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Grading NFL's next generation of QBs: Caleb Williams and rookies struggle, C.J. Stroud has good performance
By Chris Trapasso,
8 hours ago
USATSI
The 2024 NFL Draft featured six quarterbacks being selected in the first 12 picks -- a first in NFL history -- and three of them began their voyage as professional quarterbacks in Week 1.
Collectively, it was a very rough go of it for said first-year passers.
The second-year throwers didn't fare much better, outside of an efficient outing from C.J. Stroud and some tremendous splash plays from Anthony Richardson .
A grand total of seven quarterbacks selected in the past two NFL Draft classes saw considerable playing time during a mostly low-scoring Week 1.
Let's dive deep into the individual efforts of each quarterback and assign a grade on a per-snap basis, taking every individual aspect of their performance into account. At least 10 attempts were needed to qualify for this debut piece, which will come out weekly on Tuesdays.
In the second quarter, Nix stepped up into the pocket aggressively and found a wide-open Courtland Sutton for 17 yards over the middle.
Gorgeous back-shoulder connection with Josh Reynolds before the end of the half.
He demonstrated impressive acceleration on a 23-yard scramble in the fourth quarter.
Quality athleticism and balance on his 4-yard touchdown run.
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Late in the first, Nix airmailed an open Sutton a deep dig that could've been intercepted. The throw was behind the veteran receiver too.
His first interception was a semi-fadeaway inside the pocket and a forced throw to the front pylon intended for Sutton, who had a cornerback directly underneath the route and a safety shaded tightly to Sutton's side of the field. Ill-advised throw.
Later in the second, Nix again threw behind Sutton on an in-breaking route, this time in the end zone, that fell incomplete.
After the two-minute warning, Nix threw a seam shot directly to Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson that was dropped.
On the next play, Nix spun left out of the pocket, and instead of throwing the ball away as defenders chased, he ran out of bounds, taking a 6-yard loss.
Nix's second interception was late and lacked the velocity needed to hit Sutton on a deep over. Riq Woolen stepped in front for the pick.
Summary: Altogether, Nix had a rather ghastly -- but not utterly brutal -- NFL debut. He operated the underneath stuff well within Sean Payton's system but whenever asked to make throws at the intermediate level that didn't feature a clearly wide-open receiver, he simply couldn't produce. The game looked a bit too fast for him too, as he was late on a handful of throws. Nix's two-interception performance could've featured a few more.
Late in the first quarter, Young threw a strike on an in-breaking route to Adam Thielen through a closing window for 14 yards.
With the score well out of reach in the third quarter, Young found Xavier Legette on a deep corner route while being chased in the pocket.
His touchdown scamper featured a nasty crossover move to elude the defender in space to score.
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
First throw of the season for Young was an inaccurate overthrow in the direction of a covered Diontae Johnson that was intercepted. Yikes.
After vacating the pocket to his left, Young saw Miles Sanders reverse his course on a scramble drill. Open. Young simply missed with the accuracy of the off-script throw.
Young bounced around in the pocket, stepped up, then airmailed Thielen, in scramble-drill mode. The ball was intercepted by the deep safety.
In the fourth, he threw well short of a seam throw to Jordan Matthews .
Summary: While the Panthers blowout loss was more about a brutal team performance than, Young was pretty bad in this contest too. From his first throw of the game, he lacked ideal ball placement throughout, was overwhelmed and antsy against the ample pressure he faced, and wasn't able to hit on plays when he scurried out of the pocket. His offensive line didn't help much, however this start did nothing to calm concerns about Young after a disastrous rookie campaign.
Richardson's first throw of the season came after rolling right. He threw a rocket to Michael Pittman for 13 yards.
The touchdown to Alec Pierce was one of the most ridiculous displays of pure arm strength I've ever witnessed. After slipping during his drop back, Richardson had little room to step into his long-ball attempt. It traveled close to 70 yards in the air and hit the veteran receiver for the score. Incredible.
The Ashton Dulin catch-and-run touchdown came on a long, rocket of a throw from the far hash across the middle through a rapidly closing window. Insane velocity on the throw.
In the second, Richardson had a 19-yard scamper that demonstrated his deceptive long speed once he's in top gear.
The 57-yard completion in the fourth to Pierce was another pass that traveled about 65 yards in the air, on target.
There was a nasty cut on a 10-yard scramble in the fourth.
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
His third throw of the game was an airmailed comeback route intended to AD Mitchell that went incomplete.
Richardson missed on a deep comeback to Mitchell later in the first half.
With under five minutes to go in the second quarter, Richardson missed a totally wide-open Mitchell in the end zone on a double move.
He skipped a deep comeback to Pittman in the fourth quarter.
