Caleb Williams has been viewed as a No. 1 overall draft pick for years.
But picking the best quarterback after Williams in the upcoming NFL Draft is a much more difficult decision.
Jayden Daniels’ name is rising, with some experts linking him to the Washington Commanders at No. 2.
Then there’s Drake Maye, who’s spent the last few weeks as the most divisive name in the draft, but has big-play potential.
Not far behind is former Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, who is coming off an NCAA championship.
With four young QBs expected to go in the top 10 picks, the 2024 NFL Draft will be dominated by the most important position in sports.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network analyst, said it’s clear who the No. 1 QB is in the draft.
“Caleb is the top guy,” Jeremiah exclusively told talkSPORT.
Then there’s a two-way battle for the No. 2 spot.
“I have Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels touching each other,” Jeremiah said. “I wouldn’t say I am passionate about one over the other, and that I could not justify either one.”
Daniels won the Heisman Trophy at LSU and is a prime athlete.
Maye doesn’t have Williams’ USC and Oklahoma experience, but his powerful arm has drawn the eyes of scouts for years.
“(Maye) is a little bit bigger, he’s just a little sturdier in there,” Jeremiah said. “I think he’s got a little bit more arm strength. I think he’s a little more creative as a playmaker and being able to extend and buy time and still make plays.
“Whereas I think Jayden, he’s a better athlete – he’s an unbelievable athlete. He’s a really good runner. But I don’t see him as the same play creator as Drake Maye is, so there’s a little difference there.”
Chicago is set to take Williams at No. 1 after trading away former first-round QB Justin Fields to Pittsburgh.
The pick that will swing the draft is No. 2, while New England faces a big decision at No. 3.
Arizona could trade its No. 4 pick.
The Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders all could be searching for a new QB in the draft, and might trade up.
In the end, one team will have to decide who follows Williams as the second-best QB on the board on April 25 in Detroit.
To Jeremiah, it’s a hard decision, but he has a favorite for the No. 2 QB.
“Jayden is coming off a much better season,” Jeremiah said. “Jayden had the best season of any quarterback in the class if you just watch this year.
“But he also played behind a really good offensive line and threw to a bunch of big-time receivers, and that was a luxury that Caleb didn’t really have at USC this year and Drake Maye definitely did not have at North Carolina.
“So that would be my order: Caleb, then Drake and then Jayden Daniels.”
News Summary:
- Drake Maye is a ‘creative playmaker’ and the best QB in the draft not named Caleb Williams, NFL insider says
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