Maye: The complaints about his footwork are a little confusing. Is it during delivery? No dropback after shotgun snap? I don't see it as that big of a deal unless he simply can't execute a basic crossover step, and as the son of a QB I doubt that's the case.
Another "negative" I've seen is the way he pats the ball before a throw. I don't know how much of a real issue this is for an NFL QB, as I've only ever seen amateur youtubers pointing it out. He doesn't do it all the time. It seems like an unconscious habit on some throws, probably from a feeling that the ball needs to be more firmly in the hand, or a trigger that a certain type of decision has been made. Also:
With both of these things--"footwork" and ball tapping--if some NFL QB coach decides to change these aspects of his game, it will probably be a few years before he shows NFL level consistency, because he will be thinking too much about long-ingrained habits instead of just playing and reacting to the situation. Too much thought about what your hands and feet are doing during a play is poison to flow.
The main issue with Maye in my eyes is whether or not the QOC has been comparable. I think he'll make it somehow in the NFL, but I'm not sure whether he's the next Joe Montana or Ryan Leaf.
Daniels: My first viewing of his play I think I said he was good running and on deep balls but that's all that was shown in his highlight reel. He's an ELITE scrambler...one of the best I've seen. That's his prime selling point.
But I've also seen video where his short and mid-range passing was picked apart for its accuracy and timing. That's a concern in an NFL offense (if a true deficiency and not the product of some armchair QB cherrypicking flaws). But how hard is it to fix? I think that's 100% mental for any QB and simply a matter of recognition and nerve.
WFT version of Cousins was hesitant to throw the ball and checked down quickly because he was afraid of throwing picks. Daniels had 40 TDS to 4 INTS so maybe he's really REALLY trying to avoid the interceptions, and that's causing the half-beat delay in short-mid range delivery. Whether or not he becomes as elite with those timing routes depends on his willingness to let that go a bit and trust the process, imo. If he does that, he'll be a top QB in the league... IF he can avoid being snapped in half.
He also pats the ball, so there's that.
Williams: This guy is an enigma. Aladdin's Lamp or Hellraiser cube. He's super high risk/reward in a lot of ways, but the allure of pure talent will be difficult for any team to resist.
Like the others he works out of the gun so you can't 100% apply it to an NFL offense that starts under center, except maybe the fact that he often does seem to have a "classic" crossover dropback step even in shotgun. Daniels does this a little bit, Maye not much, if at all.
When CW does take the snap he seems to go by the book for a few steps, and then he flips it to improv mode. His delivery angles and movements will vary based on the play, BUT he doesn't just bail out and run at the first sign of pressure.
Since all three of these QBs have some escapability and slightly different running talents, you have to look at what else sets them apart. With CW, for me, it's twofold...
First is the way he seems to WANT to climb the pocket and stay in it with his eyes downfield when possible. This is a coveted pro trait that I don't see with DM or JD, and it's probably one reason he has stats that show him holding onto the ball so long. DM and JD will make a few reads and then either huck it up or scramble when the first guy breaks through the line, but CW seems to want to stick with the play a bit more. I don't know if this is something you can teach a QB because it's such a primal "fight or flight" type instinct at its root.
Second is his freakish arm strength. CW would probably have one of the strongest arms in the NFL on day one. He can roll out and flick the ball across his body on a rope. This is also something you can't teach. It's a HUGE advantage if you're playing an NFL style offense with tight windows and precise timing, which again his basic demonstration of footwork will also acomodate.
Then there's the diva/headcase question...
Verdict: Unless something happens at the combine, it has to be Williams first. This is a reversal of my previous stance, which was based on possible diva status more than anything. You have to roll the dice and ignore that. Rub the lamp. The pocket presence and arm talent are HUGE advantages that, unless he's a total rockhead, will put him in position to possibly start in the in NFL week 1.
It's a toss-up between the other two for 2nd and 3rd pick. Maye's QOC is potentially problematic, and JD's frame and penchant to just pull it down and run complicate the equation.
