Frazier's NFL Draft Quarterback Rankings

When it comes to Caleb Williams, don't overthink it! I wrote an article about this early in March, doubling down now. People don't appreciate greatness, and that's the case with Williams. Any negative seen on film is nitpicking, as the worst thing you can say about Williams is he may hold the ball too long, which can be coached out of his game. He has shown he plays well on time, and although the 2023 tape is more flawed than his 2022 tape, you have to consider what USC put him through. USC ranked 123rd in the country in PPG allowed (34.9) and 123rd in total yards per game (438.8). Williams knew that going into a game, the USC offense had to score 40 for them to have a chance, and in some games, that wasn't even enough.

There were other problems at USC in 2023, but Williams was still fantastic, even if it didn't match his Heisman performance in 2022. In 2 ½ years as a starter, Williams put up a 66.9 completion percentage, 10,082 passing yards, 93 passing touchdowns to only 14 interceptions. Williams added 966 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns to his decorated collegiate career. Regarding generational prospects out of college, Elway, Manning, Luck, Lawrence, and Caleb will join that exclusive group of rare air quarterbacks. 

Drake Maye has all the tools when it comes to NFL quarterback prospects. Maye has prototypical size, arm strength, and more than enough mobility. Maye can make every throw, switching from high velocity to elite touch and precision. Maye has gone through a rollercoaster regarding how he's seen as a prospect. Coming into Draft season, he was considered in a tier with Caleb Williams. Some even had him ranked above Williams, but as we've gotten closer to April 25th, Maye has fallen in some rankings behind Jayden Daniels.

I still have Maye a tier above Daniels, as even though similar to Williams, Maye's 2023 wasn't as great as his 2022, and he still looked every bit like a top pick. Maye would be a lock for the number one pick in any other Draft. He just so happens to be in Caleb Williams's class. Maye can sometimes play hero ball too much and will need to improve his decision-making, but these things are coachable. Maye has raw tools, but he can be a franchise quarterback for years with the right coaching. 

Jayden Daniels' 2023 season will go down in history as one of the best single seasons in College Football history. Daniels" completed 72.2 percent of his passes, passing for 3,812 yards, 40 passing touchdowns to only four interceptions. The dual-threat quarterback also ran for 1,134 yards, adding 10 touchdowns. Daniels' fantastic Heisman season was highlighted by a game against the Florida Gators, where he passed for 3500 yards and ran for 200 yards.

This game showcased his high potential, but unlike the first two quarterbacks on the list, I have questions about his next-level translation. He processes things slowly; when he sees an open receiver, he waits a bit, ensuring they're open before passing. He doesn't keep his eyes downfield to throw on the run, and when he scrambles, he has to do a better job of protecting himself as he takes too many hits. Daniels has traits that fit the modern NFL, such as his ability to run an RPO-heavy offense. I'm not 100% sure he can translate into a franchise quarterback, but he still has the raw talent necessary.

 This one is bound to create some backlash as Spencer Rattler never quite lived up to the hype he had when he was the number one quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class. Rattler had a very up-and-down collegiate career that taught him lessons in leadership. Rattler sat much of his freshman season before showing his potential as a sophomore at Oklahoma, passing for 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

Rattler struggled in 2021 before being benched for Caleb Williams and then transferring to South Carolina, where in his final two seasons, he completed 67.5 percent of his passes, 6,212 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. Rattler has a quick release and a strong arm. Rattler does have his flaws, such as playing like he's a better athlete than he is, similar to Baker Mayfield, and he had a lot of inconsistency throughout his collegiate career; he will also need to improve his decision-making at the next level, but he has star potential at the next level.

J.J. McCarthy is a polarizing prospect as some see high potential, and others see a game manager. As a starter at Michigan, he had a record of 27-1, including winning the National Championship this past January. McCarthy is accurate and has a good enough arm for the NFL; McCarthy is also a plus athlete who can make plays with his legs. McCarthy also does a good job when he has to make plays with his legs, keeping his eyes downfield and finding an open man. Michigan ran the ball a lot, leading to questions about whether or not McCarthy could be the driving force behind a high-level passing attack.