Expert reveals Drake Maye, Caleb Williams would be top two picks in 2023 NFL Draft

Outside of Bryce Young, nobody can agree on who should be the second guy taken on Thursday at the 2023 NFL Draft. CJ Stroud was the long-time favorite but now, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis are getting a ton of love. You can throw Hendon Hooker‘s name into the equation as well.

Debate will rage on even past Thursday night until the season begins in the fall. There has even been discussion about this year’s class if you hypothetically were able to add in Drake Maye of North Carolina and USC‘s Caleb Williams — who are not draft-eligible until this time next year.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler made his opinion known, saying the potential 2024 guys would go No. 1 and No. 2 overall this year. Even with Young winning a Heisman Trophy and being the consensus selection for Carolina on Thursday, Brugler would Maye and Williams over him.

“Caleb and Drake would be the first two picks this year,” Brugler said.

Williams is fresh off a Heisman Trophy of his own, excelling at USC under head coach Lincoln Riley. His dual-threat ability alone will have NFL teams excited, going for nearly 5,000 total yards and 52 total touchdowns (10 rushing).

Maye possesses a 6-5, 220-pound frame with the ability to make a ton of throws. Most of everyone will fall in love with him heading into the 2024 draft. Some might even be wishing he was eligible to leave college a year early.

While Young is considered a franchise quarterback at the top of the draft, Brugler believes Maye and Williams are on a different level.

Some people are always looking ahead and wanting to declare the following year’s quarterbacks will be better. It might actually be true this go-round.

Charles Power thinks highly of Drake Maye, Caleb Williams a year out of 2024 NFL Draft

On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power agrees with Brugler’s sentiment. He considers Williams the top overall pick in 2024 right now but believes Maye will have an opportunity as well. Power said the duo is “two of the better” prospects we have seen from college football over the past few years.

“Drake Maye came to North Carolina with a ton of hype as a potential program-changing recruit for Mack Brown,” Power said. “His first season as a starter exceeded those lofty expectations and put Maye staunchly on NFL radars as a potential top-five pick. Maye looked like one of the best quarterbacks in college football as early as his second start against Appalachian State. He’s shown all of the skills that made him one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in the 2021 recruiting cycle.

“The feel for the game, ability to process, deliver throws with accuracy and make creative plays all project well to the NFL. Maye would be a very strong contender for No. 1 overall pick were he to be in either of the past two NFL Drafts.

“He and Caleb Williams are considered to be two of the better quarterback prospects from college football in recent years. I’d consider Williams the favorite to go No. 1 in 2024 right now, but next season likely determine the order. Regardless, it should be fun to watch those two play this fall.”

Both Maye and Williams were members of the 2021 recruiting class and had high-level recruitments. The latter of the two spent one season at Oklahoma before transferring to USC and following Riley. LSU was considered a major player as well.

As for Maye, he was an Alabama commit before switching over to North Carolina. His family has established themselves quite well in Chapel Hill. While the team success has not fully been there, Maye has thrived in Carolina blue.

Their success at the collegiate level was apparent in high school according to Power.

“Caleb Williams has the most pure athletic and arm horsepower of any quarterback we’ve evaluated in the last several cycles,” said Power. “It was a relatively easy call to rank him as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2021 On300. Williams was making eye-popping plays as early as his sophomore season in high school. The arm talent and ability to make big-time off-platform throws are as good as I’ve seen from a high school quarterback prospect. Williams’ athleticism takes his overall skill set to the next level. He’s always been a highly dangerous runner and has unique reactive quickness to make defenders miss, both in the pocket and the open field.

“Drake Maye is just a natural athlete with a great feel and accuracy. He had the most efficient season of any quarterback prospect regardless of class in 2019 as a junior (his senior season was canceled due to COVID-19). Maye regularly carved up opposing defenses, completing over 72% of his passes for an absurd 12.1 yards per attempt. He’s also the best 7-on-7 quarterback I’ve seen in person. I watched Maye eviscerate 7-on-7 secondaries full of high-end Power 5 recruits at a tournament right before the COVID shutdown. The ball barely hit the ground that weekend and it’s something I’ll always remember when thinking back on him as a high school prospect. He was also a great high school basketball player with a nice jumper and feel as a passer. We certainly see that coordination show up on the football field.”

Just as their recruitments were fierce, the draft process between Maye and Williams will be as well. Of course, there is a full college football season ahead of us to help decide who will go No. 1 overall.