Drake Maye vs. Caleb Williams: The 2024 QB Draft Class Battle Just Got Real
Pressure doesn’t just reveal character-it defines it. And for two of the most hyped quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL Draft class, this past postseason gave us a fascinating look at how they respond when everything’s on the line.
Drake Maye had the kind of regular season that puts your name in MVP conversations. The Patriots’ rookie sensation threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions.
On paper, that’s elite. But when the lights got brighter in the playoffs, Maye’s game dimmed-and fast.
His postseason struggles weren’t just noticeable-they were historic. Against a gauntlet of defenses from the Chargers, Texans, Broncos, and Seahawks, Maye posted a staggering -41.2 pass EPA (Expected Points Added), the worst playoff performance in that stat’s recorded history. Zoom out to total EPA, and it gets worse: -29.2, the lowest mark for any quarterback starting at least three playoff games since 2000.
Now, there’s a chance Maye’s shoulder injury played a role. But even with that caveat, the tape shows a quarterback who looked hesitant, rattled, and out of sync-especially against the Texans, Broncos, and Seahawks. The Patriots might’ve reached the Super Bowl in just Maye’s second year, but the road there raised more questions than answers about how he handles elite-level defenses.
Let’s not forget: New England entered the 2025 season with the third-easiest schedule in the league. When the competition stiffened in January, Maye didn’t rise to the occasion. He crumbled.
Enter Caleb Williams.
The Bears’ young quarterback didn’t have a spotless postseason either, but he showed flashes of the kind of play that earns you nicknames like “Iceman.” Williams led seven fourth-quarter comebacks during the regular season-an NFL-best-and while his playoff numbers weren’t perfect, the clutch gene was still on display.
In his first postseason appearance, Williams threw for 618 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions, completing 60.8% of his passes. Not ideal, especially considering his 58.1% completion rate during the regular season.
The accuracy needs to improve, no doubt. And five picks in the playoffs is a tough pill to swallow.
But context matters. Two of those interceptions came off miscommunications-one with Luther Burden III against the Packers, and another in overtime versus the Rams. They still count, and Williams owned them, but when you zoom out, his overall ball security has been solid: just 13 interceptions through his first two seasons.
Where Williams really separates himself is in his ability to avoid negative plays. He was sacked just 24 times during the regular season-22nd-most in the league-and only once in two playoff games. Maye, on the other hand, was sacked 47 times in the regular season (fourth-most) and a jaw-dropping 21 times in the playoffs alone, setting a new record.
That’s not just a stat-it’s a red flag.
Williams has a natural feel for pressure. He extends plays, keeps his eyes downfield, and gives his offense a chance even when the defense gets it right.
That improvisational ability is a huge reason why Bears head coach Ben Johnson has so much flexibility building around him. Maye can move too-he finished fourth among quarterbacks in rushing yards-but his pocket instincts and awareness under pressure clearly aren’t on Williams’ level.
And then there’s the fumbling. Maye put the ball on the ground seven times in the playoffs, losing four. Turnovers like that are drive-killers, and in the postseason, they’re often game-killers.
None of this is to say the book is closed on Maye. He’s got the arm, the athleticism, and the smarts to be a long-term star in this league. But when you stack his postseason performance against Williams’ body of work-including the late-game heroics, the sack avoidance, and the flashes of elite playmaking-it’s clear the gap between these two is narrowing fast.
Both quarterbacks have sky-high ceilings. But right now, Williams’ ability to create under pressure and elevate his offense in crunch time gives him the edge. In a league where quarterback play is everything, that difference might be what separates playoff teams from Super Bowl winners.
The debate is far from over-but for now, Caleb Williams is making a strong case to be the top quarterback from the 2024 class.