Going into the 2023 college football season, the general consensus is that USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are the two best quarterbacks in the country. Both are considered elite prospects for the 2024 NFL draft and should be battling it out for the top spot.
While almost every analyst has Williams as the top pick in 2024 and the top quarterback among the two, one recruiting analyst prefers Maye.
Mike Farrell of Mike Farrell Sports wrote on quarterbacks for his Farrell Five on Sunday and among the topics were his top quarterbacks this year where he took Maye over Williams. Here’s what he wrote on his decision:
I’d take Maye over Williams because he’s bigger, can move just as well, and has a better mental makeup. Williams is an exceptional talent, but he can be a bit of a diva and has some on and off-field eccentricity that would make me pause when taking him as a No. 1 overall. Penix Jr. has the bigger arm, but I’m not a fan of drafting lefty QBs for many reasons so I have Nix slightly ahead, and Pratt is a solid round two option.
Maye is coming off a monster 2022 season, as is Williams, and has the chance to prove he is the top player as he goes into another year as the starter for the Tar Heels. While Maye did lose some weapons, he has the talent to make others around him better.
It will certainly be interesting to see how this race for the top quarterback goes on this season.
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