McGinn's Top 55: Is Caleb Williams the next NFL star?
In Part II of Bob McGinn's first look at the draft, the quarterbacks are closely examined by NFL scouts across the country. USC's Heisman star has "Mahomes" flashes... and questions.
Miss Part I? McGinn’s inital Top 55 began with a close look at the rest of the offense.
The best six quarterbacks are analyzed by NFL scouts around the country below.
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By Bob McGinn
This projected Top 55 will lead to my NFL Draft Series, which I’ve been assembling annually since 1985.
That nine-part series is accessible only to paid subscribers at Go Long and will begin about 10 days before the draft, which is scheduled April 25-27.
These rankings can and will change significantly over the next seven weeks as teams attend and monitor developments at pro days and obtain missing 40 times, testing results, medical information and character evaluation. Heights were rounded to the nearest half-inch; quarter measurements were rounded down (6-2 ¼ to 6-2, 6-2 ¾ to 6-2 ½).
Next up, the quarterbacks.
Caleb Williams draws lofty comparisons. Jayden Daniels has “Lamar” speed. Bo Nix took his game to a new level at Oregon. J.J. McCarthy won (a lot). Drake Maye is “in the Tom Brady church as far as style of player.” Michael Penix has the best deep ball one scout has seen.
There’s a lot to love about the QBs in this class.
Multiple franchises may find their long-term answer.
There are many questions, too. Who emerges from this pack? Who busts? McGinn gleans the truth from NFL scouts on all six.
Quarterbacks (6)
Caleb Williams, Southern California (6-1, 214): Won the Heisman Trophy in 2022, failed to finish among the top 10 in 2023. “The ultimate playmaker but he can play within a system, too,” one scout said.