Film Friday: The "Forgotten" Quarterbacks of the 2024 Class
We're in full-on sicko mode here in July as we break down some of the deep cuts from the upcoming quarterback class.
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I know I’m doubling up on 2024 NFL Draft content this week, and in case you didn’t know this, we’re like 10 months away from the 2024 NFL Draft. But, I chose this topic for today’s Film Friday for a specific reason. If you missed it, Zach joined me on this week’s episode of The Unofficial Titans Podcast. On it, we took a deep deep dive into the history and career of former Titans quarterback Jake Locker. It was a ton of fun, and it touched on a few more issues than you’d think such an episode would on the surface.
One of them being the phenomenon of hype and how it can spiral out of control. Locker was reportedly told that he wouldn’t be a first round pick, but you had guys like Todd McShay saying he could’ve been the first overall selection. It raises an interesting discussion on how damaging it can be when the draft media gets it wrong. Reasonably speaking, Locker should have never faced the expectations that come along with being the 8th overall selection in 2011 because he probably just flat out should not have been the 8th overall pick in 2011. So much of the draft buzz that we take in every spring is agent driven and it deviates from what the NFL is actually thinking. Will Levis is another example of this. Mel Kiper, Jr. insisted he was in play for the top overall pick, and he ended up going in the second round to our very own Tennessee Titans.
Draft analysts believed that had Locker come out in 2010, he probably would’ve been the first overall pick in the draft. Instead, he opted to go back to Washington for the 2010 season, and his inconsistent play knocked him out of the top spot. Hell, he probably should’ve been a 2nd round pick, but the Titans either fell in love with him or were told to fall in love with him (more on that idea in the podcast). Locker is far from the only guy to get that treatment too.