The 2024 quarterback class has already done enough to make people sit up and take notice, and as these guys head into their third seasons, the conversation gets even louder. That’s the year when teams start thinking bigger. It’s the point where a quarterback can move from “interesting young player” to “time to pay him like the face of the franchise.”
That’s why this group matters so much now. After two seasons, several teams believe they’ve found their guy, and if this class keeps trending the way it has, it could end up being remembered as one of the best quarterback hauls the league has ever seen.
Here’s a look at the notable third-year quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL Draft class, ranked by what they’ve done so far.
- JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
McCarthy’s first two years haven’t gone the way the Vikings hoped. He hasn’t stayed healthy, and when he has been available, the production hasn’t been there either. Minnesota also brought in Kyler Murray this offseason, and it’s hard to look at that move and think Murray signed up for a real battle with McCarthy for the job.
At this point, there’s even a real chance McCarthy doesn’t play at all in 2026. The cleaner path for Minnesota might be Murray taking the job outright and giving the Vikings the kind of steady answer they got from Sam Darnold back in the 2024 NFL Season.
- Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Rattler’s situation is different. He was replaced by Tyler Shough during the 2025 NFL Season, but there’s still a case to be made that he’s good enough to stick around as a backup for a long time. He can handle a little bit of everything, even if he hasn’t shown one standout trait that separates him from the pack.
That makes him a useful quarterback, even if it also limits his ceiling. For a fifth-round pick, though, that kind of career would be a win.
Through two seasons, Rattler has a 1-13 starting record and 12 touchdown passes in 16 career games. He also improved his completion percentage by 10.7 percent from 2024 to 2025.
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What makes him especially interesting is the way he wins from the pocket and outside it. The report credits him with accuracy, pocket awareness and the ability to throw on the move, even across his body, while still keeping his eyes downfield, and that blend of traits is the sort of thing that can push a quarterback higher on a board as the evaluation process tightens. [Read more 🡒]
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His first start against the Giants was especially jarring, and the Vikings never got the kind of response they were hoping for in the second half. Freeman did not make another start for Minnesota after that game, and his brief run with the team became one of those quarterback detours that still stands out years later for how quickly it unraveled. [Read more 🡒]