Here’s what they are saying about this year’s first-round quarterbacks at OTAs and minicamps (keeping in mind that it is still June).

Chicago: When Matt Eberflus was asked about Keenan Allen’s history with talented quarterbacks, the Bears head coach grouped Caleb Williams with Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert. Williams strung together an impressive set of practices — in a recent seven-on-seven period, he went 13-of-15 — and is focusing on his cadence.

Washington: Jayden Daniels hit a top speed of 21.8 miles per hour last season (faster than Tyreek Hill’s top speed in 2023). While he hasn’t done much scrambling so far, Daniels has looked the part in the pocket, going 12-for-12 on throws in 7 on 7 drills in his first practice. Veteran TE Zach Ertz: “Right off the bat, you can tell he’s an extremely talented player. It kind of jumps out at you when you’re on the field with him. The arm talent is there. But also, he really, really cares about this thing. He wants to be as good as he can possibly be. He’s working his butt off.”

New England: Drake Maye, after Patriots OC Alex Van Pelt called Jacoby Brissett the starter on Tuesday: “Jacoby is getting the first (reps) and then from there, playing it by ear.” Maye looks to have passed Bailey Zappe as the No. 2 QB, at least. But “it didn’t go great as he threw two interceptions during a practice focused on red-zone work … that was the case for all of the Patriots quarterbacks on a day the defense dominated,” noted Chad Graff.

Atlanta: Michael Penix Jr. is “a freakin’ baller,” said WR Drake London after his first week of practices with Penix. “That’s why we took him at that spot. We’re just happy that he’s here. He’s slinging it.” Penix has been texting Michael Vick, another left-handed quarterback who was drafted by Atlanta (and also with a 36-year-old entrenched starter, Chris Chandler).

Minnesota: J.J. McCarthy will benefit from QB coach Josh McCown’s learnings after holding the same position in Carolina: “There’s still a learning curve to this league,” McCown said. “So, it’s important to give yourself space to understand that and not put pressure or a level of expectations on them that are sometimes unattainable in year No. 1.” Still, “McCarthy’s mechanics look clean,” noted Alec Lewis in his Vikings mailbag.

Denver: Bo Nix shares mental similarities with Drew Brees, according to Denver HC Sean Payton. While the Broncos continue to rotate quarterbacks with the first-team offense, “Nix has impressed the coaching staff early” with “a consistent and quick pace [and] quick and decisive checks,” per beat reporter Nick Kosmider. “He’s farther along than most” rookies, Payton added.

More on Maye and Brissett in NEW ENGLAND

GREEN BAY

And now, all eyes are on the Packers for the next big QB contract.  Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com:

Jordan Love waited three years to take over as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback. After just one year in the full-time role, however, the former first-round draft pick is poised to secure a long-term contract in green and yellow, with general manager Brian Gutekunst revealing Tuesday that both sides are aiming to strike a new deal ahead of 2024 training camp.

“We’re in those conversations right now,” Gutekunst told 97.3 The Game, when asked about Love’s contract status. “Both parties want the same thing. And we’d like to get this done before training camp for sure. … (Both) parties want to get a contract extension done. That stability at that position really allows you to have some security with the way we build our team. So we’re looking forward to getting that done. But it never goes fast.”

Love, who threw 32 touchdowns and led the Packers to the playoffs in his anticipated 2023 debut as the starter, signed a one-year, $13.5 million extension with Green Bay prior to last season. His deal runs through 2024, meaning he’s currently on track to play out his contract. But Gutekunst’s admission signals both sides intend to prevent any potential foray into 2025 free agency.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow is currently the highest-paid quarterback at an average of $55 million per year, but the Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff recently netted his own extension topping $50 million per season. Nine different signal-callers average at least $45 million per year on long-term deals, which could be a baseline target for Love and his representation.

Love, 25, played just 10 games, starting one, during his first three NFL seasons behind Aaron Rodgers. He was one of the league’s most productive starters down the stretch in 2023, approaching 4,200 passing yards during Green Bay’s postseason run.

DALLAS

Early friction between new DC Mike Zimmer and star EDGE MICAH PARSONS.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

It’s not quite Oscar Madison and Felix Unger, but Micah Parsons and Mike Zimmer are two very different people.

The Cowboys linebacker knows that, eventually, he needs to find common ground with the first-year defensive coordinator.

