Traits of the Perfect Quarterback Prospect

If NFL teams could build the perfect quarterback using the traits of those signal callers in this year's draft, what would he look like?

The 2024 NFL draft has a strong quarterback class. Aside from the consensus top three quarterbacks (USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye, and LSU's Jayden Daniels), there are more than a few other options that teams can choose from, such as Michigan’s JJ McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., and Oregon’s Bo Nix.

Imagine, though, if one could get into the lab and create the perfect, prototypical quarterback prospect by identifying various qualities these quarterback prospects possess. What would that look like?

The 33rd Team's Derrik Klassen went through that exercise, using eight categories to build the perfect quarterback: size, arm talent, overall accuracy, athleticism, pocket management, pre-snap recognition, post-snap decision-making, and playmaking. No one quarterback could be mentioned more than three times in the exercise.

Here's what he came up with and how the traits stack up to what the Giants currently have.

Size: Joe Milton, Tennessee (6-5, 235 lbs.)

Milton has elite size for the position that reminds one of former Pittsburgh Steelers great Ben Roethlisberger, who stood 6-5 and topped the scales at 241 pounds back in the day. 

Milton's sie has come in handy because he's a load to bring down. When combined with his ridiculous arm strength, this could be a potential option for the Giants later in the draft if they don’t land one earlier.

Milton threw for 2,813 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Volunteers last season, and it would be interesting to see how New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll could groom him into a potential starter down the line.

Milton's size is actually comparable to that of Daniel Jones, who is 6-5 and 230 pounds. While Jones has sought to bulk up in his career to better withstand the hits he takes, he's obviously still had trouble with his durability, as evidenced by his suffering two neck injuries in the last three years.

Arm Talent: Spencer Rattler, South Carolina

Klassen opined that Spencer Rattle's arm talent is "somewhere in the same realm as Patrick Mahomes'." Being put in the same realm as Patrick Mahomes regarding arm talent is something. Rattler certainly isn’t afraid of letting it rip and is capable of making many tough throws. He threw for 3,186 yards and 19 touchdowns last year for the Gamecocks.

It's probably safe to say that no one is going to confuse Jones's arm talent (or any part of his game, for that matter) with Mahomes'. Being able to make all the throws is one thing, but being accurate and decisive is a whole other ball of wax that the Giants, if they are insistent on continuing forward with Jones, need to get more out of him.  

Overall Accuracy: Caleb Williams, USC

Williams, the consensus No. 1 overall pick likely headed to the Chicago Bears, is a premium prospect with pinpoint accuracy, which can be a receiver's best friend. According to Klassen, in an article for Bleacher Report, Williams was accurate on 82.8 percent of throws in the 1-10 yard range and 60.4 percent of his throws in the 11-20 yard range.

Jones? In limited snaps last year, he posted a 79.6 percent rate on passes of 0-9 yards, 47.8 percent on passes of 10-19 yards, and 18.2 percent on passes of 20+ yards. Yes, his offensive line was an issue, but so too was his tendency to not feel the pressure and adjust.

Athleticism: Jayden Daniels, LSU

The Giants went from a pure-pocket passing quarterback in Eli Manning to Jones, who isn’t afraid to use his legs when given the opportunity. Head coach Brian Daboll values that trait.

The drawback, though, of a scrambler is knowing when to live to see the next down. Jones has struggled with this, always seeking to pick up more yardage, which sometimes puts him in harm's way. On the other hand, Daniels seems to have a slightly better understanding of when to call it a play.

Jones is a very good athlete, but coming off an ACL tear is a concern. Will he have that same burst and maneuverability that was such an asset in his game? That's one of many question marks moving forward.

Pocket Management: Drake Maye, North Carolina

This is a big reason why teams are high on Maye. His pocket presence is insane, and he knows how to handle pressure when it arrives. Maye also knows when to bail when things aren’t there, and he’s also able to scramble when need be. If he fell to them, he’d be a great fit for the Giants.

Jones? There have been far too many time when he's been oblivious to the pass rush or the pocket closing in around him. The sad thing is he has the mobility to slide around and buy time; the problem is he needs to be aware of when to do this.

Pre-snap Recognition: Drake Maye, North Carolina

Another trait the Giants would undoubtedly love in a quarterback is Maye's ability to recognize different coverage and fronts pre-snap. His high football IQ is an asset in helping him avoid trouble, something teams love, and a reason why Maye is going to be one of this year’s top draft picks.

Jones, for the most part, does a good enough job with pre-snap recognition. It's the post-snap recognition that falls apart for him. 

Post-snap Decision-making: Caleb Williams, USC

Identifying the protection pre-snap is one thing, but trying to decipher some of the sophisticated disguises defenses throw at you is quite another. We've seen this as being a problem with Jones for quite some time.

Jones isn't alone as many young quarterbacks struggle with this. Finding a quarterback who can quickly make his pre-snap reads and get the ball out of his hands will help the Giants offensive line and the receivers.  

Playmaking: Caleb Williams, USC

Williams' improvisational skills are second to none, especially when things break down around him. Whereas some quarterbacks need as much as possible to be perfect, very few quarterbacks in this draft class have shown an ability to make something out of nothing as Williams has. 

And let's face it. With a Giants offense that will need to jell as quickly as possible, having a quarterback with great improvisational skills would be a plus.

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