Former NFL player and now NBC Sports Analyst Chris Simms is never afraid to think outside the box when it comes to his quarterback rankings. Every year, Simms shocks NFL fans with his unconventional rankings of the QB position, for both current players and draft prospects.
On Wednesday afternoon, Simms released his rankings of the quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft, and his slotting of former North Carolina QB Drake Maye took the NFL world by surprise.
Chris Simms Ranks Drake Maye Surprisingly Low
Simms is widely known for his bold takes when it comes to evaluating quarterback prospects. Before the 2021 NFL Draft, for example, he infamously said he would pick Zach Wilson over Trevor Lawrence.
On Wednesday afternoon, Simms released his ranking of the top six QB prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, where he shockingly put Maye at the bottom of the list.
Here’s my Top 6 QBs in this year’s Draft. These rankings are based on film.
Full pod coming soon pic.twitter.com/RvCdgBhBg4— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) March 6, 2024
Like the majority of analysts, Simms has Caleb Williams at the top in “A class of his own.” Williams is projected by most people to be the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Bears in this year’s draft and is considered to be an elite prospect.
After Williams is former LSU QB Jayden Daniels, who Simms is still very high on, as the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner is in a tier of his own labeled “#1 In Other Years.”
Many analysts are split between Daniels and Maye as the second-best quarterback in this year’s draft, so this isn’t an unconventional take by any means. At No. 3, however, is when the list starts to get unorthodox.
In his next tier, which he refers to as “Tier Three – Franchise Starting QB,” Simms has Oregon QB Bo Nix at No. 3, followed by Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. at No. 4, rounded out by Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy at five. Nix as the draft’s third-best quarterback is where he starts to break from consensus, as most analysts have him no higher than fifth.
Below that is “Tier Four – Talented Project,” and that’s where the list takes its most shocking turn, with Simms having Maye in this tier all by himself at No. 6.
KEEP READING: Top Quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft
The idea of there being six quarterbacks taken in the first round seems like a stretch at this time. And while not impossible, in Simms’ world, Maye would not be one of those guys taken on Night 1 if it fell short of that number.
Simms promises that a podcast is coming soon to explain his 2024 NFL Draft quarterback rankings, and, specifically, to answer questions as to why Maye is just sixth on his list.
Miss football? The 2024 NFL Draft is almost here, boss. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!