Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

BAKER MAYFIELD, KYLER MURRAY, BROCK PURDY, AND TUA TAGOVAILOA CONTINUE CHRIS SIMMS’ TOP 40 QUARTERBACK COUNTDOWN, NOW ON “CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED” AND “PRO FOOTBALL TALK”

Baker Mayfield (No. 15), Kyler Murray (No. 16), Brock Purdy (No. 17), Tua Tagovailoa (No. 18), and Geno Smith (No. 19)

“You talk about a guy who can lead, show grit, and have an effect on your football team. To then take over from Tom Brady and just go to the playoffs and win a game?” – Simms on Mayfield at No. 15

“The ultimate NFL point guard at quarterback.” – Simms on Tagovailoa at No. 18

Simms’ Top 40 QB Countdown Continues with Nos. 15-19 and Culminates with the Top Four on Monday, June 10; In-Depth Breakdowns for Each Ranking Weekly on Chris Simms Unbuttoned Podcast

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 30, 2024 – Over the course of the next month, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms unveils his list of the top 40 quarterbacks in the NFL on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast and on “PFT Live.” Highlighting Simms’ fifth set of rankings are 2018 No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, two-time Pro Bowler Kyler Murray, 2023 passer rating leader Brock Purdy, and 2023 passing yards leader Tua Tagovailoa.

Continuing the countdown, Simms unveiled his quarterbacks ranked 40-15:

Solid Starter, But…28.Jayden Daniels, Washington
15.Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay29.Bo Nix, Denver
16.Kyler Murray, Arizona30.J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota
17.Brock Purdy, San Francisco For Hire
18.Tua Tagovailoa, Miami31.Ryan Tannehill, Free Agent
19.Geno Smith, Seattle The Young & The Reckless
The Chosen One32.Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis
20.Caleb Williams, Chicago33.Sam Darnold, Minnesota
Glory Days (Passed You By?)34.Bryce Young, Carolina
21.Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh35.Jameis Winston, Cleveland
22.Derek Carr, New Orleans Throwbacks
S*** or Get off the Pot36.Jacoby Brissett, New England
23.Daniel Jones, New York Giants37.Joe Flacco, Indianapolis
24.Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Backup+
25.Justin Fields, Pittsburgh38.Kenny Pickett, Philadelphia
Ready Rookies39.Gardner Minshew, Las Vegas
26.Will Levis, Tennessee*40.Jarrett Stidham, Denver
27.Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta

* Simms on Levis in the Ready Rookies section - “Not a rookie, but we’re treating him a little bit like one. He’s still kind of in there.”

Culminating Monday, June 10 with his top four quarterbacks, Simms will unveil a group of quarterbacks on each Chris Simms Unbuttoned episode and discuss his rankings on “PFT Live” with Mike Florio.

Simms, a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft who played eight NFL seasons, will also offer in-depth player breakdowns and rankings explanations throughout each week on Chris Simms Unbuttoned.

Simms has had recent success in projecting quarterbacks – including naming C.J. Stroud, who was named AP’s Offensive Rookie of the Year following his first season with the Houston Texans, as his top QB prospect in 2023. Additionally, Simms has named Patrick Mahomes as his most exciting prospect in 2017, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen as his top-two QBs in 2018, and Justin Herbert as his No. 2 QB in 2020.

The rankings will continue Monday, June 3, with numbers 14-10 on the next episode of Chris Simms Unbuttoned.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Chris Simms Unbuttoned:

No. 19: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

“The physical talent can be jaw-dropping, it can be ‘wow.’ For a career backup, they ask him to do a lot of high level stuff and carry the football team. Guys that we view as franchise quarterbacks aren’t even asked to do as much as Geno Smith is. Geno’s arm isn’t Josh Allen or (Patrick) Mahomes, but it is right underneath that group of guys. When you turn on the film and watch Geno Smith throw a football, that ball travels through the air in a hurry…They ask him to make a lot of big-time throws and plays, but he can lose control of the football. You know I like aggressive quarterbacks, but he’s a little better when he’s a little less aggressive.”

No. 18: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

“Tua can do it all. The ultimate NFL point guard at quarterback. He is a very quick decision maker. His accuracy, especially on short to intermediate throws, is up there with anybody in football. His throwing is a natural, fluid motion, he has different arm angles, and moves around pretty well in the pocket. He has great touch and feel for the football, and we see him getting better and better. But can he make the required big-time throws and big-time football games when the game gets tough and gritty. Can you do that against the Buffalo Bills in Week 18 when the pocket is collapsing and you gotta make that throw. It’s the big question: Is he going to make the big throws and big games to get them over the hump?”

No. 17: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

“The ultimate (Kyle) Shanahan quarterback. Brock Purdy, a little bit like Tua, has the ability to handle all the offense that Shanahan gives him, and execute it at a high level. That’s where he’s lightyears above a Jimmy Garoppolo. He can run, he can scramble to throw, and for not being a big guy, he tries to play big. Great feel, great anticipation. He makes decisions sometimes where I come back and I’m like, I don’t even know how he made that decision that quick, that’s incredible.’ I would say, if the game gets a little ugly, you’re not going to see consistent great plays from Brock Purdy. There are more misthrows on tape than you realize. His motion needs space, it’s one of the slowest in football…He does more with his decision-making in his mind to get it out quick, but not the motion of getting the football out.”

No. 16: Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

“He has incredible talent in every aspect of his game and still has untapped potential. Everything negative is pocket-related. Exciting at times, but if you keep him in the pocket, he looks and plays small. Arm is awesome. Can get the ball out of his hand as quick as anyone in football. He can stand on his back foot and throw it as hard as he wants. Of course his movement and running is out of this world good. Can make eye-popping throws, does have a little anticipation. Can he get better at that? Certainly. One of my biggest issues with Kyler Murray, is he is way too talented to miss some of the throws he misses. When he wants to throw it harder, he lets his arm go back even farther; no quarterback does that, that’s a baseball…He’s too quick to leave the pocket, not patient enough to just stand there and wait for things to open up.”

No. 15: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

“You talk about a guy who can lead, show grit, and have an effect on your football team right there. To then take over from Tom Brady and just go to the playoffs and win a game? He replaced the GOAT and said, ‘I’ll one-up you.’ He’s a starting quarterback in the NFL and there is still more to improve on. His ability to throw the ball and handle big moments is what you want too…If there is a negative, it’s sometimes maybe he’s too fearless. This year he found the happy medium about Week 8 or 9. He makes game-changing throws, you can call plays in the offense and be aggressive and not have to worry if he can ‘do this or do that.’ For 2024, he is a below-average mover and runner, that’s why Baker is where he is right now.”

To listen to the full player breakdowns on Chris Simms Unbuttoned, click here.

-NBC SPORTS-