Which QB do you take if you are an NFL GM?

[UTE98]

Nix
Penix
Williams

I know which one I take, and it isn’t close.

Williams would be my third choice, however he’ll probably go the first of the three.
Butt fumble! He doesn’t need a butt to fumble.

[TheUteBlog]

Nix

[DataUte]

Drake Maye. Good qb class – Nix, Penix, Leonard, McCarthy, Sanders, Pratt (tulane), Daniels, Ewers, Ward, FSU guy … I wouldn’t pick Williams (Johnny Manziel without the partying) – I’d let some other franchise deal with him. BTW, Rising would not be smart to join this years qb class. Def would be UDFA and scouts would want to see him play recovered from injury.

[The Miami Ute]

Good call. That’s also who I would take as well. Bigger than Williams, about as elusive, bigger arm…his problem is that he plays at a basketball school and doesn’t get anywhere near the press as Williams. As for Rising, I think one of the world’s worst kept secrets is that Rising is coming back for a final year of college. The real question is if that final year is at Utah or somewhere else, because a lot of elite schools are going to be looking for a QB. In my mind, there’s no way he turns down a guaranteed payday of $500k+ from NIL for the uncertainty of the NFL.

[ProudUte]

I would pick Penix, Ewers, and Nix before Williams. IMO, guys like him can hurt a team. Williams has the talent for sure. But he seems to be about Williams first and the team second.

[Caliman]

I’d pick the best RB available, and wait until 2025 draft. I would then pick Bryson Barnes with my # 1 pick. SCORE!

[The Miami Ute]

I thought we were talking about the NFL, not the XFL. Seriously though, if somehow, someway, Barnes is able to progress over, say the next two years. I can see a pathway for him to make the NFL. All you have to do is look at guys like Taylor Heinecke. I see a lot of him in Barnes.

[DataUte]

I feel like Barnes is super loyal, but likely will be a backup depending on Rising, Rose decisions along with Howard development and/or Isaac coming in (hopefully we RS him). Barnes could totally find a great starting position in either a ‘lower’ P5 or a better G5 school to continue developing, playing, and putting play on game film. He’s a cult hero at Utah, but it will be interesting what he thinks is the best for him and his future dreams.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Tough question. Do you pick potential or character over talent. Williams has the talent but does he have the character? Maye Penix Nix have the character. Do they have the talent?

I was to pick one of the four for my fantasy football team (NFL) I would have to go with Williams. He could potentially put up the bigger numbers.

[DataUte]

I’m not sure Williams’ college game translates to the pros. Critics have pointed to bad footwork. He is amazing at scrambling, but not sure if pros don’t tackle him faster (and he gets hurt) after too many of those. I also am not sure he can really read a defense and go through progressions rather than running around and finding an open receiver.

I think Nix, Penix have talent and character. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. Both had to resurrect their careers by transferring (Auburn had no problem with him leaving, Penix left a bad Indiana situation). Russell Wilson left NC St for Wisc and it did the trick for him.

I think either of those 2 might not have as good stats, but would probably deliver more of the most important stat than Williams – Wins.

[22Ute22]

Penix marginally ahead of Williams, both of which are way ahead of Nix. Nix won’t be a good NFL QB. He’s good right now because he’s got an elite team and he’s got the most starts of ANY QB in CFB history. Good CFB player, but I don’t think he’ll be good in the NFL.

[J Rocksville]

Caleb may go #1 simply because of the success other chaos QB’s have had recently, but I think Maye, Ewers, Penix, probably have a better shot of long term success in the NFL.

There is a ton of depth in this QB class, at least a half dozen ahead of Rising and another half dozen or more in his same shoes. That has to impact his decision to stay in college. There will be lots of spots opening up at good schools, and Utah obviously has potential to do well next year with a returning defense and improving OL in a league that on paper doesn’t seem as difficult as the Pac 12.

[Rick]

As much as I dislike Williams, he is NOT USC’s problem. Last I checked, averaging 31 points per game in their 3 losses is enough to win most games. It is the 45 points per game their defense allowed in those same 3 losses that is their problem. Williams makes all the throws. He is very Mahomes-esque in his ability to escape pressure and throw the ball in multiple situations on the run. He will be a very good pro QB in the right situation. I don’t like him one bit but objectively speaking he is a very good QB.

[DataUte]

I’d agree. USC’s problem is defense and also actually putting too much on Caleb (need a better run game). But putting that aside, Williams to me seems like other Riley products – Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield (Jalen Hurts was a rental but developed by Bama). They put up huge numbers in college, but Riley’s system does not prepare them as well for the pro game. They end up trying to do too much because they can’t read a defense well (works in college fine due to their athletic ability) and then get hurt.

If #1 should turn into a franchise qb, Williams is closer to Zach Wilson imo. Of course, there are only maybe 2 franchise qbs in an average year. Maybe 3 this year. I’m also a Texas fan and like Ewers, but he’s probably more like a Colt McCoy career. Fringe starter that’s around 6 teams in 12 years.

[2008 National Champ]

The only thing wrong with SC’s run game is that Reilly refuses to use it in a close game after the 1st quarter. Washington beat SC because they continued to run the ball and that’s where their biggest plays came from. SC was averaging 7.5 per but kept going back to the Williams scramble drill just like they did in the Notre Dame and Utah losses.

The good thing for Utah is that both Oregon and SC ran for over 200 yards. Without Letuligasenoa, UW struggles to clog the middle. And their LB’s aren’t good at setting the edges. There should be opportunities to run the ball as long as the OBlock can build off last week.