Maye is the leading challenger to Williams for the QB1 honor in 2024, and he is coming off a breakout true sophomore season (4,321 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions with 698 rushing yards and seven touchdowns). Baker Mayfield is on a one-year deal, and former second-round pick Kyle Trask has nine career pass attempts. If the Bucs are picking third overall in 2024, this pick will almost certainly be a quarterback.
The Bucs are going into the 2023 season with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask under center, but I don't think either is the long-term plan -- especially since Mayfield is on a cheap, one-year deal. Mayfield was last in QBR in 2022 (24.6), and Trask, a second-rounder in 2021, has thrown nine passes in the NFL. Williams is coming off a Heisman season, throwing for 4,537 yards in 2022. He has a good arm and excels at creating when things break down. He's an exceptional QB prospect and would be worth the move up from No. 5 to get him.
With 45 total touchdowns last season, Maye not only put himself on the NFL radar, but he also jumped near the top of the list. With his size, arm and athleticism, he has skills comparable to those of Justin Herbert.
Speaking of Evans, the Bucs may see a need for another pass-catcher. Tight end looks strong again with Spann-Ford capable of pairing with last year's fourth round pick Cade Otton to give the Bucs a formidable pair of seam threats to complement the likely more run-heavy offense coming from Tampa Bay, now that Tom Brady has retired.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask battling for the starting quarterback job. Caleb Williams put up rare numbers during the 2022 season for USC. The Oklahoma transfer and Heisman Trophy winner passed for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and only five interceptions while completing 66.6 percent of his throws. He also rushed for 382 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Buccaneers find their new franchise quarterback in Maye, who was the most valuable player in college football last season according to our wins above average metric. His 45 big-time throws were 10 more than the next-closest FBS quarterback and he tied for second among all quarterbacks with 56 combined rushing first downs/touchdowns.
Replacing Tom Brady won't be easy, but a year with Kyle Trask (maybe) at QB1 has its benefits. Either Trask outperforms expectations and Tampa winds up nowhere near the top of the draft, or the Bucs collapse into a puddle and float to the top of the draft to select Williams. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has all the tools to be an MVP candidate on Sundays.
Here's to guessing that the Baker Mayfield-Kyle Trask pairing will prove untenable before season's end. At 6-4 and 220 pounds with impressive mobility and top-notch arm strength, Maye might be what the Buccaneers need to begin their full relaunch in 2024 after what could be a very trying season.
