USC’s Caleb Williams and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are two of the top three quarterbacks and anticipated top 10 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. So why are neither participating in the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday?
Naturally, all eyes have been on the soon-to-be NFL stars leading up to draft day on April 16. Though, talent evaluators and fans won’t have the luxury of seeing them put their skills and natural gifts to the test.
Williams, the No. 1 QB prospect, and Daniels, the No. 3 ranked talent at the position, have opted to bypass the throwing portion of the annual combine.
The event evaluates all hopeful draftees and measures their physical peripherals such as bench press and 40-yard dash, as well as their execution on the field.
Williams and Daniels won’t complete passing drills, but will put their pinpoint accuracy on display at a later date. Let’s find out when the standout collegiate performers will show their stuff.
Why aren’t Williams & Daniels throwing at the Combine?
The two most recent Heisman Trophy winners won’t throw at the combine because they will do so instead at their respective university’s pro days.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport shared the latest updates on Williams and Daniels’ stance on X/Twitter earlier today:
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The latest on some of the NFL Draft’s top QBs and what their plans are for the Scouting Combine that takes place this week — beginning with Caleb Williams electing to wait until his Pro Day to throw. https://t.co/fVnfyZe4myhttps://t.co/fVnfyZe4my
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 26, 2024
Collegiate pro days are held by NCAAF programs, typically to give players who weren’t invited to the combine a chance to engage in like drills and activities. It also gives their most promising talents the opportunity to do the same on familiar turf.
Seeing that the NFL combine throws quarterbacks into unfamiliar territory and the opposite is true for the home territory of their school’s pro days, Williams and Daniels are slated to show out in the latter.
The reigning Heisman Trophy recipient Daniels won the award off of his FBS-leading 11.7 passing yards per attempt as well as being one of only seven quarterbacks to complete at least 70 percent of their passes (72.2 percent completion pct.) in 2023.
Williams also impressed with 30 passing touchdowns in the season.
Both showed remarkable abilities in the accuracy and efficiency departments and boasted elite arm strength. Williams will be seen in action on March 20 and Daniels March 27 at their respective pro days.