Drake Maye isn’t just jumping up draft boards in a re-evaluation of the 2024 NFL Draft, he’s leapfrogged Jayden Daniels all the way to No. 2 overall after making a Super Bowl run in only his second season. This Thursday, Maye faces off against Caleb Williams, the guy who still holds onto the top spot, in what’s being called one of the most anticipated “Thursday Night Football” games we’ve seen in a long time. These two stars from the 2024 draft are ready to put on a show.
Caleb Williams Still Holds the Crown, But Not Without Competition
The Chicago Bears aren’t regretting their No. 1 overall pick from 2024, not with Caleb Williams at the helm. Sure, Jayden Daniels led the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship game as a rookie, and Maye hit the Super Bowl in Year 2, but Williams has been building something special too. In 2025, he powered the Bears to an 11-6 record, snagging a division title and a massive playoff victory over the rival Green Bay Packers. The guy threw for a franchise-record 3,942 yards and made enough highlight-reel plays to land himself on the cover of “Madden.” He was one of the biggest stories in the NFL last season, even if his 58.1% completion percentage ranked No. 32 league-wide. But here’s the thing: he’s been putting in the work. Williams has seriously improved his accuracy this season, with his 6% off-target rate ranking best in the entire NFL right now. He even completed a career-high 83.3% of his passes during that Week 6 win against the Atlanta Falcons. The dude is getting it done.
Drake Maye’s Sophomore Leap Was Absolutely Wild
Talk about a second-year jump for the ages, Drake Maye exploded onto the scene in a way few could have predicted. He completed an astounding 72% of his passes, tossing for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions. This guy was the NFL MVP runner-up, right behind Matthew Stafford. And get this, he became the second-youngest quarterback *ever* to start in a Super Bowl. We’re talking about a player who was the first quarterback since Tom Brady back in 2007 to lead the league in both completion percentage and yards per attempt. His game, especially when it came to pushing the ball downfield, improved dramatically. No wonder he’s shot up the re-draft board, blowing past Jayden Daniels and settling firmly at No. 2.
The 2024 NFL Draft was already historic, with six quarterbacks going in the top 12 for the first time ever, and the first 14 picks all being offensive players. Now, seeing how these guys have performed, it’s clear why executives are always chasing that franchise quarterback. With Williams and Maye set to duke it out on “Thursday Night Football,” you know everyone will be watching to see these re-draft titans go head-to-head. Get ready for some fireworks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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