“Honestly, me and Zim have probably said a total of 20 words together,” Parsons said Tuesday, via Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “He’s a very quiet person. All I keep hearing from the coaches, ‘Zim likes it [like] this.’ Well, I like it this way. So I can’t wait to sit down with him because that would be pretty cool. Obviously, old school mindset, old school mentality. You know I think he’s had a lot of great players but he ain’t ever had a Micah.”

Parsons is nevertheless willing to give some ground to Zimmer.

“Obviously, some things I’ve got to get used to, too,” Parsons said. “You know it’s going to be a compromising relationship.”

They could quickly reach an impasse on the question of whether there should be a compromise. Zimmer, during his time as head coach of the Vikings, had a my-way-or-the-highway attitude. And two years out of the NFL has not softened his edge.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to do it the way I want it done,” Zimmer recently said.

Yeah, this is gonna be good. Or bad, depending on one’s perspective.

Of course, if Parsons (who showed up for mandatory minicamp) had been attending OTAs, he possibly if not probably would have had a chance to commence the process of breaking bread with the new boss, who is definitely not the same as the old boss. That said, Zimmer has surely had plenty of chances to seek out his best player for a lengthy get-acquainted conversation.

The fact that he apparently has not suggests that Zimmer fully intends to adhere to the usual football chain of command: Coaches coach, players play. Players don’t coach, and coaches like Zimmer don’t play.

Did I mention this is gonna be good?

And Parsons knows he is going to be getting a raise.  Charean Williams, also ofProFootballTalk.com:

Micah Parsons made it clear Tuesday that skipping the voluntary offseason program, including organized team activities, had nothing to do with his contract. He said he wanted to let his body heal and has his own way of doing things in the offseason.

Yes, he wants a contract extension, but the Cowboys edge rusher also knows where he stands in the pecking order.

Parsons has two years left on his rookie deal, including the fifth-year option, while quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb are entering the final year of their contracts.

“I’m patient. Patient is a virtue,” Parsons said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I’m waiting my turn. Let CeeDee go get whatever. Let Dak get whatever.”

With a $2.989 million base salary this season, Parsons is one of the most underpaid players in the NFL. The All-Pro has become one of the top defensive players in the NFL, and eventually, the Cowboys will pay him like it.

This week, Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with an annual average of $35 million.

Parsons said he expects to reset the market, topping Jefferson’s per year average.

“I mean, yeah,” he said.

The Cowboys currently are in a financial crunch with Prescott and Lamb expected to receive top-of-the-market deals at their positions. Lamb is holding out of the mandatory minicamp as he seeks his money sooner than later.

The Cowboys currently have around $12 million in cap space.

“I kind of know where the money is,” Parsons said. “It’s not like I see the Cowboys with $90 million in cap space.”

He also knows by waiting, his price is only going to go up, and the Cowboys have a bad habit of waiting too long to extend the contracts of their best players. They are going to do it with Parsons, too.

“This market is going to just jump up, and the cap goes up again next year,” Parsons said. “They’re talking about these contracts might for a high-caliber player might be up to $40 million by then.”

SAN FRANCISCO

The 49ers have extended RB CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY.  Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:

Running back Christian McCaffrey, the NFL’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year, has reset the running back market for the second time in about four years, signing a two-year contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Niners announced the deal (but did not disclose financial terms) on Tuesday afternoon, not long after sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the deal — which averages $19 million over the two added years — was done.

In addition to the two extra years (2026 and 2027), the Niners added $8 million over what McCaffrey was scheduled to make in 2024 and 2025 while adding $24 million in guarantees, the sources told Schefter. WME negotiated the contract, which follows the 2020 pact he signed with the Carolina Panthers which also set a record for running back compensation.

Last season, Christian McCaffrey became the fifth player in 49ers history to win Offensive Player of the Year and the first since Jerry Rice in 1993.

After the 49ers completed the first day of their mandatory minicamp, a relaxed McCaffrey made it clear how much it means to him to continue raising the bar at his position.

“I think it’s really important,” McCaffrey said. “I think running backs have been undervalued for a long time now and hopefully this is a step in the right direction.”

McCaffrey returned to the 49ers on Tuesday after skipping out on the voluntary portion of the offseason program. While coach Kyle Shanahan had previously declined to explain why McCaffrey was absent and pointed out that organized team activities were voluntary, there had been discussions between the sides about extending McCaffrey’s deal as a means to reward him for his impact since he arrived at the trade deadline in 2022.

