Ex-NFL QB says Bears should draft this player No. 1 overall instead of Caleb Williams
While most pundits have penciled in Caleb Williams as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, ESPN's Dan Orlovsky argues another QB should hear his name called first.
"Jayden Daniels should be the guy," the former NFL journeyman said on Thursday’s "Get Up." "If I were the Chicago Bears right now, I would take Jayden Daniels out of LSU."
Orlovsky heralded Daniels' accuracy against man coverage, ability to create explosive plays and calmness in the pocket.
"I think No. 1 when you watch all these guys play, the best thrower, the best guy against man coverage ball-placement-wise is Jayden Daniels," Orlovsky said. "No. 2, when we're talking about explosive plays, guys who have to throw the ball downfield, what does it look like? Jayden Daniels throws the ball best downfield. And then No. 3, who's got the best pocket peace ... all these guys are athletic. It's no longer this plus; every one of these guys has that attribute. Patience and the peace within the pocket, he's the best at."
Orlovsky is one of many people who rate Daniels higher than Williams.
Before getting fired by the New England Patriots — who own the No. 3 overall pick — head coach Bill Belichick reportedly had Daniels at the top of his draft board; former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert also ranked the LSU quarterback as his top QB prospect.
Despite being the consensus No. 1 pick for much of the lead-up to the NFL Draft, Williams isn't the perfect prospect. Former NFL scout Daniel Kelly and longtime Steeler Merrill Hoge raised concerns about the 22-year-old's tendency to hold onto the football too long and make inaccurate throws inside the pocket.
"USC is a pure college system, and in college, they play on the perimeter," Hoge said. "In the NFL, we move them in the middle and now you got to play in the middle, and now you got defenses that can scheme well, so you have to function from the pocket. That’s going to be a big hurdle for him."
Orlovsky, meanwhile, likened Daniels' play to another star quarterback who proved doubters wrong after not being selected first overall in 2023.
"When you watch the young man throw, the throwing motion is CJ Stroud-like," Orlovsky said. "That's repeatable, that's consistent. Some of the throws he makes versus tight coverage, the other two, Caleb and [North Carolina's] Drake Maye, they just don’t make. Now, those guys are tremendously talented, but I go back to last year ... I thought Bryce [Young] was the best player or playmaker, but who was the best passer? That was CJ. Jayden’s the best passer."
It's safe to say that not everyone is on the same page regarding the top quarterback prospects. At the end of the day, however, the opinion of the Bears' front office is the only one that matters.
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