FCS prospects typically have a harder mountain to climb than their FBS counterparts when it comes to making it to the NFL. That may be the case for South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski.
An elite FCS quarterback with nearly 7,500 yards in three seasons, is Gronowski talented enough to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Will Mark Gronowski Get Drafted?
Typically, three things go into whether a quarterback will get drafted.
First, the player’s talent level and how the teams in the NFL view them. It only takes one of the 32 teams to fall in love with a player for them to hear their name called in April. With that said, there are only 259 picks available.
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Second, the depth of each position matters greatly. Talented players often go undrafted simply because a large pool of highly regarded players is at a certain position.
For example, 14 quarterbacks were drafted in 2023, but undrafted free agents Tyson Bagent and Tommy Devito have started as rookies this season.
Conversely, in 2022, only nine quarterbacks were selected, and only seven played. No undrafted free agent QBs saw game action. If Devito or Bagent had been in the 2022 class, they would likely have been selected on draft day.
Lastly, the number of teams that need quarterbacks can determine the number of quarterbacks selected. If most teams feel confident in the state of their QB rooms, it’s less likely that a large number of signal-callers will be selected on draft day.
The 2024 quarterback class is loaded, and Gronowski might be lower in the pecking order.
Gronowski throws a tight spiral and navigates the pocket well. He has above-average speed and is a true dual threat, averaging 6.0 yards per carry in his college career.
That said, he’s likely not viewed as a top-15 quarterback in this draft. While the 2024 QB class could break the modern record for most quarterbacks drafted in a single class, Gronowski isn’t likely to be one of them.
The Path Forward for Mark Gronowski
Not all hope is lost for Gronowski. If he receives an invite to the Senior Bowl or one of the other postseason all-star games, he’ll have the chance to go toe-to-toe with some of the guys widely regarded as the best in the class.
If he does, Gronowski has the talent to compete with some of the better quarterbacks in this class without looking out of place.
Gronowski will likely find a spot on a preseason roster as an undrafted free agent. Bagent followed a similar arc last season, playing well at the Senior Bowl and signing with the Chicago Bears ahead of the season.
Plenty of scouts will lay eyes on Gronowski this offseason. At the very least, he’ll have the opportunity to move himself up in the pecking order.