Self-scouting is a critical component of talent evaluation.

Anyone who evaluates the NFL draft will have their share of hits and misses—whether we're discussing general managers, scouts, coaches or outside agencies. How each adapts after seeing how individuals evolve is an important step of the process.

Once upon a time, the archetype for a professional quarterback looked like Drew Bledsoe and Carson Palmer. Today, the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have revolutionized how the position is viewed and valued. These adjustments can be the difference between staying ahead of the curve or becoming obsolete.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department is now in its fifth cycle of operation. The group strives to provide all-encompassing draft coverage through the work of multiple scouts, writers and editors. After building consistency over time, hits and misses occur. It's simply the nature of the beast.

But we can go back and look at where things might have gone right or wrong, beginning with this year's rookie quarterback class.

For transparency, B/R had the quarterbacks ranked as followed going into April's draft:

1. Drake Maye, North Carolina (9.3)
2. Caleb Williams, USC (9.2)
3. Jayden Daniels, LSU (7.6)
4. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan (7.5)
5. Bo Nix, Oregon (7.2)
6. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina (7.2)
7. Michael Penix Jr., Washington (6.9)  

Now halfway through their first seasons, let's look at those seven quarterbacks, who are either starting or had the potential to start in their first year, and see how they're faring compared to their predraft evaluations. Maybe something can be learned along the way.

To be clear, a designation regarding a hit or miss is based purely through the lens of the previous evaluation.

Hit: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Pre-draft Grade: 9.2
Overall Ranking: Fourth

Caleb Williams was the expected No. 1 overall pick throughout the 2023 campaign, though he wasn't Bleacher Report's top-ranked quarterback prospect for the 2024 class. Drake Maye was.

Still, Williams held a strong top-four ranking overall. Ultimately, the Chicago Bears parted ways with Justin Fields and moved forward with the selection of Williams at the top of this year's draft.

In review, the USC product's scouting report seems spot-on based on everything he's shown to date:

"Areas of improvement for Williams mostly come down to consistency.

"Williams is a quality processor, but he sometimes gets in his own way. His affinity for the big play can mean he'll pass up easier opportunities earlier in the down. Additionally, Williams tends to drop back square to the offensive line (which helps him stay on his toes and see). That can disrupt his timing on specific routes because he needs an extra step to gather himself. These are not fatal flaws, but he'll need to improve upon them in the NFL.

"Overall, Williams is a fascinating prospect. The arm talent oozes off the film, and he is a special playmaker when things break down. Williams is also more put together as a processor than his playing style suggests, even if he still needs work."

Throughout the Bears' first nine games, Williams did need to experience a series of adjustments. As a result, his season has basically become the rule of threes unto itself.

In his first three starts, this year's No. 1 selection completed 59.3 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and five turnovers.

Williams then caught fire over the next three contests, and his playmaking ability and arm talent really began to shine. He completed 74.1 percent of his attempts with a seven-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio. The Bears won all three of those contests.

Yet over the last three weeks as opponents adjusted, inconsistencies arose. He completed just 50.5 percent of his passes, which all, unsurprisingly, turned into losses for Chicago.

The ability to be something special is readily apparent when it comes to the 22-year-old. Williams must now show he can be counted upon every week to be the same player and leader, though.

Miss: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Pre-draft Grade: 7.6
Overall Ranking: 31st

Jayden Daniels is well on his way to claiming 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors while helping to lead the Washington Commanders into the postseason for the first time in four years.

The 23-year-old looks the part of a franchise quarterback every bit worth the second overall pick that the Commanders used to select him. He does not look like a late-first-round talent, as B/R graded him.

The disconnect stems from not projecting Daniels' continued improvement to the professional level after seeing him steadily increase his overall play every year on campus.

His scouting report included specific concerns that are still present to a degree but overshadowed the bigger picture.