The extension will keep McCaffrey with the 49ers through the 2027 season. Before the reworked deal, McCaffrey had two years remaining on the lucrative extension he signed with the Panthers.

But those two seasons had zero remaining guaranteed dollars in base salaries of $11.8 million in 2024 and $12 million in 2025. The extension guarantees all of that and comes with $8 million more for McCaffrey.

Jacob Robinson of The Athletic on how McCaffrey’s new deal impacts WR BRANDON AIYUK’s situation:

Did this open enough cap space to sign WR Brandon Aiyuk?

49ers beat reporter David Lombardi shared his answer:

“The 49ers already had enough, since a new deal for Aiyuk would almost certainly be backloaded using the same mechanisms that San Francisco has used for other big contracts like McCaffrey’s.

“They’re in the mode of handing out bonuses that, by NFL rule, hit in the cap over five-year prorations. So an Aiyuk deal could actually lower his 2024 cap hit from $14.1 million to about $8 million, similar to how McCaffrey’s 2024 hit was just reduced by about $7 million.

“The bigger question is long-term space. That’s largely dependent on the size of the NFL salary cap — the 49ers are betting that it’ll keep growing — and Brock Purdy’s potential new contract.”

In April, David took an in-depth look at a potential Aiyuk deal, noting that fully guaranteed money — which David estimates at $52.3 million — will be important in any extension. After this week, when Justin Jefferson got nearly $89 million fully guaranteed, expect this to be an important negotiating point for Aiyuk’s camp.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Aiyuk’s target was to match or exceed $28 million per year. Until Aiyuk sees that, expect him to continue to skip mandatory minicamp, which has given first-round pick Ricky Pearsall invaluable reps. Pearsall is taking advantage of the opportunity.

LAS VEGAS

QB GARDNER MINSHEW checks in from Raiders camp, his fourth team in six years as a pro.  Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com:

Gardner Minshew started 20 games for the Jaguars, four for the Eagles and 13 for the Colts. He’s on the move again, competing with Aidan O’Connell for the starting quarterback job with the Raiders.

The quarterbacks are splitting snaps with the starting offense, a rotation that is expected to continue into training camp and the preseason.

“It’s been great,” Minshew said Tuesday, via Tashan Reed of TheAthletic.com. “We’ve both put together a good camp so far. We’ve been pushing each other but also just enjoying each other and our room. . . . We’re having a ton of fun right now and being very competitive. I think that’s only going to make our team better.”

Minshew has the edge in experience, with 29 more starts, four more seasons and one more Pro Bowl appearance than O’Connell, who theoretically has more upside. Both are learning offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s offense.

The Raiders signed Minshew to a two-year, $25 million deal despite repeatedly expressing faith in O’Connell, a fourth-round pick in 2023. But the team is having a true quarterback competition, with neither the frontrunner.

CINCINNATI

Should Bengals fans be concerned that QB JOE BURROW is being given “scheduled days off” in OTAs?  Ben Baby of ESPN.com:

Call it an off day for Joe Burrow.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ star quarterback had a scheduled off day Tuesday during the team’s voluntary organized team activities, coach Zac Taylor said after practice.

The quarterback, who participated in Monday’s OTAs, is scheduled to return Wednesday and has had no setbacks from his surgery to repair a torn ligament in his throwing wrist last December.

“If you ask him, he’s going to be out here every day,” Taylor said. “And that’s part of the problem — defending the player from himself.”

Taylor said Burrow also had an off day during the team’s first week of OTAs. The sixth-year coach said the adjustment came during the second phase of the team’s offseason program and noted the volume of throws. While the team is not monitoring Burrow’s reps, Taylor said, the coaches wanted to be proactive.

Taylor indicated Burrow was receptive to the rest day as he continues his recovery.

“When he knows I’m saying something, he knows I mean it,” Taylor said. “Sometimes he knows when it’s up to discussion and sometimes it’s not. I think he knows we’re doing the right thing.”

INDIANAPOLIS

There’s injury prone – and then there is Colts S DANIEL SCOTT.  He has now suffered a season-ending injury in both of his NFL seasons, both times in non-contact workouts before even putting on the pads.  Shanna McCarriston of CBSSports.com:

Indianapolis Colts safety Daniel Scott will miss his sophomore season after rupturing his Achilles during practice last week, according to head coach Shane Steichen. Scott was a fifth-round selection by the Colts in 2023 at No. 158 overall.

