Reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams was absolutely dynamic in his first season with USC. North Carolina’s Drake Maye stands at 6-foot-5, boasts a strong arm and is a dual-threat out of the backfield.

We’re not talking too much about these collegiate quarterbacks leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft. There’s a reason for it. Neither Williams nor Maye were eligible to enter the annual event.

The same thing can’t be said for the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. Already viewed as can’t-miss prospects, the two are going to have an impact on what teams do this April. In fact, they will play a huge role in the decision-making process.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated touched on this recently, speaking to some executives around the NFL. It’s a common belief among said executives that Williams and Maye would be the unquestioned top-two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft if they were eligible.

“The two guys next year would be the top two guys in this year’s class,” NFC executive on Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.

If this is the widespread belief among NFL front offices, we could see teams wait until 2024 to add a potential franchise quarterback while going the stopgap route this spring. In theory, this could also have an impact on some of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 draft class.