NFL Analyst Merril Hoge Admits Upcoming QB Class Has Little To No First-Round Talents

The NFL Draft is almost here. And everyone's wondering who will land where after Caleb Williams goes to the Bears at No. 1.

Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix, Jr., and Bo Nix make up this year's draft QB carousel. 

While names like McDaniels, Maye and McCarthy shuffle around the top five, an underlying doubt behind these ‘experiments’ prompts an interesting conversation about which one of these guys will work. If any.

'OutKick Hot Mic with Hutton & Withrow' brought on NFL analyst and former player Merril Hoge to discuss the top QB prospects on Tuesday's show.

Like fans, Hoge has his critical doubts about this class.

"Listen, there's no C.J. Stroud in this one," Hoge told the Hot Mic guys.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - (L-R) Peyton Manning receives the Bert Bell Award for Professional Player of the Year from Merril Hoge at the 77th Annual Maxwell Football Club Awards Dinner at Ovation Hall Revel Resort & Casino March 14, 2014.  (Photo by Bill McCay/WireImage)

"These guys being talked about going in the first round, everybody. But, J.J. McCarthy, that's, he's not a first round draft pick," he added.

Merrill Hoge acknowledged that this year's batch of runner-up QBs are set up for moments bigger than their respective talents.

These guys shouldn't be viewed as franchise starters, Hoge said.

He pivoted to Drake Maye, generally viewed as the second pick of the upcoming draft.

"This Maye kid out of North Carolina," Hoge said, "I would never touch him in the first round. But, if you dropped the second round, I might take a shot at him, but I won't touch him."

WATCH:

Withrow asked Hoge about Jayden Daniels, sitting at the top of his QB rankings, behind Caleb Williams.

Hoge admitted to the Heisman winner being the most ‘polished’ of the bunch.

"Jayden Daniels actually is, I think, the most polished, but he is not C.J. Stroud.

"He's a guy that plays the pro-style system. You see him function in that environment. He is dynamic from a quickness and speed perspective. His delivery and accuracy and footwork and presence in the pocket. …

"He's not a C.J. Stroud, but there's a lot I like to work with there. I've watched that kid since Arizona State where he did none of this. … You want to see him get better every year. He's evolved exactly how you would want to see somebody evolve."

Watch the full clip of Merrill Hoge's appearance on ‘OutKick Hot Mic':

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