Ranking top 5 QB draft prospects in 2024: Who will the Commanders take?

1. Caleb Williams

After an extensive film evaluation of the 2024 quarterback class, the final result reveals that Caleb Williams is my top-rated signal-caller in this year’s draft. However, as I previously mentioned, it was close between him and Drake Maye based on my final film grades.

What gave Williams the edge was simple: his rare out-of-structure and playmaking ability.

First of all, Williams is not a generational talent, though he does display some rare traits that will allow him to succeed early in the NFL. The term in itself is overused and doesn’t give an accurate picture of him as a prospect overall.

A former five-star high school recruit, Williams was the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and a unanimous All-American. He has the accolades and production that will back up his play on the field. While his junior season wasn’t what he imagined, the USC stud showcased leadership, resilience, and plenty of poise in an underwhelming campaign for the Trojans program who were a win away from a college football playoff place during the previous year.

Some may question the leadership part and Williams’ toughness. However, I see it as a quarterback being human and having real emotions. It's unfair to expect any player to act like a robot and be a certain way. 

As a player, Williams displays a high-level arm that allows him to toss the ball anywhere on the gridiron. He’s a special playmaker who displays instincts and spatial awareness that allow him to get out of trouble and make throws off-platform, from different arm angles, and out-of-structure. What makes this even crazier is that his accuracy is incredible in the process.

Williams also possesses great field vision that allows him to work through all of his progressions efficiently. He sports terrific poise and is not afraid to let passes rip to the middle of the field with pressure in his face. Plus, he offers constant glimpses of sound mechanics with his upper and lower halves.

One of the things that Williams still struggles with is that he’s not taking what is in front of him as consistently as you’d like. He wants to make a big play any chance he has and that creates risk and potential turnovers. I would also like to see him improve slightly as a decision-maker and anticipate windows across the middle, though that is a con to Lincoln Riley’s spread offense.

Williams already has the playmaking ability to make an immediate impact as a rookie starter in the NFL. If by some miracle he were to be available for the Washington Commanders - which is almost impossible to fathom - it should be a no-brainer.