Move over, 1983, and make room for the new gold standard of quarterback-heavy NFL draft classes.
For the first time in NFL history, six quarterbacks were selected within the first 12 picks, which tied the record for an entire first round set in 1983. Only time will tell whether this group has versions of Hall of Famers Dan Marino, John Elway and Jim Kelly or turns out more like the bust-laden quarterback classes of 1999 and 2021.
The Bears’ Caleb Williams, Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and Patriots’ Drake Maye started the party as the first three picks, respectively — as expected. The Patriots entertained trade offers from the Maye-interested Vikings and Giants but ultimately were the team that made it so that quarterbacks were the first three picks for just the fourth time in the modern draft era (1967), joining 1971, 1999 and 2021.
“We had some conversations with other teams, but ultimately we felt like Drake was the player we wanted and we had the opportunity to get him,” Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf said. “All along, we knew we were in a unique opportunity to get a quarterback we liked.”
All hell broke loose beginning at No. 8 when the Falcons, who just signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, stunned the league by drafting Michael Penix Jr. The injury-plagued Penix, 23, is widely considered ready to play but will sit the bench for a team that could have used a defensive starter to fulfill its playoff aspirations.
It is easy to imagine that a stunned Cousins feels misled about leaving the Vikings in free agency, especially given that NFL Network reported he was not given the courtesy of heads-up about the possibility. The Falcons are under NFL investigation for tampering with Cousins.
“I’m going to learn from him,” said Penix, who sounded surprised by his landing spot. “There’s a reason behind that.”
The Falcons’ moves might have had others reaching for the panic button because the Vikings traded up one spot with the Jets to secure J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 and the Broncos reached for Bo Nix — who some teams graded as a second-round prospect, sources told The Post — at No. 12.
“We’re through the moon with what happened,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “This business is about taking a little risk and getting a reward and I think we got that in the end.”
The Vikings’ trade was one of just two involving the first 17 picks. That was a surprise from the expected amount of activity.
Left without a seat in the game of rookie quarterback musical chairs and to rue not being more aggressive, the Raiders pivoted by making more history with tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13. What already was the first draft in NFL history to have offensive players selected with the first 10 picks became the first draft to have 13 consecutive picks from one side of the ball (the final tally was 14) at any point over the duration of rounds.
Williams, 22, steps into a situation more conducive to immediate success than any No. 1-drafted quarterback since at least Andrew Luck in 2011.
The Bears finished 7-10 last season but held the No. 1 pick by virtue of a March 2023 trade with the Panthers, who went a league-worst 2-15 during No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young’s rookie season. Williams will be throwing to arguably the best trio of NFL receivers now that rookie Rome Odunze (picked No. 9) was added to D.J. Moore and newly acquired Keenan Allen, who combined for more than 2,500 yards last season.
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“My goal is to get as far in February as I can,” Williams said. “The point of playing football is to win championships.”
The Bears and Patriots were in a familiar position all too soon after giving up on their top-15 quarterback picks — Justin Fields and Mac Jones, respectively — from 2021. Fields, Jones, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance all have been traded by their original teams into backup jobs, while No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence hasn’t yet played to his supposedly generational potential.
The infamous five-quarterback 1999 class included busts Tim Couch, Akili Smith and Cade McNown (another Bears pick) with Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper.
The Vikings appear to be big winners after calling the Giants’ bluff on McCarthy interest and not getting suckered into trading up to No. 4 or No. 5, while also not getting jumped by the Broncos or Raiders. The pick answers a key question for All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson as he negotiates a contract extension.
Commanders general manager Adam Peters kept a tight lid on his decision to go with Daniels over Maye but “we knew this one for a long time,” he said on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Nix was the biggest surprise but earned his spot by wowing Broncos head coach Sean Payton during a workout.
“I can’t thank them enough for taking me,” Nix said, “and for putting their beliefs in me.”
