NFL analyst claims 2024 NFL draft could feature most QB-heavy first round since Dan Marino’s 1983 class with J.J. McCarthy rising

The 2024 NFL draft is considered to be extremely strong at the quarterback position, with many highly-rated prospects. Many mock drafts have predicted that the top three picks will be quarterbacks, with up to six of them selected in the first round.

During an episode of Get Up, ESPN's Mike Greenberg recently pointed out that this year could be historic. He referenced the infamous 1983 NFL draft featuring Dan Marino as the sixth quarterback selected in the first round.

With J.J. McCarthy on other positional prospects currently on the rise, Greenberg apparently thinks we could see a similar situation this year.

Greenberg said:

[00:07:16] "Does J.J. McCarthy move into the top three quarterbacks? It feels like there have been three guys at the top with Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, and then J.J. McCarthy on the outside. But he has been rising so fast, is it possible that he maybe steps into the top three?

"Then the big question is, are we going to have four quarterbacks in round one? Are we going to have five quarterbacks in round one? Are we going to have six quarterbacks in round one? Images of 1983 go through your head with Dan Marino going at the very end.

"Does Michael Penix Jr. wind up in round one? Is Bo Nix a certainty to go in round one? I think we are sure to have four, probably five, and I think it's possibility that we wind up with six, because teams will make trades."

Regardless of what round each of the quarterback prospects is graded in, it may not matter when the 2024 NFL draft kicks off. The position is over-drafted every year, and rightfully so, due to the unmatched impact of what finding an elite quarterback can do for any franchise.

Mike Greenberg seems to believe this could lead to up to six quarterbacks being selected in the first round this year. This would match the 1983 draft when Dan Marino was selected as the sixth quarterback at the end of the first round.

Marino went on to set just about every career passing record before he retired, so elite options can be found down the list. This may be why teams are willing to "over-draft" them.

Which QBs were selected before Dan Marino in the 1983 NFL Draft?

Dan Marino

The 1983 NFL draft class is considered one of the most loaded ever at the quarterback position. One of the biggest examples of this is the fact that Dan Marino was the sixth one selected and it wasn't until the second-to-last pick in the first round.

Here are the five that went before him:

1. John Elway
2. Todd Blackledge
3. Jim Kelly
4. Tony Eason
5. Ken O'Brien

Three of the six quarterbacks, including Marino, are current members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It will be interesting to see if the 2024 NFL draft class can match this incredibly high standard, but apparently, Mike Greenberg thinks it's possible, at least from a volume standpoint.