Caleb Williams has turned in three consecutive lackluster performances, and his formerly-ironclad grip on becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft is getting a little weaker.
The USC quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner is still the odds-on favorite to be the top pick, but North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is becoming a legitimate threat in the eyes of the oddsmakers.
Williams’ odds to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft sat at -450 at FanDuel before Saturday’s game against Utah, while Maye was at +340.
The Trojans lost and Williams finished the contest 24-of-34 for 256 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Williams’ odds to be the No. 1 overall pick now sit at -310, while Maye is at +270, per FanDuel on Monday, October 23rd, 2023.
Williams started off extremely hot this year but went just 14-of-25 for 219 yards and one passing touchdown in a closer-than-expected victory over the University of Arizona on October 7th.
Then came his worst game of the year, in which Williams was 23-of-37 for 199 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions in a loss to Notre Dame.
It would still be an upset if Maye overtakes Williams and goes No. 1, but the buzz will grow if Williams continues to have a major gulf between his numbers against non-ranked and ranked opponents.
USC is out of the national championship conversation after this weekend’s loss to Utah and Williams is an extreme longshot to repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner with odds of 100/1.
Maye is coming off a so-so performance himself, completing only 24-of-48 passes for 347 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a Saturday loss to Virginia.
However, he does have nine touchdown passes in his past three games and does not boast nearly the supporting cast as Williams.
They are the only two prospects with a seemingly legitimate shot to go No. 1 overall, according to FanDuel, as the rest of the top-10 is filled with longshots.
Here is a look at those odds, as of Monday, October 23rd, 2023.
- Caleb Williams -310
- Drake Maye +270
- Marvin Harrison, Jr. +2000
- Olo Fashanu +3000
- J.J. McCarthy +3500
- Michael Penix, Jr. +5000
- Joe Alt + 5000
- Quinn Ewers +6000
- Brock Bowers +6000
- Jayden Daniels +7500
