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New quarterbacks, rookie cards to chase during 2024 NFL season
Another NFL season brings renewed excitement and anticipation over which team will win the Super Bowl. For card collectors, it’s also a time to size up this season’s rookie class.
The football card hobby has always had a large focus on quarterbacks—and this season will be no different.
Last year, the Houston Texans went from worst to first in the AFC South after selecting quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft—right after the Carolina Panthers selected QB Bryce Young. Stroud’s rookie cards became an instant hit with collectors.
This year, the 2024 NFL Draft featured another heavy focus on quarterbacks. As expected, the Chicago Bears took former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.
“My goal is to get into as far as February as I can,” Williams told reporters after he was drafted, referring to playing in a Super Bowl for a team that hasn’t won the Lombardi Trophy in 1986.
Collectors are certainly banking on Williams and the Bears to go far this season. Should he fail to win it all or even miss the playoffs, there are plenty of other quarterbacks to speculate on.
In fact, six of them were selected among the first 12 picks—the most in NFL draft history—while the six first-round selections matched the iconic 1983 draft that featured future Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino. Overall, there were 11 quarterbacks drafted across seven rounds.
There are lots of football products to look forward to over the course of the season, highlighted by the summer releases of Score, Panini Luminance Football, Panini Gold Standard Football, and the new Topps Composite set.
WILLIAMS, DANIELS, MAYE
Williams, who made his name as a talented signal caller at USC, won the Heisman Trophy in 2022. In picking Williams, the Bears made it no secret that he will start this season. How he performs will have an immediate impact on his card values.
Williams’ cards are available in several sets. Among the most popular are his 2022 Bowman Chrome University #50 Prospects (1st Bowman) and 2022 Bowman Chrome University #BI-4 Bowman Invicta.
Williams’ cards have seen a steady rise in sales and values—similar to those of the other quarterbacks picked in the first round. Jayden Daniels was chosen No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders, while Drake Maye was picked third by the New England Patriots.
Daniels, who is also expected to be a starter, played three seasons for Arizona State and two at LSU. He was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 2023. It marked the second time that two Heisman winners were drafted in the top five. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota went first and second, respectively, in 2015.
Like Williams, Daniels has a few cards bearing his likeness. His 2023 Panini Prizm #301 card and 2023 National Treasures #104 appearance are two popular ones with collectors.
Maye, meanwhile, has been heralded as the best quarterback prospect to play for the Patriots since the now-retired Tom Brady. While those are big shoes to fill, Maye has time to improve since he’s got experienced backup Jacoby Brissett to help out.
Collectors’ cardboard wish-list includes Maye’s 2023 Bowman University Chrome #200 (1st Bowman) card and 2023 Bowman University Now #33.
For deep-pocketed hobbyists looking for a card featuring all the top three picks, the 2024 Topps Now Williams, Daniels and Maye triple autograph card #/25 is the one to get.
BEST OF THE REST
This quarterback-rich rookie class is also highlighted by Atlanta Falcons pick Michael Penix Jr., chosen eighth overall, and the Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix, who went No. 12.
After three seasons of college football with Indiana where he was limited by injuries, Penix had a breakout year with University of Washington in 2022, where he set the school season record for passing yards. The following year, he won the Maxwell Award after leading the NCAA in passing yards and led the Huskies to an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Penix already appears in several sets. While not expected to start behind veteran Kirk Cousins, Penix appears in 2023 Bowman Chrome University card #141, a card that has steadily risen in value in recent months. Nix, meanwhile, also has cards that collectors can prospect. Among the most-popular is his 2021 Bowman University Chrome #8 (1st Bowman) card.
Overall, there was a record-tying group of offensive players drafted in the first round. The Tampa Bay Bucaneers picked Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton 26th overall, making him the 19th offensive player drafted. That tied the draft record previously reached as recently as 2009 and for just the fourth time that feat had occurred since 1968. Overall, there were a record 23 offensive players taken, setting a new record.
The first 14 players drafted all play offense. Oddly, no running backs were selected. It marked just the third time in draft history since 1967 that no running backs were chosen in the first round.
The standout pick from this bunch is wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who was selected fourth overall by the Arizona Cardinals. The former Ohio State standout is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who played for the Indianapolis Colts.
Among his popular cards is Harrison’s 2023 Bowman Chrome University #100 Prospects (1st Bowman) and his 2023 Bowman Chrome University #4 Prospects, a short print variation.
Those may be the only cards featuring Harrison we could see for some time. Harrison has not signed the NFL Players Association group licensing agreement, which allows partnering companies to use a player’s name, image and likeness. As a result, Harrison has been the target of a Fanatics lawsuit over an alleged breach of contract related to a deal the company said he signed last year.
Clemente Lisi
