2024 NFL Draft: How each late-round quarterback can answer their critics

• Spencer Rattler has a wide draft range: The South Carolina could go very early on Day 2, but his lack of consistency may scare some teams away.

• Florida State's Jordan Travis continues to recover from injury: Travis has plenty of upside and showed a fantastic playmaking ability before suffering a season-ending leg injury in November.

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Spencer Rattler, South Carolina: Generate some consistency

There’s an argument to be made that Rattler is the most talented playmaking quarterback in this draft behind Caleb Williams. Rattler’s arm talent is up there with the best, but his erratic decision-making and inconsistent play are causes for concern. In some games, he looks like one of the best prospects in the draft. And in others, he looks undraftable. Rattler will need to be consistent with his process to reach his full potential.

Joe Milton III, Tennessee: Hit the open throws

Milton has one of the strongest arms in football. Watching him throw will leave you in awe, wondering how he’s thought of as a late-round guy. However, since his years at Michigan back in 2018, we’ve been waiting for Milton to put all that arm talent together and become a great quarterback. He still hasn’t yet, and while he made some highlight throws in college, his accuracy is still extremely inconsistent. His 47.5% uncatchable rate on throws targeted 10-plus yards downfield is the worst in the draft class and one of the worst in the FBS. For Milton to finally put it all together, he’ll need to start hitting the open throws consistently.

Michael Pratt, Tulane: Speed up the process

Pratt’s calling cards are his toughness, aggressive mentality and fundamentals. However, he won’t impress with natural talent, as his arm strength is noticeably lacking on tape. He also struggles to notice changing defenses and quickly adjust on the fly. It’s a big part of why his 3.9% turnover-worthy play rate in 2023 ranked in the bottom half of the FBS. For Pratt to succeed in the NFL, he’ll need to be an extremely quick processor to make up for his lack of arm talent.

Jordan Travis, Florida State: Generate more power in the throwing motion

Before Travis’ devastating injury, he showed a fantastic playmaking ability, constantly escaping pressure and creating something out of nothing. However, he’s not the biggest guy, and because of that, he lacks noticeable power on his throws. There are some inconsistencies with how he follows through, causing the lack of velocity. For that reason, he can’t afford to be late on throws, which he was at times. Travis will need to learn how to generate more power in his throwing motion to become an impactful NFL quarterback.

Carter Bradley, South Alabama: Learn to play under pressure

Bradley is an intriguing prospect and can find his way onto an NFL roster as a preferred backup quarterback. He has an above-average arm and showed that he can control an offense from a clean pocket. However, when he was pressured, his game went awry. Bradley’s 27.3 passing grade under pressure in 2023 was the second lowest in the entire FBS. If he wants to find his way onto an NFL roster, he’ll need to learn to not panic under duress.

Devin Leary, Kentucky: Make plays when things break down

Leary is an experienced passer from his time at NC State and Kentucky. While he might not have the greatest arm talent, his experience allowed him to understand how to attack defenses. From a clean pocket, Leary was able to operate efficiently. When things got messy, so did his game. His 30.9 passing grade under pressure in 2023 is the second worst in this draft class and one of the lowest in the FBS. Because he isn’t the most athletic, he wasn’t able to get out of the pocket and create plays. For Leary to make the transition to the NFL, he’ll need to be able to deliver when the play breaks down.

Austin Reed, Western Kentucky: Clean up the decision-making

Reed has decent size for the position and showed solid arm strength throughout his time in college. In Western Kentucky‘s spread offense, he proved plenty capable. But there remains an inconsistency in his decision-making. He had two straight seasons with a turnover-worthy play rate of over 3.5%. That’s in the bottom half of the entire FBS. Protecting the football better is Reed's top priority as he makes the transition to the NFL.