Scott, 25, also suffered a major injury last offseason, tearing his ACL during OTAs in 2023. He was unable to play last season due to the injury.

Scott came into the NFL with five years of collegiate experience under his belt and older than most rookies. He finished with 207 tackles, seven interceptions and three forced fumbles over those five seasons.

With special team experience in college, he would likely have made an impact there first while working his way up to becoming a consistent member of the defense. Indianapolis’ secondary was not atop the league last season, and Scott had a real chance of being a difference-maker and getting snaps during this season.

The Colts safety room also includes Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas II, Trevor Denbow and Marcel Dabo.

– – –

The Colts like the early linkage between QB JAMES RICHARDSON and rookie WR ADONAI MITCHELL.  James Boyd of The Athletic:

Adonai Mitchell hasn’t seen anything like Anthony Richardson. The Indianapolis Colts rookie receiver knew the players in the NFL would be different, but nothing he’s seen in his career prepared him for his new quarterback.

Richardson is one of one, Mitchell said, the kind of athlete that makes him rethink what’s possible.

“He’s like a created player,” Mitchell said Tuesday before the Colts began their first day of veteran minicamp. “He’s like one of them players that can legit do anything on the field. You talk about arm strength? Crazy arm strength. This man can roll right, throw on the opposite hash to the left. It’s a lot of stuff I ain’t seen before.”

Mitchell described Richardson as a “freak.” The 22-year-old QB scored seven total touchdowns in just four games last year, making several explosive plays, before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury. Richardson is now fully healthy again, and he’s quickly gotten on the same page as his new target.

After flashing their potential as a duo during OTAs, Mitchell and Richardson picked up where they left off. They connected on two TDs in the red zone during seven-on-seven drills Tuesday. On the first one, Mitchell beat Jaylon Jones and twisted his body to haul in an over-the-shoulder grab.

“You talk about just building chemistry, I’ve just been excited,” Mitchell said. “Every time I step up on the field, I’m like, ‘Man, what are we gonna get today?’ I can’t wait to see it, I can’t wait to be a part of it, and I can’t wait to play with it.”

Mitchell added that “the play is never over with” when Richardson has the ball in his hands, so it makes their scramble drills even more important. Those reps came in handy on their second TD connection Tuesday as Richardson rolled to his right and scrambled a bit before delivering a strike to Mitchell, who leaped to snag the ball out of the air near the back pylon while still managing to tap his toes and stay inbounds.

Mitchell played against Richardson in the SEC, and after watching what Richardson did to some of his former college teammates, he’s thrilled to be on the same side as Richardson in the NFL.

“It’s been fun just learning each other,” Mitchell said. “Just kind of what he likes to do, kind of what I think as a receiver and just kind of mixing the two. Because once we’re on the same page, if the whole offense is on the same page with that one man, it’ll be a very special year.”

Richardson’s best throws came during the seven-on-seven period, but overall, he had an up-and-down day to open veteran minicamp, including a few plays when he held onto the ball for too long. The second-year QB finished 4-of-5 passing in 11-on-11s, with three completions to Josh Downs and one to D.J. Montgomery. Richardson’s lone TD in 11-on-11 was on a lofted pass to Downs that didn’t come off Richardson’s hand clean and fluttered through the air.

After one throw during team drills, Richardson briefly left the field with a grimace on his face. He dropped to his knees on the sideline, took his helmet off and reached for his lower back while being looked at by an athletic trainer. Richardson then used a foam roller to roll out his lower back, and he eventually resumed all individual and team drills.

NEW ENGLAND

Is this just sensible, or is QB DRAKE MAYE already a disappointment?  Jason Owens ofYahooSports.com on the Patriots plan to ride with QB JACOBY BRISSETT for now.

Drake Maye is undoubtedly the presumed quarterback of the future in New England, but he’s not the Patriots’ starter right now.

That job continues to belong to Jacoby Brissett, who remained the No. 1 quarterback during drills at Patriots OTAs on Tuesday.

After drills on Tuesday, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt was asked about New England’s quarterback room. He made it clear that Brissett remains at the top of the depth chart.

“Jacoby, again, is our starter,” Van Pelt told reporters. “He’s playing excellent football for us in the spring. And Drake is coming on. Until that changes, we’re gonna stick with what we’ve got.”

