Reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams was absolutely dynamic in his first season with USC. North Carolina’s Drake Maye stands at 6-foot-5, boasts a strong arm and is a dual-threat out of the backfield.
We’re not talking too much about these collegiate quarterbacks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. There’s a reason for it. Neither Williams nor Maye were eligible to enter the annual event.
The same thing can’t be said for the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. Already viewed as can’t-miss prospects, the two are going to have an impact on what teams do this April. In fact, they will play a huge role in the decision-making process.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated touched on this recently, speaking to some executives around the NFL. It’s a common belief among said executives that Williams and Maye would be the unquestioned top-two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft if they were eligible.
“The two guys next year would be the top two guys in this year’s class,” NFC executive on Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.
If this is the widespread belief among NFL front offices, we could see teams wait until 2024 to add a potential franchise quarterback while going the stopgap route this spring. In theory, this could also have an impact on some of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 draft class.
Related: Sportsnaut’s updated 2023 NFL mock draft
NFL teams already eyeing Caleb Williams, Drake Maye
By our estimation, there are at least six teams selecting in the top-10 of the 2023 NFL Draft with needs at quarterback. That starts with the Houston Texans at No. 2 overall. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts (fourth), Seattle Seahawks (fifth), Las Vegas Raiders (seventh), Atlanta Falcons (eighth) and Carolina Panthers (ninth) all have needs for young franchise guys.
The question here is whether these teams will push that back a year in hopes of landing either Williams or Maye to the mix. Given what we saw from the two a season ago, it could make sense.
| Player | Comp% | Passing yards | Rushing yards | TD | INT |
| Caleb Williams | 66.6 | 4,537 | 382 | 52 | 5 |
| Drake Maye | 66.2 | 4,321 | 698 | 45 | 7 |
The 6-foot-1 Williams followed Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC ahead of this past season. He looked every bit the part of a top-end NFL Draft prospect in running away with the Heisman Trophy for the Trojans.
As for Maye, he has a rare combination of size, athleticism and arm strength. The dude stands at 6-foot-5 and proved to be one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks as a first-year starter this past season.
Related: Sportsnaut’s updated NFL Draft rumors
How Caleb Williams, Drake Maye will impact 2023 NFL Draft
There’s been a lot of talk about the Chicago Bears trading down from the No. 1 pick. Most of the focus has been on quarterback-needy teams moving up for either Alabama’s Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud from Ohio State.
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson and Will Levis from Kentucky are other players at this position who could land within the top-10 picks.
If teams are willing to wait a year to add a sure-fire prospect, it could very well impact where these signal callers land. While the 2023 NFL Draft is seen as loaded at quarterback, there’s not a proverbial “sure-fire” prospect available.
This could impact what Chicago receives in trade-down talks. It could also lead to the likes of Richardson and Levis falling down the draft board as Round 1 plays out.
In the process, other teams selecting later in the first round could land value at a need position. That includes the Washington Commanders (16th overall), Detroit Lions (18th), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19th), Minnesota Vikings (23rd) and New Orleans Saints (29th).
It certainly is an underrated storyline heading into the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City.
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