ESPN analyst takes victory lap for ranking Jayden Daniels over Caleb Williams

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovksy is already taking a victory lap for ranking Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels over Caleb Williams during the 2024 NFL Draft

Grace Hollars USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

When Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles selected Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it was viewed as a no-brainer; the obvious choice.

Sure, then-LSU star Jayden Daniels had his fans, but Williams had long been considered a generational prospect and the only real option for the Bears.

Then came the 2024 season.

Daniels will win Rookie of the Year by a landslide. He's led his Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship game. Simply put, he's been remarkable.

But longtime NFL scouts and draft analysts know that one season doesn't make a career, no matter how tempting it might be to crown a player after a remarkable rookie year.

Just ask everyone who said CJ Stroud was the next coming of Tom Brady.

Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

It's become exhausting for Bears fans who've been forced to listen to the tired narrative suggesting Chicago made yet another franchise-crippling blunder by picking the wrong quarterback in the first round. Their infamous decision to select Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes will rank at the top of historical draft misses, but the suggestion that it's happened again, that it's already been established that Williams was a mistake, is laughable.

It's made worse when analysts like ESPN's Dan Orlovsky take a premature victory lap one season into their evaluation.

Feb 29

🤝 https://t.co/upZkpyS8kh

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) January 19, 2025

Sure, Orlovsky said he would've taken Daniels over Williams. Sure, that looks like a great "take" one season into their careers. And, sure, he's going to get a lot of credit in the days after Daniels pulled off a massive upset playoff win.

But let's slow down on the back-patting, ok? Orlovsky's track record is far from perfect.

Remember his concerns about Buffalo Bills star and 2024 MVP candidate Josh Allen?

Please, all #DaBears fans, watch this. Then read all the comments. And remember that this was the narrative even after Allen’s rookie season.

Dan should know better than to take a victory lap on your QB eval after one season. Irresponsible.

This aged like rotten milk. 🤝 https://t.co/vFliSnV5Sf

— Bryan Perez (@BryanPerezNFL) January 19, 2025

Check the comments in the tweet for even more context. Orlovsky had very serious concerns about Allen's processing. He went as far as to say coaching might not help him.

Had Orlovsky used Allen's rookie season to assess his evaluation, he would've had a whole bunch of 'hand-shaking' emojis then, too. Allen completed only 52% of his passes as a rookie. Orlovsky would've looked right.

Then came the rest of Allen's remarkable career.

Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Let's pump the brakes on the Jayden Daniels vs. Caleb Williams debate. It's OK to celebrate Daniels' success. It's ok to appreciate a fantastic quarterback season and a fantastic story. But it's also important not to overreact to a moment.

Instead, Bears fans should focus on the excitement that Williams created in his rookie season, even if it was a bumpy ride.

Remember: but for an improbable Hail Mary, Williams outdueled Daniels head-to-head in 2024.

Caleb Williams' career is far from defined. And the Chicago Bears' decision to select him over Jayden Daniels is, too.

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