Van Pelt noted that there’s “no timetable” for the team to switch to Maye, whom it selected with the No. 3 pick in April’s NFL Draft. Van Pelt’s comments echoed those of executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, who said on May 28 that Brissett was No. 1 on the depth chart.

“Right now, it’s Jacoby Brissett,” Wolf told the “Up & Adams Show.”

“He’s taking the first reps, and we’re excited about what he’s shown, not only off the field but also on the field with his throwing ability.

“Drake Maye, let’s be honest, we’ve had him for three weeks now. There’s a long way to go to for all of our rookies and all of our players as we adapt to this new scheme that coach Van Pelt is implementing offensively.”

Van Pelt: Maye’s progress is ‘impressive’

Van Pelt offered praise for Maye on Tuesday, calling his progress “impressive.”

“He’s come out, taken everything from the classroom, everything from our individual periods and applied them to the team drills,” Van Pelt said. “He’s been impressive so far. The biggest things we’re working on with him right now, obviously calling plays from the huddle, which is new to a lot of these college guys. And then just playing in rhythm and in time with your feet.”

Maye echoed Van Pelt’s coaching while speaking with reporters.

“It’s easy getting them and knowing what I’m going to do,” Maye said Tuesday of implementing calls, per Boston.com. “But telling those guys and being in the huddle and motioning different guys, using my cadence. Just playing quarterback, playing the position.

“Not as much making throws and stuff. Also, I think footwork is a big thing. We’ve hashed on that. I think it’s a work in progress, and I feel pretty good about it.”

When will Maye start?

Maye joins the Patriots after a standout two-season stint as the starter for North Carolina. A 6-foot-5, 220-pound athlete with a big arm and a penchant for making plays, he has all the tools of a prototypical NFL quarterback. Everything coming out of Patriots camp suggests that those tools are raw.

“I think of it as a marathon over a sprint,” Van Pelt continued when asked about Maye’s progress. “You just don’t go out and run a marathon. You have to train properly for a marathon. It’s the same with a quarterback.”

Brissett, meanwhile, is one of the league’s most experienced backups, a ninth-year veteran with 48 NFL starts under his belt. There’s no reason in New England to rush Maye. The Patriots have no intention of pushing him into a starting role before they believe he’s ready.

In a league where the pressure to succeed now often trumps the long-term picture, rookie quarterbacks are regularly thrust into the spotlight whether they’re ready or not. With a new staff under rookie head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots are prioritizing the long run over that short-term pressure.

“There’s a process,” Van Pelt continued. “We follow that process, we trust that process. You can’t just stick a guy out there and expect him to be successful without the proper training. … We always talk about earning your reps around here. As he continues to grow and have successful practices and starts stacking those, then we can think about moving him up the depth chart.”

THIS AND THAT

BELICHICK IN CROATIA

With time on his hands, Bill Belichick has returned to his ancestral roots to great fanfare.  Mike Reiss of ESPN.com on the new citizen of Croatia:

Bill Belichick has taken the time he would normally be coaching in the NFL to visit Croatia, where in recent days he met with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and President Zoran Milanović, and received a Croatian certificate of nationality.

Belichick also attended the Croatian national soccer team’s 3-0 win over North Macedonia on Monday, and later met with the team, which posted pictures of his visit on X.

This marks the first time since 1975 that Belichick — who won six Super Bowl championships as coach of the New England Patriots and two others as a New York Giants assistant — isn’t coaching in the NFL. The Patriots and Belichick parted ways in January after 24 seasons.

In recent years, Belichick often wore a Croatian pin to news conferences, as well as a patch on his sideline apparel as part an NFL initiative. He also wore a Croatian necktie at times to postgame news conferences.

As part of his visit with the Croatian national soccer team, Belichick explained his Croatian roots.

“My grandparents came to the USA in 1910 from Draganić and had a difficult life, but that’s why my father [Steve], also an American football coach, managed to live his American dream,” he said, according to a report from the newspaper Večernji. “Yesterday, I became a Croatian citizen. Now I’m one of you.”

Belichick has been celebrated for his accomplishments during his trip to Croatia, which was sparked by an invitation from television producer Pete Radovich as part of the upcoming Sunset Sports Media Festival.

In his meeting with Milanović, Belichick was honored with the Order of the Croatian Star featuring the effigy of Franjo Bučar — an esteemed recognition for promoting the reputation and interests of Croatia over his career.

