12. Nick Caserio, Houston Texans
Nick Caserio hit a home run in the 2023 NFL Draft with CJ Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. The Houston Texans were a tire fire before he got there, and the Texans are just another example of a team that got the QB right. When you get the QB right in the NFL, as I have said before, most issues go away. However, the Texans have a clear deficiency along their offensive line, and that has been a huge reason why they just do not feel like a true contender this season.
Still, though, Caserio deserves a lot of credit for what he has done in such a short amount of time.
11. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Minnesota Vikings
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would have been higher on this list if JJ McCarthy did not get hurt and was looking like a promising rookie QB for the Minnesota Vikings. The bright side here is that KAM has gotten most everything else on the roster taken care of, so when McCarthy is handed the reigns, hopefully in 2025, he'll be entering into a great situation.
But I do wonder if the Vikings would keep Sam Darnold around for another year or so if he keeps this play up.
10. Joe Hortiz, Los Angeles Chargers
This is only his first year on the job, but it's clear that Joe Hortiz knows how to draft. Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Cam Hart, and Tarheeb Still have all been notable year-one contributors for LA. It's probably considered a good draft if a team comes away with three-ish starters. The Chargers may have two above-average starters in Alt and McConkey and two other average starters in Hart and Still.
9. Brett Veach, Kansas City Chiefs
Brett Veach is not as high on this list as you may think, and while no one can predict injuries, it does feel like that Veach sometimes puts a bit too much faith in Patrick Mahomes. Even coming into the 2024 NFL Season, the Chiefs playmakers felt below-average at best, and now injuries have magnified that. Veach is still a very good GM, but I do believe he left a lot of meat on the bone this past offseason.