Summary: As expected, Richardson demonstrated the raw edges to his game, which was only the fifth NFL contest in which he's appeared. Yet the splash plays were of the magnificent variety, and illustrated just how ridiculously gifted he is, not just as an athlete but a thrower.
Stroud's second drop back of the game featured an impressive slip away from a defender and a subsequent 13-yard scramble.
After rolling out of the pocket to his right, and a split second before going out of bounds, Stroud demonstrated his vision, arm talent, and dedication to making a play by throwing across his body to find Nico Collins for what amounted to a 19-yard gain on third-and-14.
His final throw of the game, on third-and-11, was an absolute dot to Collins in tight quarters near the sideline. Perfectly timed and placed to essentially end the game.
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
The third-quarter interception came after he eluded a defender but he then lofted the football into coverage while being hit by other Colts defender. Bad decision.
Later that quarter, Dell was open on a post that would've been a touchdown but Stroud underthrew him. The ball was nearly picked.
He threw over the head of his screen target in the third.
Summary: Not nearly as spectacular of an individual effort from Stroud as we saw down the stretch last season for the Texans , but he dealt with a surprisingly good Colts pass rush somewhat well, and flashed his playmaking ability as Houston mounted a comeback to get an AFC South road win to begin the season.
While not the hardest throw in Week 1, Levis delivered an absolute rocket to Calvin Ridley on a deep comeback through a closing window for 22 yards.
There was a perfectly placed long throw across the field on an outbreaking route by Tyler Boyd in the second half. Bad angle for the quarterback, as the ball had to have surgical accuracy. It did.
With under threw minutes to go, while being hit, Levis threw with anticipation on a deep out-breaker run by Ridley for 22 yards.
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
His second throw of the day was a misfire wide of its intended target underneath from the pocket.
Levis underthrew Ridley on a deep down-the-middle long ball. The veteran was open but the throw just didn't have enough air under it.
The first interception was egregious. Falling to the turf, attempt at an underhand flip toward the sideline, at a receiver clearly covered. It was destined to be a pick six.
On the final drive, he threw way behind Ridley on a back-shoulder attempt. Didn't really come close to giving his wideout a chance.
On the next drive, he was wayward on a slant to Ridley.
While somewhat of a desperation heave, Levis' final pick of the game was under pressure, and he heaved the ball into traffic deep.
Summary: There were flashes from Levis in this game, when his pure talent was evident, but there were close to as many horrid mistakes en route to losing this big lead on the road that rapidly become a seven-point deficit, and the Titans couldn't return the comeback favor. Most of his work was underneath, and the few opportunities he had to stretch Chicago's defense vertically didn't connect.
In the second quarter, while being chased on a bootleg, Williams beamed a laser to D.J. Moore against air-tight coverage for 11 yards.
Against a flat angle, Williams threw with plenty of velocity on a short out-breaker to Keenan Allen in the end zone that was dropped.
In the third, on a third-and-10, Williams pulled off a nifty scramble, eluding a defender in space to move the chains.
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
Early in the game, Williams missed a totally wide open Keenan Allen down the left sideline.
There was an ugly, 19-yard sack on the second drive.
Late in the first half, he threw low and too far out in front of an in-breaking route that was nearly intercepted.
Williams misfired on an easy throw to D'Andre Swift in the flat.
Maybe a miscommunication, but in the third, there was a low throw to Rome Odunze coming across the middle.
Summary: For someone who made the college game look so easy, this was a classic Welcome to the NFL experience for Williams. Batted passes at the line, rapidly closing windows, and tight coverage throughout. There were a few throws Williams should've made, to open receivers, and the Allen touchdown drop hurt the stat line. His improvisation showed a few signs of life. Mostly, the Titans kept his creativity in check.
On a third-and-4 in the first quarter, Daniels demonstrated elite burst and balance tip-toeing down the sideline for a 17-yard gain.
Daniels had a nice 12-yard scramble in the second quarter.
He broke a few arm tackles on an 11-yard scramble in the third.
Daniels zinged a fastball to Ertz against tight coverage from Lavonte David .
Low-Caliber Throws/Plays:
He threw late on a second read to Zach Ertz that was knocked away.
Daniels missed wide on a throw into the flat in the third quarter.
He took a bad, 13-yard sack after attempting to spin out of the pocket in the fourth quarter.
Summary: Such a conservative game plan for an Air Raid offensive coordinator and a quarterback with Daniels' skill set, but maybe it was simply because it was his first start in the NFL. The athleticism was on full display throughout, and I like how Daniels rarely hesitated to run. The throwing left more to be desired, although he didn't make bad decisions. There was just a lack of the spectacular we grew accustomed to seeing last season at LSU.
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