These Quarterbacks and Their Cards Got Help on NFL Draft Day
The first round of the NFL Draft took place last night and some of the franchises that are building around young quarterbacks took the opportunity to put their franchise players in a better position to succeed. Let's take a look at what happened, and where these quarterbacks stand in The Hobby, and what may be to come.
RELATED: Travis Hunter Provides New Opportunity for Trevor Lawrence Card Market
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Last year's top overall draft pick, Williams showed some serious flashes of elite potential early in the year, before he and the Bears struggled down the stretch, losing 10 of the last 11 games. Drafting TE Colston Loveland out of Michigan gives new Head Coach Ben Johnson and his quarterback a versatile weapon. If Johnson can utilize Loveland in a manner similar to Sam LaPorta in Detroit, Caleb Williams will be very happy indeed.
Williams was a hot chase in The Hobby to start the season last year. Since April 10, Williams' 2024 Panini Donruss Downtown RC has sold six times, ranging from $1,550 - $1,825.
RELATED: Will Campbell Cards Could Go North in New England
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye has New England and The Hobby buzzing. However, the team's struggles on the offensive line made it difficult to judge what Maye's ceiling may be, and perhaps hindered his development in his rookie year. Enter tackle Will Campbell. The fourth overall draft pick could be a huge addition for Maye's and the Patriots development.
The quarterback for one of the league's biggest franchises, Maye's 2024 Topps Chrome Rookie Auto /10 sold for over $4,500 on Draft Day. Through one year, Maye is right there with Caleb Williams when it comes to high-end card sales. 11 Maye sales have hit five-figures. Williams? 13.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Will the Bryce Young comeback tour continue into next season? While he didn't make a leap into the league's elite, Young showed just enough after a bad start last year to give hope to Carolina fans. Drafting Tetairoa McMillan eighth overall could seriously raise the ceiling of this team and its still-young signal-caller.
Young's top sale is bigger than Caleb Williams or Drakey Maye's. $50,000 for his 2023 Panini Prizm Black Finite 1/1 in January 2024. That said, over the last year, his top sale is $11,370 for a Gold Vinyl Prizm RC /5. Drake Maye's Gold Vinyl Prizm RC/5 sold for $26,000 last week. Could his new Wide Receiver help Bryce Young climb back into the upper echelon of The Hobby?
RELATED: Ashton Jeanty Cards Rise After Going 6th Overall to the Raiders
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Maybe Jayden Daniels doesn't need anymore help? The rookie wowed the league and The Hobby in his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign. Still, the Commanders chose to further strengthen the offensive line to protect their greatest asset. Josh Conerly Jr. joins from Oregon, and along with huge addition Laremy Tunsil, Daniels is primed to go even further next season.
Today, Daniels has separated himself from these other young quarterbacks in The Hobby. Six sales of 50K or more. Five-figure sales? Caleb 13, Maye 11. Jayden Daniels? 46. With an improved offensive line, Daniels may just be Top of Class for a while yet.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.