While Belichick won’t be coaching in the NFL this season, he still plans to be connected to the game. For one, he has agreed to be a weekly guest on the “ManningCast” for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”

BEST DRAFT CLASSES

Aaron Schaatz of ESPN.com presents the best draft classes of this century.  His methodology doesn’t reveal any since 2018.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the greatest draft class in NFL history, the 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers drafted four different future Hall of Famers — wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, linebacker Jack Lambert and center Mike Webster — who would eventually help power them to four Super Bowl titles. No team since has come close to that draft accomplishment, but we’ve seen some pretty good and deep draft classes in recent years, with multiple players having strong NFL careers.

We decided to evaluate the best team draft classes of the 21st century. Our choices balance star players with depth. That last part is important because we wanted to choose classes where a lot of players had NFL careers rather than classes with just a couple of huge starts.

We limited our list to draft classes with at least four players with substantial NFL careers. That means you won’t see teams such as the 2001 San Diego Chargers, who drafted Drew Brees and LaDainian Tomlinson but not much more. Also, we judged these classes based on everything players did in the NFL, not just what they did for the teams that selected them on draft day. And with apologies to the 2022 New York Jets, 2023 Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams, we didn’t consider classes after 2021 because there’s still so much to come for those players.

What were the best draft classes of the 21st century? We stacked them from No. 12 to No. 1:

12. 2006 Denver Broncos

The Broncos led off this draft with quarterback Jay Cutler at No. 11 overall. He had 10 years as an NFL starter, a very successful career despite never quite meeting his potential. But the real finds came in the fourth round, where the Broncos had three picks.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall made six Pro Bowls during his 13-year career. Edge rusher Elvis Dumervil made five Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro twice. Wide receiver Domenik Hixon also had some useful years with the Giants. In the fifth round, the Broncos selected Chris Kuper, a five-year starter at guard.

11. 2001 Cincinnati Bengals

There’s value in this class at the top and bottom. The Bengals started off by using the No. 4 pick on defensive end Justin Smith. He was a 14-year starter for the Bengals and 49ers, making five Pro Bowls once he moved on to San Francisco and finishing third in the Defensive Player of the Year balloting in 2011.

In the second round came wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, who had nine years as an NFL starter with six Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro selections. Then, in the seventh round, came Johnson’s running partner T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who had an 11-year career and six seasons of at least 900 receiving yards. Between Johnson and Houshmandzadeh was fourth-round running back Rudi Johnson, who started for five years in Cincinnati and rushed for at least 1,300 yards in three straight seasons.

10. 2017 New Orleans Saints

This was an exceedingly deep draft for the Saints. They had six picks in the first three rounds, and all six players have been regular NFL starters. First-round cornerback Marshon Lattimore has made four Pro Bowls. At the end of the first round, the Saints took right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who was first-team All-Pro in 2019. In the second round, the Saints selected safety Marcus Williams, who immediately started at free safety and spent five years in New Orleans before moving on to Baltimore, where he has started two seasons.

Then came three picks in the third round, two of whom became Pro Bowlers. Running back Alvin Kamara was chosen 67th overall. Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson was chosen 103rd overall. In between was linebacker Alex Anzalone (76th overall), who struggled with injuries before emerging as a regular starter in Detroit the past three seasons. Even the final pick, edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad, started 34 NFL games (mostly for Indianapolis) in six seasons.

9. 2014 Oakland Raiders

Jadeveon Clowney was supposed to be the can’t-miss pass-rushing selection in the 2014 draft, but the Raiders drafted the best edge rusher in the class with the No. 5 pick. Khalil Mack has made the Pro Bowl eight times with three first-team All-Pro selections and five seasons of double-digit sacks. He was Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and will likely be in the Hall of Fame one day. In the second round, the Raiders took Derek Carr, who spent nine years as their starting quarterback before moving on to the Saints.

The third-round pick was guard Gabe Jackson, a nine-year starter for the Raiders and Seahawks. Fourth-round pick Justin Ellis started a couple of years at defensive tackle for the Raiders and also played for the Ravens and Giants. The Raiders even got two useful players in the seventh round. T.J. Carrie started 54 games at cornerback and safety for four NFL teams, including two seasons as a regular starter for the Raiders. Defensive lineman Shelby Harris barely played in Oakland but eventually emerged as a useful starter for the Broncos before moving on to the Seahawks as part of the Russell Wilson trade. He also started seven games for Cleveland in 2023.

