NFL Draft: Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams take center stage QBs rejecting Combine practices ahead of Pro Day
According to Adam Schefter, Williams is rejecting NFL Combine activities and intends to hold off on throwing and working out for
Current Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels has similarly decided to hold off on throwing until his Pro Day at LSU, but he will still do interviews with teams on February 29–March 3.
At the Combine, scouts will watch other elite quarterback prospects throw in front of them, such as Michael Penix Jr. of Washington, Bo Nix of Oregon, and JJ McCarthy of Michigan. Drake Maye of North Carolina has not disclosed which drills, if any, he intends to take part in. Drills for wide receivers, running backs, and quarterbacks begin at 1:00 PM ET on Saturday.
In recent years, a large number of elite quarterback prospects have chosen not to throw at the Combine. Bryce Young, the first overall choice of the previous year, chose to focus on his Alabama Pro Day over Combine exercises.
The thinking is that since they are throwing to fresh receivers, the consensus top prospects stand to lose more from poor Combine performances. At their pro day, quarterbacks frequently team up with multiple of their season’s top targets and practice drills with those colleagues before the big day.
McCarthy and other quarterbacks regarded as marginal first-round prospects look to benefit the most from having numerous chances to throw in front of scouts during the Combine and their pro days. One of the ten players that may have the biggest impact on their stock at the Combine was the Michigan signal caller.
McCarthy is the NFL Draft prospect with the most momentum as the end of February draws near, according to Cody Nagel of 247Sports. McCarthy is creating a lot of talk as a possible April top-10 selection.
McCarthy, though, is projected by college football analyst Blake Brockermeyer to be selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With a national championship and a 27-1 record as a starter, he concluded his time in college at Michigan. He will get the chance to