics are sounds and his ability to make throws is well above average.

Teams in today’s league need that No. 2 quarterback who can come in and take over the team without the offense missing a beat. Never was that more evident than last season where more than half of the teams in the league experienced situations where a backup quarterback was forced to play significant time.

Pratt could fit that role perfectly.

Nov 18, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13) gets ready before a game. | Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports

Round 5: Jordan Travis, Florida State

There are plenty of question marks surrounding Jordan Travis as a potential pro prospect, but before a nasty injury cost him his 2023 season, there weren’t many questions about him as a college player.

Travis was a true dual-threat option for the Seminoles and was considered one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy before an injury ended his season and Florida State’s title hopes. Despite going undefeated, the team was not selected for the College Football Playoffs, largely due to Travis being sidelined.

Heading to the NFL, Travis lacks a massive arm but he makes up for that with grit and sheer athleticism. He comes from a winning program and can continue to develop as a professional on and NFL roster without having to be “the guy”, at least in the beginning.

The Broncos would need to do their homework and make sure that the severe ankle injury that shut him down last November won’t be a lingering issue, but he could be an intriguing addition on day three of the draft.

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III is a good late-round prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA

Round 6: Joe Milton, Tennessee

If Joe Milton was a little more accurate and was better at processing as a passer, his arm talent would put him up with the top names in this draft. If you missed Milton throwing the ball at Tennessee, he has an absolute cannon. Take a look at this throw from the scouting combine.

Milton is also 6-foot-5 and has tremendous athleticism for a player that size. His mechanics will need some work and he could take some time to fully develop and be ready to run an NFL offense, but he certainly has some of the characteristics that you just can’t teach.

Every year, players drafted late have a chance to become something quickly in today’s league. If the Broncos took a player such as Milton, it would just be taking a flyer on a player with upside. But Milton’s upside could prove to be tremendous.

Round 7: Sam Hartman, Notre Dame

It seemed like at one point, Sam Hartman was destined for greatness. But his up-and-down college career knocked him way down the draft board and he’ll have to take the long road at this point.

Hartman began his college career at Wake Forest and showed little in the way of being a professional quarterback in that offense. He transferred to a more NFL-ready situation at Notre Dame, but his lack of arm strength was an obvious weakness.

He is seen as an undrafted prospect by many analysts but as a late-round dart throw he could make some sense as a QB3 or practice squad guy.

Undrafted free agent: Phil Jurkovec, Pittsburgh

Phil Jurkovec went to the same high school as current Broncos backup quarterback, Ben DiNucci. After a terrific high school career, he committed to Notre Dame before transferring to Boston College and then Pittsburgh.

Jurkovec is another big quarterback at 6-foot-5 but he lacks arm strength and after a long college career, will turn 25 years old in November.

But if the Broncos look at quarterbacks in the undrafted free-agent signing process just to add to the room, depending on what happens in the draft, Jurkovec threw for over 6,200 yards and 43 touchdowns as a college quarterback and could offer something as a practice squad guy.

This article was originally published on predominantlyorange.com as 1 QB Broncos could target in each round of the 2024 NFL Draft .