8. 2005 Dallas Cowboys

Here’s another deep draft where, as with the 2017 Saints, seven players had at least one season as an NFL starter. However, this one also has a Hall of Famer at the very top. The Cowboys kicked off their 2005 draft with two first-round picks. Edge rusher DeMarcus Ware was the first selected at No. 11. He was first-team All-Pro four times and went to nine Pro Bowls with the Cowboys and Broncos. Nine picks later, the Cowboys took Marcus Spears, a 5-technique lineman who started 90 NFL games. Second-round pick Kevin Burnett was a role player in Dallas but later started for four and a half seasons in San Diego, Miami and Oakland.

In the fourth round, the Cowboys got running back Marion Barber — who never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season but had four seasons with at least seven touchdowns — and another defensive lineman, Chris Canty, who started 128 games for the Cowboys, Giants and Ravens. Sixth-round offensive tackle Rob Petitti started every game as a rookie but quickly faded out of the league. Still, this draft wasn’t over for the Cowboys. Seventh-round defensive tackle Jay Ratliff was the Cowboys’ starting nose tackle from 2007 through 2011, making four Pro Bowls and one first-team All-Pro.

7. 2006 Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals took only four players who had real NFL careers in this draft, but one of them will make the Hall of Fame and three of them had at least 60 career Approximate Value points, according to Pro Football Reference. First-round pick Johnathan Joseph had a 15-year career, primarily as a starting cornerback in Cincinnati and Houston, with two Pro Bowl selections.

Second-round pick Andrew Whitworth was named first-team All-Pro twice, once for the Bengals and once for the Rams, and helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI in his final season. Third-round pick Frostee Rucker played 12 NFL seasons for four teams as a 5-technique defensive end. Fourth-round pick Domata Peko had a 15-year career as a defensive tackle, mostly as a starter for Cincinnati and also with Denver, Baltimore and Arizona.

6. 2018 Baltimore Ravens

This was an interesting draft because it had so many valuable players despite the Ravens whiffing on their first selection. Nine players selected by the Ravens in 2018 have accumulated at least 10 career Approximate Value points. Tight end Hayden Hurst was chosen at No. 25 but has only one season with at least 10 games started — and that was for Cincinnati in 2022. The Ravens traded back into the first round and selected quarterback Lamar Jackson with the 32nd pick. He has only won two MVP awards for them. The Ravens didn’t have a second-round pick but had two in the third round, and those picks became offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who has made four Pro Bowls so far, and tight end Mark Andrews, who has made three.

The fourth round brought cornerback Anthony Averett and linebacker Kenny Young, who each had five-year NFL careers. In the sixth round, the Ravens got safety DeShon Elliott, who became a starter in his second season before playing for Detroit and Miami. He signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh this offseason. But wait, we aren’t done! Three picks after Elliott came offensive lineman Bradley Bozeman, who moved into the Baltimore starting lineup in his second season and has started three seasons for the Ravens and two for the Panthers at left guard or center. Even seventh-round defensive lineman Zach Sieler has had a nice career since he went to Miami in the middle of the 2019 season, spending the past two years as a regular starter.

5. 2012 Seattle Seahawks

Here’s an interesting draft where the Seahawks might have selected two Hall of Famers, but neither came in the first round. There’s an interesting debate to be had about what quarterback Russell Wilson’s late-career struggles in Denver — and what he does in Pittsburgh this year will mean for his Hall of Fame case. But that doesn’t change the fact the Seahawks got a signal-caller in the third round who made nine Pro Bowls for them in 10 years and led them to two Super Bowls, winning one. Second-round linebacker Bobby Wagner will likely make it to Canton; he has been a first-team All-Pro six times.

What about the rest of this draft? First-round pick Bruce Irvin has bounced around the league for the past few years but started at least nine games as an edge rusher in eight seasons. In the seventh round, the Seahawks got defensive tackle J.R. Sweezy. He moved to offense in his second year and was a starter at guard for three different teams for seven seasons from 2013 through 2020. In between, the Seahawks also drafted fourth-round running back Robert Turbin, who had an eight-year NFL career; fourth-round defensive tackle Jaye Howard, who eventually started two seasons in Tampa; and sixth-round nickelback Jeremy Lane, who played a key role in the 2013 and 2014 Super Bowls.

