As of Tuesday, the top quarterback prospects have finished their 2024 seasons.
As the new year kicks off, attention is now shifting towards the pre-draft process and who will seize the opportunity to stand out amidst a lean year at the position. Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are already off to the pros, while the NFL world still awaits the decision of Alabama’s Jalen Milroe.
As one of the teams with the most significant holes at the quarterback position, the Las Vegas Raiders were undoubtedly keeping tabs on all three during their respective bowl games, watching to see who they can develop moving forward.
The Raiders likely came away from all three performances feeling just a tad conflicted.
From a pure on-field perspective, Ward was far and away the best of the trio. In the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, Ward faced the best pass defense he had seen all year and rose to the challenge.
Despite top receiver Xavier Restrepo opting out and Isaiah Horton transferring to Alabama before the game, Ward exploded for 190 passing yards and three touchdowns, the latter of which made him the all-time record holder for passing touchdowns in Division I history.
For unknown reasons, Ward sat out the entire second half for the Hurricanes, even as the Cyclones made a furious second-half comeback. The Pop-Tarts Bowl ultimately ended with Iowa State winning 42-41.
The decision sparked outrage across the football world, with analysts accusing Ward of quitting on his team after breaking the touchdown record. However, it sounds like Ward’s benching was by design rather than a personal decision.
“From talking to sources inside the Miami program, no one was surprised that Ward didn’t finish the game,” wrote The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.
“The Athletic learned that Ward agreed to start the game but there was no timeline in terms of how long he would play. A big part of the reason Ward played, according to those program sources, was because he knew that if he opted out, 10 other players would’ve opted out as well. But if he started the game, those others would start, too.”
Ward’s decision to sit out is not entirely unprecedented, either. Among last year’s draft class, all of the top five top overall selections (quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., offensive tackle Joe Alt) opted out of their bowl games, and the sixth overall selection (wide receiver Malik Nabers) played until halftime, similar to Ward.
The early exit for Ward shifted the attention to Sanders, who was preparing to face the BYU Cougars in the Alamo Bowl later that night. Unfortunately for the Buffaloes, the game ended in a 36-14 rout.
The game was a roller coaster-esque performance for Sanders. He made some highlight reel throws, including a beautiful 43-yard bomb to wide receiver and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Unfortunately, the game was marred by brutal mistakes.
In the first half, Sanders and the Colorado offense struggled to get the ball moving, even when the defense turned the Cougars over to put them in excellent field position. This included a severe misstep by the quarterback, who took a sack in the first quarter that forced the Buffaloes to settle for a long field goal that would ultimately miss.
Sanders finished his final game with 208 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, as well as taking four sacks.
On Tuesday, it was Milroe’s turn to showcase his skills against the Michigan Wolverines in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The quarterback’s performance ultimately left much to be desired.
In the first quarter against a Wolverines defense missing several key players, Milroe lost two fumbles and was intercepted. By the time the quarter was over, Michigan had already opened up a 16-0 lead with their offense barely having to do anything of note.
The Crimson Tide would ultimately lose the game 16-10, leaving fans to wonder if the game could have turned out differently if Milroe cut down on his mistakes.
Milroe is locked in as the ‘high ceiling, low floor’ quarterback prospect of the class. While scouts gush over the physical traits that Milroe possesses, performances like against Michigan and even earlier ones like in the upset loss to the Oklahoma Sooners will give teams pause before drafting him.
These types of prospects can succeed at the NFL level, but they need proper development to come anywhere close to their potential. For every Josh Allen that explodes at the professional level, there is a Trey Lance or Malik Willis who struggle to parlay their athletic gifts into tangible success.
With all three quarterbacks finished for the season, the pressure now falls on Raiders general manager Tom Telesco to decide on which quarterback he trusts to turn the franchise around. After their performances in the bowl games, however, he may have stumbled on more questions than answers.
