One of the best stories in the NFL over the last two seasons has been the success of the 2024 NFL Draft class’s quarterbacks. Last season, both Drake Maye and Bo Nix’s teams were in the AFC Championship Game, and Drake Maye went to the Super Bowl. Jayden Daniels, in his rookie season, went to the NFC Championship Game. Caleb Williams led the Chicago Bears to an NFC North title and fell one play short of making the NFC Championship Game this past season.
There still remains a debate on which quarterback is the best of this draft class. In week 7 on Thursday Night Football, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye get a good chance to make their case. After last season, the consensus was that Drake Maye is the best quarterback from the class. He went to the Super Bowl, and he finished second in MVP voting. His regular season was great, but his playoff run still left more to be desired.
For Caleb Williams, his numbers were not as good as Drake Maye’s, and he did not reach the level in the playoffs that Maye did. However, he still showed legitimate star potential in his playoff run. Caleb Williams’ ceiling is higher, and he could end up having the better career out of the two.
This match will be a great opportunity for Caleb Williams to prove himself worthy of being the first quarterback taken in his class. He can put an end to all the doubt on whether or not he was the wrong pick for the Bears among his counterparts. In opportunities like that, Caleb Williams more often than not makes the most of them. This will be an exciting game, and I think both quarterbacks will light it up.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Caleb Williams can silence doubters in 2026 matchup vs Drake Maye
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
