The 2024 quarterback class was supposed to be special, and it’s taken less than a season and a half for it to make its mark on the NFL.

Jayden Daniels enjoyed one of the most spectacular rookie debuts in league history, leading the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 33 years and being named Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Drake Maye is charting a similar superstar trajectory in New England, while Bo Nix and Caleb Williams are leading resurgences in Denver and Chicago, respectively.

And while the jury is still out on Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy and Spencer Rattler, they have played well enough to land leading starting roles in Atlanta, Minnesota and New Orleans.

“It certainly was a very talented group,” Saints head coach Kellen Moore said. “The high picks (from the 2024 class) are playing the way you anticipated them playing. All three are playing at a really high level. And the depth of that class is starting to show up. Spence is doing a really good job, and I’m really proud of the way he has continued to grow each and every week.”

Expectations were high for the class. NFL teams selected six quarterbacks in the first 12 slots of the 2024 NFL Draft, tying the record set in 1983. All six, plus Rattler, who the Saints selected in the fifth round, are now starting for their respective teams.

“We have a strong class,” Rattler said. “I like to put myself up with any of those guys from that lass. Been competing with those guys since high school ball, (and) still doing it to this day. I definitely want to be mentioned int that group, because I feel like, confidence wise, I’m up there with those guys, and we can all play.”

Time will tell if the group has the production and staying power of the famed 1983 (John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino), 2004 (Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger) or 2018 (Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield) classes. But it’s off to a strong start.

Here’s how I’d rank the Class of 2024 today, taking into account how each quarterback has played so far and projecting his potential future impact:

No. 1 Drake Maye, Patriots

If we re-drafted the 2024 NFL Draft, I believe Maye would be the No. 1 overall pick. He has improved dramatically since last season and has outperformed all of his peers so far this year. His passer efficiency rating (108.0), completion percentage (73.2%), touchdown-to-interception ratio (10-2) and yardage total (1,522) are the best of the class.

Next to Williams, he has the best arm talent of the group, and at 6-4, 225, he has the prototypical size and mobility of a modern franchise quarterback.

What’s more, Maye is the second youngest member of the group, so his ceiling could be the highest in the class. The Patriots’ future looks bright with Maye, and he already has them poised to make the playoffs this season.

No. 2, Jayden Daniels, Commanders

Daniels’ outperformed his rivals by a mile as a rookie, but there’s been slight regression in Year 2, and the Commanders are off to a slow 3-3 start largely because of it.

A knee injury sidelined Daniels for two games, so his production is down slightly across the board. His 7-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio remains stellar, but his 94.7 passer rating is down from a year ago and ranks just 15th among NFL starters.

Daniels remains the most dangerous runner in the class, but the Commanders might want him to pick and choose his scramble attempts so he can avoid injury and wear and tear to his slight frame.

Daniels made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, but he’ll need a strong second half to earn a second invitation. And the Commanders will need him to turn it up a notch if they hope to return to the playoffs in Daniels’ second season.

No. 3, Caleb Williams, Bears

Williams is the most naturally gifted passer in the class, and he’s improved significantly in Year 2 under first-year head coach Ben Johnson.

After taking his lumps during a 5-12 rookie season, Williams has led the Bears to three consecutive wins and a promising 3-2 start, in part, because of his improved situational execution. Williams leads the group with a 118.6 passer rating on third down and his 40.5% conversion rate is third behind only Maye (45.7%) and Penix (45.5%).

Still, his 61.6% completion percentage and 40.8% success rate are well below the league averages.

Williams’ passing talent is undeniable. Now, it’s just a matter of improving his consistency and intangibles.

No. 4, Bo Nix, Broncos

Nix’s raw numbers don’t match up with the top three of this group except in one key area: wins. He’s 14-9 as a starter and led the Broncos to a playoff berth for the first time in nine years as a rookie.

He still throws too many interceptions for Sean Payton’s liking, but otherwise, he runs the offense like a veteran and keeps the Broncos out of negative situations with his mobility, pre-snap reads and play under pressure.

He leads the group with a 95.5 passer rating in the red zone and has already led two fourth-quarter comeback wins this season, giving him five in his career, tops in the class.

No. 5, Michael Penix, Falcons

The former Washington standout has experienced the typical highs and lows of a second-year quarterback in his first season as a full-time starter. He’s only thrown four touchdown passes so far, and his completion percentage (62.4%) and passer efficiency rating (82.2) are well below the league averages.

Penix has performed well on third down, with a 45.5% conversion rate, but his red zone execution has been poor. He’s completed just 8 of 18 passes for a 56.4 passer rating inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Still, he had a signature win when he outdueled league MVP Josh Allen on Monday Night Football earlier this week and has shown the ability to perform in the clutch that some of his peers have lacked so far.

No. 6, Spencer Rattler, Saints

Rattler has improved in multiple areas under Moore’s tutelage. His completion percentage has climbed from 57% to 68% and would be higher if not for 10 drops by his receivers. He is making quicker decisions with the ball (2.63-second average time to throw) and avoiding negative plays (1 interception, 11 sacks).

Situational football has been an issue. He has completed just 46 percent of his passes in the red zone, the lowest mark among quarterbacks with 20 or more attempts, and has a pedestrian 82.1 passer rating on third down, where his 27.5% conversion rate ranks last in the group.

Rattler’s 1-11 career record as a starter also can’t be ignored. The setbacks are not solely attributable to him, but wins and losses do matter. While Rattler has played solidly so far, he needs a signature moment — a fourth-quarter comeback win or game-winning drive — to burnish his bona fides as a front-line starter.

No. 7 J.J. McCarthy, Vikings

The former Michigan standout has had a rough start to his NFL career. He missed his rookie season because of a knee injury and has been sidelined since Week 2 with a high ankle sprain. His two starts this season were a mixed bag. He led the Vikings to a big comeback win on the road against the Bears in the season opener, then looked overwhelmed in a home loss to the Falcons in Week 2.

McCarthy has an excellent tutor in Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, so there is reason to believe in his potential as an NFL starter. But his body work is limited right now and doesn’t measure up to his peers.