4. 2008 Atlanta Falcons

This one is a bit top-heavy, led by the recently retired Matt Ryan, the most valuable player in Falcons history. He spent 14 years as their starting quarterback and was the league MVP in 2016. With a second first-round pick, the Falcons selected offensive lineman Sam Baker, who started three seasons and parts of a couple of others as Atlanta’s left tackle. Second-round pick Curtis Lofton immediately became the Falcons’ middle linebacker and started four seasons for them, then three for the Saints and one for the Raiders.

In the third round, the Falcons took safety Thomas DeCoud, a six-year starter for two teams who made the Pro Bowl once for Atlanta, and slot receiver Harry Douglas, who had more than 1,000 receiving yards in 2013. Finally, the fifth round brought edge rusher Kroy Biermann, a rotational player who started most of 2010 and 2014.

3. 2004 Arizona Cardinals

The biggest star from this draft was No. 3 selection Larry Fitzgerald, who will eventually make the Hall of Fame after a 17-year career. It’s eye-popping that he only was named a first-team All-Pro once. Second-round pick Karlos Dansby was never named first-team All-Pro or even a Pro Bowler, but he was a regular starter at linebacker for four teams over 14 NFL seasons.

Third-round pick Darnell Dockett started 10 seasons for the Cardinals, first at defensive tackle before moving to defensive end. And fifth-round pick Antonio Smith had a 15-year career on the defensive line, mostly for Arizona and Houston but also for Denver, where he helped the Broncos and their great defense to a Super Bowl 50 title. Two centers, fourth-round pick Alex Stepanovich and sixth-round pick Nick Leckey, also had short NFL careers.

2. 2004 San Diego Chargers

We could play this one a couple ways. The Chargers started their 2004 draft by selecting quarterback Eli Manning with the No. 1 pick. Or would you rather consider their first-round pick to be quarterback Philip Rivers since they immediately dealt Manning to the Giants for the rights to Rivers and three other picks? Either way, the Chargers began the 2004 draft with a possible Hall of Fame quarterback before moving on to select seven players with at least 15 career Approximate Value points. The strongest of those players was center Nick Hardwick, a third-round pick who started nine years in San Diego with one Pro Bowl appearance. The other third-round pick, Nate Kaeding, was their kicker for seven seasons and was chosen first-team All-Pro in 2009.

The Chargers used a second-round pick on defensive end Igor Olshansky, a seven-year starter for San Diego and Dallas. Edge rusher Shaun Phillips came in the fourth round and became a seven-year starter in San Diego before a year with the Broncos. Fifth-round defensive lineman Dave Ball had an eight-year career for three NFL teams, eventually becoming a starter for the Titans. Fifth-round running back Michael Turner was a strong backup to LaDainian Tomlinson before getting big money to start for the Falcons, where he was selected a first-team All-Pro in 2008 after rushing for 1,699 yards. Finally, Shane Olivea dropped to the seventh round because of a pectoral muscle injury but became an immediate starter for the Chargers. He spent four seasons as the right tackle before leaving for the Giants in free agency, where a back injury cost him the rest of his career.

1. 2006 New Orleans Saints

Here’s the best draft of the 21st century: six different NFL veterans with at least six seasons as a regular starter and 49 or more career Approximate Value points. The biggest name here on draft day was Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush, chosen No. 2 overall. Bush had an 11-year career with five different NFL teams, topping 1,000 combined yards from scrimmage four times.

But the real star came in the fourth round, when the Saints took guard Jahri Evans out of Division II Bloomsburg. Evans started for 11 seasons in New Orleans plus one season in Green Bay, making six Pro Bowls and getting chosen first-team All-Pro in four straight seasons from 2009 through 2012. In between Bush and Evans came second-round safety Roman Harper, who had an 11-year career, mostly as a starting strong safety for New Orleans and Carolina. He made the Pro Bowl twice.

The Saints selected edge rusher Rob Ninkovich in the fifth round but barely got anything out of him before he moved on to two years in Miami. He didn’t blossom until he signed with the Patriots, eventually starting seven seasons on the edge and winning two Super Bowls. Finally, the Saints got not just one, but two, regular starters out of the final round. Zach Strief, chosen at No. 210, was a backup lineman for a few years before eventually starting at right tackle from 2011 through 2016. And Marques Colston, chosen at No. 252, became an immediate starter at wide receiver and had six seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards during a 10-year career spent entirely with the Saints.

The 2006 Saints drafted both stars and depth, and that’s why this is the best draft class of the 21st century.