What NFL Draft QBs said about Sean Payton, Broncos interviews

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s been a busy week for Sean Payton and the Broncos on the quarterback front at the NFL combine.

They met with many of the 2024 draft prospects over the course of the week, from top-of-the-board candidates like USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye, to potential later-round options like South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler.

Teams get 18 minutes apiece on formal interviews and for quarterbacks Denver’s included Payton, general manager George Paton and scouts but also offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb.

“The first thing is getting to put a name with a face and it’s the first personal visit where you’re like, ‘oh, nice to meet you,’” Payton said Tuesday of meeting with players. “You spend time with the questions and they’ll be football related. There will be follow-up meetings and Pro Day visits and private workout visits. These are all pieces of the equation that I think are necessary.”

Here’s what several of the quarterbacks said about their meetings with the Broncos specifically.

Jayden Daniels, LSU

“Sean Payton, what he did in New Orleans, I was down the road, so, you know, a lot of people still talk about those days. To be able to see the offensive mind that he is, the guru, and be able to sit in there and just talk football with everybody (was positive).”

Drake Maye, North Carolina

“It was awesome to meet with Coach Payton. Any time you get one of the great offensive minds in there, meeting with him was pretty cool. Davis Webb seemed right off the bat like one of the great quarterback coaches you could play for. Just fun to be in there with those guys and get a good experience.”

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

“It was awesome. Coach Payton’s energy. Coach Webb. Coach Lombardi. It was just really great to be in that room with them and go through tape. It was honestly a really fun time. It was a blessing to just pick their brains a little bit and have them just shoot me questions left and right. I really enjoyed it.

“(Payton) is a fellow Illinois guy. Absolutely would be an honor to play for him. Everything about this process has been so great and any team that selects me, it would be an honor.”

Michael Penix, Jr., Washington

“It went good. Man, it was an interesting meeting. It was different than the others, but I felt good. I felt confident going into it and going out of it I felt confident as well. Playing for Coach Sean Payton, obviously he’s a great coach. One of the best in the game. To be able to learn from him, it would be special.

“… They were tough. They put up a lot of bad plays. But it’s good because at the next level it’s hard. It’s hard to win. I understand that. In ways, he was probably trying to see how I reacted to those bad plays and if I could take accountability and stuff like that. I’m always going to do that. I’m always going to put others before me and I’m going to be honest about everything.”