"They're nuts": NFL Draft expert draws line in the sand over Jayden Daniels vs Drake Maye debate

Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye are among the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Many experts have predicted that each of them will be selected within the top three picks this year. Most would acknowledge that they are both elite prospects. However, the real debate has been centered around which one of them would make for a better pick.

Many analysts surrounding the draft have expressed strong opinions one way or the other when it comes to the debate between Daniels and Maye. One of them is ESPN's resident draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. He explained during a recent episode of Get Up why one of them should be clearly rated higher than the other.

Kiper explained:

"Jayden Daniels right now is the better quarterback. There's no reason to believe that he can't be great. It's not like he's already as good as he's ever going to be. He's the ultimate dual threat. He has strong comparisons to Lamar Jackson and Randall Cunningham. Are you kidding me? For those who are saying Maye has more potential than Daniels, they're nuts."

Mel Kiper Jr. clearly believes that the upside that comes with Daniels is far superior to that of Maye. He mentioned his elite rushing contributions as one of the biggest reasons why.

While Maye's overall build and strong arm profile are more characteristic of the stereotypical NFL quarterback, he lacks the same athletic gifts that Daniels showed off during his time with the LSU Tigers, including winning a Heisman Trophy.

Jayden Daniels' rushing skills raise his ceiling in the 2024 NFL Draft

Jayden Daniels

After beginning his college football career with the Arizona State Sun Devils, Jayden Daniels exploded in his final two seasons when he transferred to the LSU Tigers. His rushing contributions were extremely impressive, including 2,019 yards and 21 touchdowns in those two years.

In the modern version of the NFL where most of the successful quarterbacks possess the ability to beat defenders with their legs, Daniels' skillset makes him an attractive prospect. While Drake Maye also demonstrated athleticism with the North Carolina Tar Heels, it wasn't quite as elite as Daniels.

Across the same final two years as Daniels, Maye turned in 1,146 rushing yards with 16 touchdowns. This also helps his upside as a prospect, but Daniels is the far superior rusher. This is why many draft experts, including Mel Kiper Jr., believe that Daniels deserves to be selected before Maye.