In his recent mock draft on NFL.com, Daniel Jeremiah has quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels going off the board with the first three picks of the 2024 NFL draft.
Jeremiah’s mock then has the Minnesota Vikings trading up to pick No. 4 to select quarterback J.J. McCarthy, leaving none of the top four quarterbacks on the board for the Denver Broncos at pick No. 12.
NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reacted to that mock draft on Good Morning Football on Tuesday, detailing a time that Broncos coach Sean Payton did not trade up for a quarterback in the 2017 NFL draft.
“Sean Payton was set to take Patrick Mahomes with the 11th pick of that draft,” Schrager said on NFLN. “He was all set on it, he even started telling Drew Brees this might happen, and Andy Reid jumped ahead of him and took Patrick Mahomes. … Don’t let that happen again.”
Sean Payton missed out on Mahomes when Andy Reid jumped him in 2017. If the Broncos wanted one of these QBs and got shut out, I’d be surprised. Fool me once … https://t.co/CCtucF7T91
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 19, 2024
The New Orleans Saints were prepared to draft Mahomes in 2017 before the Chiefs jumped them in a trade, a story that Payton has confirmed.
This year, the Minnesota Vikings appear poised to move up for a QB, so if Payton has his eye on a certain QB prospect, the coach might need to trade up to get him.
“If this is a warning or a signal to the market: Sean Payton, George Paton … you best be ready to get moving,” Schrager said. “You don’t want to miss out on this quarterback class.”
Our most recent seven-round mock has the Broncos trading up to select McCarthy. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.
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