"Daniels' arm talent and accuracy is a mixed bag. On one hand, he's a phenomenal deep thrower in rhythm. He regularly drops it in the bucket without needing his receivers to break stride. However, Daniels' arm strength and accuracy are less dangerous to other parts of the field. He doesn't always have the velocity to fit tight windows, and his accuracy in the 1-20 yard range comes and goes. Daniels' accuracy especially falls off when he's forced to throw out of rhythm or late in the down.

"Overall, Daniels has an exciting floor as a prospect. He is a veteran-like presence in the pocket, and he's far and away the best athlete in the class at the position. Daniels' average arm talent and inconsistent accuracy may limit his ceiling, but it's hard to imagine him totally flaming out. Daniels would be best in an offense that leans into his rushing ability and vertical passing, similar to Kyler Murray or Jalen Hurts."

While the reigning Heisman Trophy winner didn't play well Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he still ranks top-10 overall in completion percentage, average yards per attempt, QBR and quarterback rating.

Obviously, the LSU product is also adding in the run game with 464 yards and four scores. He easily surpasses any rookie or second-year quarterback in expected points added.

Defenses are starting to adjust, while taking some things away from Daniels. But it's clear that his accuracy to all three levels continues on the same upward trajectory.

Hit: Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Pre-draft Grade: 9.3
Overall Ranking: Third

Drake Maye went from being a part of a collegiate program where he was asked to do too much to joining a professional team where he needs to do too much because the roster lacks talent around him.

Yet he's thrived each step of the way. His baseline was as a good or better than anyone in this year's draft class, hence why he was given the designation of QB1.

"Overall, Maye is a supremely talented passer. He has the athleticism, arm talent and baseline processing skills to become a weapon at the next level. All he needs to do is cut out some of the "doing too much" plays. Maye has the skill set to fit in any system and develop into a star.

"Drake Maye is the prototypical quarterback prospect. Size, speed, arm strength; he's got all the tools you look for in a franchise quarterback.

...

"Maye's arm talent is the core of his game. He can throw a 100 mph fastball into a tight window over the middle or outside the numbers. Maye can also throttle down and put throws where only his receiver can go get it, as well as creating smooth yards-after-the-catch transitions for his receivers on underneath routes. He possesses every club in the bag."

The Patriots weren't comfortable starting Maye to open the season. Whether that choice had more to do with his actual readiness or the state of the roster isn't clear. However, he has looked the part since he took over the job.

He hasn't been perfect, of course. But the Patriots are now far more competitive with him behind center. The rookie makes difficult throws, avoids pressure, creates outside of structure and provides something different from the quarterback position.

"I think it goes back to now he's starting to really take control of the offense and the team," head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters on Monday. "When you go out there and you perform at a high level, that's the first step. The next step is to bring others with you, and I think he's on his way to doing that."

TBD: Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy

Penix's Pre-draft Grade: 6.9
Overall Ranking: 87th

McCarthy's Pre-draft Grade: 7.5
Overall Ranking: 33rd

The 2024 NFL draft class set a record with six quarterbacks selected among the initial 12 picks. Not all of those quarterbacks were intended to be immediate starters, though.

In the cases of Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy, their teams had different plans.

The Atlanta Falcons chose Penix with the eighth overall pick despite signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency. While everyone outside of the organization was aghast at the poor allocation of resources, management made sure the franchise never again found itself in a situation without a succession plan at the game's most important position.

As such, Atlanta's coaching staff never intended to start Penix this season and he hasn't. The Falcons are Cousins' team. So, early impressions of the Washington product's play can't be registered.

Instead, let's take a quick look at how he was viewed. The B/R Scouting Department was much lower on Penix's potential than other sources. The group graded him as a third-round talent. Why?

"For teams that want to chuck it down the field with a heavy dose of play action, Penix is an interesting dice roll. His live arm, aggressiveness and moments of progression passing give him a shot to stick in the NFL. With that said, Penix's lack of touch, shaky pocket management and minimal ability to create plays will limit his ceiling in the pros."

