NFL Draft News: Dan Orlovsky Believes Jayden Daniels Should Be Drafted Before Caleb Williams

The 2024 NFL Draft is a month away, and analysts, pundits, and fans have been attempting to guess which teams will take which college prospects. One of the most talked about position groups in the upcoming draft is the quarterback position.

The spotlight has mostly been on USC QB Caleb Williams. Williams was the talk of the town leading up to Pro Day when he finally threw the ball around. Despite the Chicago Bears owning the #1 pick and all but confirming they are drafting Williams, the top QB prospect might no longer be so clear-cut.

Current Heisman Trophy recipient Jayden Daniels of LSU put everyone on notice after his Pro Day performance. Daniels was shown launching the ball downfield with ease to top wide receiver prospects Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.

After his Pro Day throws and interview, the tide is starting to turn, with many analysts stating that Daniels is the top QB in the draft. Get Up's Dan Orlovsky stated why he believes Daniels is the top prospect.

According to Orlovsky, Daniels has an elite ability when it comes to decision-making. He can read the defense and decide to either launch the ball to an open receiver or take off running. Another strong aspect of his game is ball placement.

"Ball placement. Not accuracy," Orlovsky states. "Accuracy is throwing to your guys. Ball placement, throwing away from the defense."

While ball placement might sound like a mundane quality to have, it takes an elite QB to be able to lead their receiver and get them in for a touchdown. Orlovsky states that Daniels is the best when it comes to not allowing receivers to be picked off by throwing under.

Orlovsky finishes by stating that if everyone is being "honest" about present-day skillsets, Daniels is the clear-cut best QB in the draft. He does praise Williams' ability, but he holds Daniels to a higher degree.

We can break this down further in terms of Heisman Trophy years. During Williams' 2022 season, when he secured the trophy, he brought in 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions in passing. He also has 382 rushing yards and 10 TDs.

Daniels' 2023 Heisman Trophy season included 3,812 yards, 40 TDs, and 4 INTs. He also secured 1,134 rushing yards and 10 TDs.

In terms of numbers, Daniels has the far more impressive rushing numbers, while Williams threw for 725 more yards. That is quite significant. However, Daniels' rushing statistics are more impressive.

Both Williams and Daniels appear to be the locked-in #1 and #2 picks in the NFL Draft, but Orlovsky believes that Daniels is just the better protect. Daniels is a better dual-threat QB, but Williams has an arm that is just pure magic.