Special to Sports News Highlights

The start of the 2024 NFL season is a few months away, but with those ever-popular Organized Team Activities taking place, it's never too early to turn an eye toward the upcoming campaign.

Specifically, those quarterbacks selected in the first round of April’s draft. Who might have the best chance for immediate success this season? 

Here’s a predicted order of likelihood for immediate 2024 NFL stardom: 

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings, 10th overall pick 

McCarthy isn’t the only rookie first-round quarterback who has an above-average supporting cast. He’s fortunate to be throwing the ball to one of the game’s best in Justin Jefferson (5,899 career receiving yards in 60 career games) and has budding star Jordan Addison and dependable tight end T.J. Hockenson. Not to mention former Green Bay running back Aaron Jones is in the mix.

Minnesota also has a solid offensive line to protect McCarthy, who still must deal with Sam Darnold trying to take a job that should be the rookie’s quite soon. McCarthy will make mistakes, but he’s a winner. 

Also, the Vikings have the best defense of any team with a rookie first-round signal caller. Thus, they should be competitive more often than not. Even in the NFC North, which Detroit and the Packers expect to rule. 

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos, 12th overall pick 

Nix has earned some solid reviews to begin his NFL career. However, he’s still competing for Denver’s starting quarterback job.

The Broncos have gone a remarkable eight seasons without a playoff appearance but want to ride Nix with hopes of ending that postseason drought. He’s not the garden variety rookie quarterback from this era of the college game. Nix is experienced, with 61 games under his belt. And, he’s done so with two of the most successful and prominent programs at Auburn and Oregon. Though he likely won’t be running as much as he did in college, Nix might be the most balanced and versatile of these first rounders. 

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears, first overall pick 

Like McCarthy, Williams will have plenty of elite skill-position talent to help ease into his first pro season. Veteran receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen will be joined by fellow 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze. Potential Pro Bowl tight end Cole Kmet and established newcomer D’Andre Swift in the backfield also will help Williams handle his NFL growing pains.

Where things can get hairy for 2024’s first overall pick is being protected by an offensive line that remains suspect. And, he’s never truly established himself as a big-game quarterback.

Williams might have the most individual talent of these first-year quarterbacks, but how he handles the mental ups and downs will be interesting to see. 

Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders, second overall pick 

The most recent Heisman Trophy Award winner, like Williams, will have a fair amount of pressure placed on his shoulders. Not only to succeed for himself, but reviving a franchise that hasn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2016 and been to the playoffs once during that span. 

Daniels was able to showcase his overall ability like never before in 2023 with LSU. He set career highs for completion percentage (72.2), passing yards (3,812), touchdowns (40) and rushing yards (1,134).  

He won’t come close to those numbers as a rookie in the nation’s capital, but this will be Daniels’ team. The Commanders seem ready to ride or die with him from the start, even with a questionable offensive line and skill players who are not exactly household names.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots, third overall pick 

Veteran Jacoby Brissett could be the Week 1 starter for the Pats. However, it’s a safe bet Maye will be under center to stay at some point – and not too far into the 2024 campaign. 

Unlike fans in Chicago and Washington, the New England faithful need to be patient for Maye’s time to come.  

Perhaps the best part of this situation for the North Carolina product, who threw for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns in the last two years, is that he’ll have a pair of rookie receivers to learn and bond with in Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. 

Michael Penix, Jr., Atlanta Falcons, eighth overall pick 

The Falcons’ selection of Penix within the top 10 was the biggest head-scratching move of the 2024 draft. It also might prove to be the most intriguing storyline that drags on throughout the season. 

Atlanta signed veteran Kirk Cousins (with $100 million in guaranteed money) to be its starter, and Penix is expected to learn the ropes – ala Jordan Love style. However, if the Falcons struggle, the calls for Penix to play will be immediate. 

And, he wants to play, which could complicate this situation even more.