The Battle of Best Rookie QB’s
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were drafted with the top two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, and although the season is merely weeks old, the rookie signal-callers have taken the league by storm. This Sunday marks the first meeting between the quarterbacks in what could be the beginning of the next best gunslinging rivalry in professional football. Williams leads his 4-2 Chicago Bears into Washington to take on Daniels and his 5-2 Commanders. The two teams combined to win 11 games all of last season. These rookies have lifted the spirits of two downtrodden fanbases, who are coming to believe that anything is possible with these guys at the helm.
While the league and its fans wait with bated breath for what should be a great matchup, let’s take a look at these young stars, how they got to where they are, how they’ve begun their pro careers, and why their rivalry may help to define football in the years to come.
2022 Bowman University Chrome Prospects #50 Caleb Williams First Bowman
2024 TOPPS NOW® #D-2 Jayden Daniels Auto /10
Williams vs Daniels – College Careers
These two young quarterbacks share many similarities in their careers thus far. Both Williams and Daniels were highly recruited out of high school. The two quarterbacks were the No. 1 dual-threat quarterbacks in 2021 and 2019, respectively.
Williams began his career with the University of Oklahoma and was named second-team All-Big 12 as a freshman. Daniels, the first freshman to start opening week in Arizona State’s history, threw 19 touchdowns on the year and was MVP of the Sun Bowl. Both quarterbacks would eventually leave their initial schools of choice, with Williams following Lincoln Riley to USC and Daniels signing up with LSU.
The parallels don’t stop there for the last two recipients of the Heisman Trophy. Williams got the party started in 2022, scoring 52 total touchdowns with only five interceptions, to go along with 4,537 yards on 66.6 completion percentage. Daniels followed up with his Heisman run in 2023, scoring 50 total touchdowns, rushing for 1,134 yards, and finishing the season with a record 208.0 quarterback rating.
Caleb Williams
• 23-10 career record (18-8 with USC)
• 93 passing touchdowns
• 27 rushing touchdowns
Jayden daniels
• 37-18 career record (20-7 with LSU)
• 89 passing touchdowns
• 34 rushing touchdowns
Who’s Got the Edge?
• DanielS: While both players were dominant at the college level, Jayden’s superior rushing ability made him a slightly better fit for the college game. He also gets a bit of an edge from excelling against the Teams from the sec.
2024 TOPPS NOW® Card D-TRIP Caleb Williams/Jayden Daniels/Drake Maye
Williams and Daniels – A Cut Above in Draft Process
Despite Daniels’ brilliant Heisman campaign, Caleb Williams was clearly the Bears’ choice at the top of the draft from very early on in the process. Williams had been seen as a generational prospect for a while. Bears GM Ryan Poles said, “The field vision, the arm strength, the accuracy, all of that was rare…He just has the ‘wow’ factor.” Comparisons to Pat Mahomes came fast and furious.
With the Patriots also needing a QB with the third pick, the triumvirate of Williams, Daniels, and Drake Maye were considered near-locks to make up the top 3. In addition to his unquestioned athleticism and quick release, the Commanders were impressed by Daniels’ character and his success against SEC defenses. “They had looks and different things that Jayden has been able to really process things quickly. He has a real fast decision-making process,” said Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. Jayden’s name was called second, and for only the fourth time in league history, three quarterbacks were drafted with the first three picks.
Williams vs. Daniels – The Season So Far
While neither the Bears nor Commanders had huge expectations for this season, the pressure was on for the two rookie quarterbacks. Both were named starters before the season began; they were stepping into leadership roles with two of the most important franchises in league history. Fans wanted to believe that things would start to get better. Now, they’re dreaming of the playoffs, and maybe even more.
Williams and Daniels handled the start of the season with incredible poise and veteran calm. Daniels was electric out of the gates, becoming the only quarterback in league history to rush for two touchdowns and at least 80 yards in his debut. He’s been remarkable through the air, completing over 75% of his passes on the season. He won Offensive Rookie of the Month in September. His Commanders are tied for the league lead in scoring.
Williams won an ugly game to start his career but has since begun to show why scouts, pundits, and fans were so excited to see him enter the league. The Bears have won three straight games, and Williams is the first rookie in team history to have multiple games with over 300 yards of passing. He has leveled up in the last two weeks, with dominant performances against the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s clear that despite all the early success, these young QBs are just scratching the surface.
Caleb Williams
• 4-2 record as a starter
• QBR over 80 in last two starts
• 6.8 yards per carry on 25 rushes
• seven tds, one int during three-game win streak
Jayden daniels
• 5-2 record as a starter
• third in NFL with qbr of 73.9
• 372 rushing yards
• leads league in completion percentage
Who’s got the edge?
• daniels: Williams is closing fast with his elevated play, but Daniels’ start overall has been more consistent with fewer weapons on offense
Williams vs. Daniels – What’s Next?
The future could not be brighter for these quarterbacks, and the franchises are being built around their potential. Williams and Daniels are the latest evolution in the history of sports’ most difficult position. Combining world-class athleticism and arm talent with incredible savvy and poise beyond their years, they have the opportunity to inherit the league from the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. Given their history, the fact they are both Heisman winners, both taking the reigns for historic franchises, and went 1-2 at the top of the draft, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will be tied together as their careers unfold. A new rivalry has been born, and this Sunday, we are lucky to finally see it start to play out between the lines.
