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Todd McShay: Caleb Williams would be the No. 1 overall pick in this draft

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•02/28/23•

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(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Caleb Williams would be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft if he was eligible, according to ESPN’s Todd McShay.

The USC quarterback, along with North Carolina’s Drake Maye, trump this year’s draft class but neither will be in the pros until 2024. McShay, along with former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah and an anonymous NFC executive, said Williams and Maye are far above the current crop.

But both guys have big college aspirations in 2023, such as team titles and Heisman trophies.

“Caleb, he’d be the first pick in this draft,” McShay said. “And a trade up would be warranted if Chicago didn’t want him.”

Jeremiah was of the mind that Williams and Maye were far and away better than the top prospects in 2023.

“I would say it’s not even debatable,” Jeremiah added. “I mean, I’ve seen enough of both those kids. … Both those guys are very special players.”

The anonymous NFC executive agreed.

“The two guys next year would be the top two guys in this year’s class,” one NFC exec said, who already took the time to start studying them to contrast them with the 2023 QBs.

This is not to say guys like Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis or Anthony Richardson won’t succeed at the NFL level. But perhaps Williams, and even Maye, already have better prospects in a projected pro career.

Young won a Heisman Trophy in 2021, but did not repeat his otherworldly success last fall. 

While it’s not unheard of for Heisman Trophy winners to be back in school, it’s not always the case.

A huge spotlight will be on Williams this fall, though it’s one he certainly earned after throwing for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns, while also rushing for 382 yards and another 10 scores.

But there’s reason to believe Williams could make a real run at it.

For one, it’ll be his third year in the system with coach Lincoln Riley, and the dynamic duo only seem to get better with time.

In any case, the NFL will certainly be waiting whenever Williams finishes up his stint in college. He’ll undoubtedly be one of the most decorated draft prospects out there whenever he does make the leap to the next level.

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