Heading into Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season, this year’s top picks, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, have moved heads all across the NFL world with not only their quarterbacking prowess but also their speed. But between the two, who is actually faster?
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As both quarterbacks skipped the NFL Combine and didn’t run the highly anticipated 40-yard dash, their latest times aren’t readily available. However, based on their college data, Jayden edges out Caleb only by a fraction of a second.
The USC quarterback is reported to have a record of 4.57 seconds, whereas Daniels ran a 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds during his time at Arizona State.
Around the time of the NFL Draft, however, it was speculated that Jayden could have surpassed his previous record with a new time of 4.25, potentially making him the fifth fastest at the NFL Combine.
The Commanders’ quarterback was also reported to have reached 21.8 mph during an 85-yard touchdown run for LSU in 2022, which further strengthens the claims about his speed. His 4-1 record with the Commanders is another testament to how he has successfully translated his college talent to the big league.
Williams, on the other hand, had a tumultuous first three weeks in Chicago, suffering two back-to-back losses. He has since shown flashes of brilliance, but the Bears rookie still lags behind when compared to Jayden.
Caleb Williams vs. Jayden Daniels in 2024
It seems that Caleb is finally setting into the Chicago groove and has proven naysayers wrong by leading the team to three consecutive victories.
Having amassed 1,091 passing yards, completing 101 out of 170 passes, and five touchdowns in the first six weeks, Williams is emerging as the QB that Chicago never had. However, he has a formidable competitor in Daniels, who has equally moved heads with his dual-threat ability.
Having led the Commanders to a 4-1 record, Jayden is not only being projected for the Offensive Rookie of the Year but also for the MVP race.
The former LSU quarterback became the first league athlete to score more than 1,000 yards in passing and 250 in rushing within his first five career games. Moreover, he’s leading in all-time completion pass percentage in the first four games, even surpassing Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
That said, when Matt Eberflus was asked to comment on the comparison between the two rookies, the head coach gave a candid response. While appreciating Daniels’ performance this season, he concluded by saying that it’s Williams who fits in Chicago.
“You’ve seen what he’s [Jayden Daniels] done so far this year — very accurate… I certainly liked a lot of things about him, but we just thought that Caleb had the stuff that we were looking for.”
As the never-ending debate ensues, fans might finally get some respite on Oct 27 when the two quarterbacks will battle it out at FedEx Field.
