The 2024 NFL Draft’s once presumed slam-dunk No. 1 pick, USC’s Caleb Williams, now finds himself in a heated competition with North Carolina’s Drake Maye. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports)
In a booth at the Indianapolis Capital Grille nearly nine months ago, an AFC personnel man made a bold prediction about the future of the NFL Draft. He paused to chew on some steak during a break from the league’s annual scouting combine, contemplating the potential of the 2023 quarterback class.
He meticulously compared Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, assessing which team could best develop Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis. Finally, he made a bold claim: “Next year is the one to be picking a quarterback at the top. If Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were in this draft, they would’ve gotten picked before all of these guys.”
When asked to choose between the two quarterbacks, he quickly responded, “Maye. I’m in the minority, but I’m a Maye guy. The kid’s a stud. He probably saved that entire coaching staff from getting fired this season.”
At the time, he was likely in a small minority that favored Maye over Williams, who was considered a generational talent with a Heisman-winning campaign at USC. But that was nine months ago. And while Williams’ talent was undeniable, the biggest knock against him was the wait for his draft eligibility to kick in.
Perhaps best illustrated by Sean Payton in late November 2022, the New Orleans coach spoke of Williams potentially being the draft pick to push the league into a lottery system. Praising Williams as a special talent.