Caleb Williams Ranked as Just the Fourth-Best QB From His Own Draft Class

He landed 15th on a franchise players list, behind Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix, and the gap with at least two of them is tough to justify.

Dec 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is hands down one of the NFL's most exciting players. He's cemented himself as the team's franchise quarterback and is also one of the league's top cornerstones.

However, his status among the league's elite signal-callers is still up for debate. Some believe that he's the second coming of Patrick Mahomes, while others think his penchant for making the incredible look ordinary has led to him receiving that crown too early.

BleacherReport's Brad Gagnon is seemingly somewhat on the fence when it comes to that conversation. He included Williams on his ranking of the top 20 franchise players for teams to build around ahead of the 2026 NFL season, but he landed at 15th on the list. Notably, behind three other quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL Draft.

Under different circumstances, a Bears QB even being included on such a list would be a cause for celebration. They have the worst history at the quarterback position out of every team in the league, and that's saying a lot when the Cleveland Browns exist.

It's difficult not to feel like Williams got a bit disrespected in this regard, though.

Could Williams possibly be the fourth-best QB in the 2024 NFL Draft class?

Aug 8, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) hug after a game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I wouldn't find issue with Williams being listed at 15th if the list included all franchise players (Gagnon mentioned that he only included players under 29 years old) at this stage of his career. He probably won't land anywhere close to 15th on the league's annual Top 100 list, and anywhere he lands on the list from this point forward (Roquan Smith is the most recent entry at 65) would be fair.

With that said, we can't comprehend him being ranked as the fourth QB from the 2024 NFL Draft. Bo Nix beat him out by one spot, and Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye were the TOP TWO players on the list.

Nix being ahead of Williams is egregious. The Broncos signal-caller is surely talented and rightfully belonged on the list. He doesn't strike fear into the heart of defenses like Williams does, though. It's not even close.

Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) looks to throw a pass while running with the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Daniels being ranked second on the list is arguably even more egregious. The best ability is availability, and Daniels missed ten games last season. He also took a significant step back from his rookie campaign in the seven games he played in last season. Daniels finished the year with only 8 passing touchdowns and averaged just over 180 passing yards per game.

Daniels is supremely talented. Like Nix, he definitely belongs on the list. However, I'm not sure any NFL teams other than the Commanders would take him over Williams with the baked-in injury concerns. The discrepancy between where they find themselves on the list is a conundrum.

I have no issues with Maye being ahead of Williams, and I also don't have any qualms with him being ranked first. He's a surefire MVP candidate and one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. The same can be said about Williams, though. He should be right up there with Maye.