B/R missed on where Penix would ultimately land in the draft, but the accuracy of the evaluation remains undetermined until the 24-year-old takes the field as the starter.

In Minnesota, the Vikings chose McCarthy with the 10th pick, even though the organization already brought in Sam Darnold to open the season as the starter.

The setup has worked out well for Darnold. Although, a season-ending torn meniscus in McCarthy's right knee wasn't part of the plan.

Eventually, McCarthy will get his shot. How will he look? Well, he's in a pretty good situation with the Vikings and head coach/offensive play-caller Kevin O'Connell.

"McCarthy fits best in a Shanahan-style system that simplifies things pre-snap and leans into throws over the middle of the field with the help of play action. He has the requisite arm talent and pocket toughness to function in that system. Even still, McCarthy will take time to develop his ability to progress from the pocket and, hopefully, add weight and strength."

Miss: Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Pre-draft Grade: 7.2
Overall Ranking: 61st

Situation matters. Bo Nix's last two years serve as a prime example.

The 24-year-old experienced his fair share of struggles as a highly regarded legacy recruit for the Auburn Tigers. He transferred to the Oregon Ducks, where he set the NCAA single-season record with a 77.4 completion percentage.

However, the Ducks doctored some of the quarterback's success based on its approach, which created a favorable situation.

"Oregon's offense lightened the load on him mentally by spamming screens, run-pass options and simple vertical concepts. Even a lot of Oregon's more traditional passing concepts were made easier to read out and trigger on by their use of spacing and abusing the college hashes, which won't exist for him in the NFL.

"Nix could also stand to improve his footwork and pocket demeanor. There are moments of good, stable movement in the pocket, but he too often shies away from throws and hinders his ability to throw accurately.

"Nix will ultimately be a dice roll on athleticism and accuracy. With that said, it's a little worrisome that Nix is still unrefined in some areas as an older prospect with a ton of games under his belt. Nix would fit best in a spread-oriented offense that emphasizes RPOs, the quarterback run game and vertical passing."

B/R graded Nix as a late second-round pick. The Denver Broncos chose him with the 12th overall pick. The disconnect wasn't necessarily about talent, but it did show two potential discrepancies.

First, the Broncos had a glaring need at quarterback. Second, Sean Payton saw something in Nix that fit what the proven head coach likes in the position.

Denver took its lumps early in the season as Nix adjusted to the pro game. He wasn't efficient and made poor decisions. However, he's continued to grow as the season has progressed and looked like an excellent fit for a much-improved Broncos squad. He ranks first in completion percentage over expected during the last month of play.

Nix is in the right situation and it's greatly helping in his recent success, which makes his previous evaluation look off-base.

Hit: Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints

Pre-draft Grade: 7.2
Overall Ranking: 67th

The New Orleans Saints didn't draft Spencer Rattler with the intention of starting him this season. However, an oblique injury to veteran starter Derek Carr forced this year's 150th overall pick to take over the offense in three games.

The book on Rattler was relatively simple: He is a wildly talented thrower, who makes too many mistakes with his decisions, as seen in his scouting report:

"Rattler was forced to figure things out on the fly a lot, and he acquitted himself well in that regard. Rattler is not a stunning athlete, but he has enough short-area burst and fluidity to get himself out of jams. Once free, he has a solid eye for finding throws outside the pocket and on the move.

"With all of that being said, Rattler still needs to settle down a bit. His aggression and creativity too often boils into recklessness. That's just the deal you make with these types of quarterbacks, but it may be tough for some teams to swallow."

If harnessed properly, Rattler has significant potential to channel, hence why B/R graded similarly to Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. But the Saints aren't the right situation to harness Rattler's natural ability.

Once again, he was thrown into the mix, which is why it comes as no surprise that the rookie struggled during his appearances, with only one touchdown pass and two interceptions.