The Green Bay Packers have found their next franchise quarterback, but Sam Hartman could be a suitable backup option for the team to take in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Garrrett Podell with CBS Sports gave out his picks for the Packers in a seven-round mock draft. The mock included Iowa’s Cooper DeJean in the first round, along with some offensive line help.
Podell also had the Packers taking Hartman out of Notre Dame in the seventh round to compete for the QB2 spot.
“The Packers have said they wanted to get competition for Sean Clifford at the backup quarterback spot, so they select Sam Hartman with their final pick in the draft,” Podell wrote. “Hartman’s arm strength isn’t elite, but he could have the potential to be a steady, game manager type of backup.”
Sam Hartman Scouting Report
If the Packers want another backup quarterback with plenty of college experience, there aren’t many better Day 3 options than Hartman.
Hartman was a 3-star recruit out of high school with virtually no offers. Wake Forest, Charlotte, and Elon were interested in him, but he ultimately decided to play for the Demon Deacons.
The move was the right one for Hartman. He was a three-year starter for Wake Forest, making two All-ACC teams while throwing for 77 touchdowns and 26 interceptions over his final two seasons with the program.
After thriving at Wake Forest, Hartman transferred for his final college season to Notre Dame. He led the Irish to a 9-3 record, throwing for 2,689 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Hartman has a shorter but solidly-built frame at 6’1″ and 211 pounds. What he lacks in arm talent he makes up for as a quick processor, capable of quickly getting the ball out.
However, as a QB prospect with limited size, arm talent, and questionable decision making, Hartman will likely have to wait until the later rounds before he hears his name called.
Do the Packers Need Another Quarterback?
Jordan Love is the clear long-term option for the Packers at quarterback. However, the Packers may be looking for some competition for Sean Clifford as the team’s long-term backup.
Like Hartman, Clifford was a long-time starter in college at Penn State. While he was never the most talented quarterback, his solid athleticism and ability to make pre-snap adjustments had him land with the Packers in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Alex McGough is currently Green Bay’s third quarterback on the depth chart. At 28 years old, McGough saw most of his success come at the USFL level, winning two championships and an MVP with the Birmingham Stallions.
If the Packers do want some more competition behind Love, they’ll probably want a different type of skill set. Hartman may be too similar to Clifford to warrant legitimate consideration, but a prospect like Joe Milton III out of Tennessee with electric arm strength and athleticism could be a more worthwhile developmental backup.
Hartman could become a journeyman backup quarterback at the NFL level, but there may be another team that values him more than the Packers will in the later rounds.
