Though he may not be one of the most highly anticipated quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, John Rhys Plumlee is not short on confidence.
The former Ole Miss and UCF standout told The Paul Finebaum Show on Wednesday that he thinks he is among the top 32 quarterbacks in the world. Since there are 32 NFL teams, Plumlee is merely expressing his belief that he is a starter at the next level.
“At the moment, it’s about getting ready for the future day by day,” he remarked. “I’m hoping for a chance, but as you mentioned, I believe I’m capable of a lot.” I believe there are numerous ways I can be used as a weapon. However, I also believe that if you were to ask me, I rank among the top 32 quarterbacks in the world, and I will continue to do so if given the chance.
With his dual-threat ability, Plumlee was a dynamic playmaker in college. During his 1,023-yard touchdown run in 2019, he broke both the Ole Miss freshman rushing and quarterback rushing records.
Even so, Plumlee was a backup for the next two seasons before transferring to UCF, despite his promising freshman campaign. Going forward, he started every game for the Knights in the previous two seasons, compiling 5,838 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. Together with 16 touchdowns, he also ran for 1,367 yards.
Most experts predict Plumlee to be selected in the late rounds or not at all. Even though there are a lot of quarterbacks on draft boards who are better than him, he is aware that experts aren’t always correct. He gestured to the final selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy.
According to Plumlee, “I think everyone is going to have an opinion, everybody is going to have a say of where they think you should go, an opinion about you.” However, I believe that if you look at previous years, you’ll see that players like Sean Clifford last year and Brock Purdy didn’t always get the best opportunities, but they still excelled when they did. In my opinion, opportunity always leads to the next phase. That’s what I’m trying to find. I’m searching for a chance to demonstrate my abilities, and hopefully that will catch people’s attention.
In both individual workouts with prospective teams and at the NFL combine, John Rhys Plumlee will have the opportunity to support his claims. His “ability to create when everything goes wrong” is what he believes will set him apart, he said. Because of his rushing ability, he frequently manages to break out of plays that are broken.
Plumlee remarked, “I think, as you said, I’ve never been one to be lacking in the confidence category.” “But, glancing at this draft class, it’s clear that there are a number of outstanding quarterbacks and well-known players who, I’m sure, will do fantastic things in the NFL. However, I believe that one thing that truly sets me apart from this draft class is my capacity to create when everything else
This past spring football season, I made a note to myself in my notebook that said, “When everything goes wrong, you are good enough to make it right.” And I think that’s the case. I believe that anything can go wrong—everything can go wrong in a play, a game, or a protective situation—and that I am capable of fixing it. And I believe that to be one of the things that sets me apart from everyone else.