Dane Brugler's 2024 NFL Draft Big Board: Drake Maye Tops Rankings over Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams' hold on being the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft could be slipping.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his latest big board of 2024 prospects, which features North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye—not Williams—as the No. 1 overall prospect. Williams comes in at No. 3, behind Maye and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

It has been an overwhelming expectation that Williams would be the top pick in next year's draft for more than a year. He remains a significant betting favorite over Maye, but the gap has closed in the eyes of some evaluators with USC not competing for a national championship as expected.

Of course, that's not really the fault of Williams. The junior has remained brilliant as a passer, throwing for 2,646 yards and 25 touchdowns against four interceptions, but he's been less prone to big plays with a weaker receiving corps and has taken a ton of sacks behind a shaky offensive line.

Williams' propensity for holding onto the ball too long has become an issue this season, as he's sometimes too determined to make a play rather than just getting the ball out of his hands. There are times when it appears Williams' comparisons to Patrick Mahomes have gotten into his head and led to him attempting to make near-impossible Mahomesian throws.

Maye has prototypical size at 6'4" and 230 pounds, and he's a strong runner who has rushed for 13 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He was considered the clear-cut No. 2 quarterback heading into the 2023 season but an impressive sophomore campaign has led to him being more of a 1B in the eyes of scouts.

It's very possible Maye and Williams will go off the board 1-2 in April despite Harrison being viewed as a generational wide receiver prospect.