The Straight Line podcast host Ryan Leaf and Rich Eisen discussed Leaf’s 1998 NFL draft experience. Leaf went No. 2 overall to the Chargers after Peyton Manning went first to the Colts. This is nothing like the 2024 NFL draft if you stop and think about it.
In the 1998 draft, Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf were the two best quarterback prospects on the board. There was a real debate about which player should be taken first, though Manning did have the inside track. This 2024 NFL draft quarterback class is different. It’s not a 1-versus-2 debate the way it was with Leaf and Peyton. It is generally felt that Caleb Williams is the best prospect, and that the next few quarterbacks on the board could be really good. Jayden Daniels could be very good. Drake Maye could be very good. J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix have generated plenty of buzz. It’s a different dynamic compared to 1998.
Ryan Leaf also talked about why Caleb Williams starting as a rookie for the Chicago Bears is “setting him up for failure,” why NFL teams should be more patient with young quarterbacks, why he’s all-in on Washington’s Michael Penix, and more.
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