Gerald McCoy, a former Pro Bowler and first round draft pick out of Oklahoma University is not exactly short on opinions, which is convenient, because boring interviews should be illegal during the NFL dead zone.
In an interview with Kyle Odegard of RotoGrinders, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star touched on Caleb Williams and Baker Mayfield.
McCoy Ranks Williams Above Other Former Oklahoma QBs
When asked which quarterback out of Oklahoma he would choose to start a team, the former pro bowler did not hesitate.
“Caleb,” McCoy said. “I don’t even have to think about it. There are some things missing with Baker athletically. Kyler is a little smaller. Jalen really doesn’t throw the ball that well, though he knows how to win. Caleb isn’t missing anything. If I’m picking one guy to put in any system with any coach, I’m taking Caleb.”
McCoy’s assessment hints at just how high he thinks the ceiling is for Williams. Sure, Mayfield is capable of winning NFL games. Jalen Hurts has made a Super Bowl appearance and Kyler Murray still represents one of the league’s more electric athletes, but McCoy sees something unique in Williams that separates him from the rest of this group.
This evaluation is telling since it emphasizes the future ahead of present and past.
The former pro bowler is saying Williams is not necessarily the best currently, but he may end up as the quarterback with the most physical tools and upside. With Ben Johnson calling the shots on the Bears’ offense, the second-round pick should get a chance to validate that belief.
Former Pro Bowler Thinks Williams is “Overly-Talented”
McCoy continued to praise Williams’ abilities and talent for the game.
“Caleb is immensely talented. He’s almost overly-talented, what he can do throwing a football and what he can do with his legs. As soon as he gets to the point where he can relax and learn how to simplify the game, Caleb Williams will be the best quarterback in the NFL. Yes, I just said it. He’s that talented.”
According to the statements from McCoy, it seems like he does not think that Williams’ play is related to his physical skill and attributes, but is rather about the mental aspect of playing quarterback. The former pro bowler seems to think that Williams’ next move is for him to embrace the structure that comes with the offense, and rely on his playmaking rather than his ability to create plays from out of chaos.
The former pro bowler believes that if Williams develops in this manner, he may very well be higher up on the pantheon of football play than any quarterback we’re watching play today.
McCoy Thinks Mayfield is the Right QB for the Buccaneers
Despite his criticism of Mayfield “missing things athletically” he still thinks highly of him as quarterback. When asked about Mayfield’s contract situation, McCoy made his stance clear that Tamp Bay needs to lock him up for the long term.
“You want to have a guy that puts you in position to compete,” McCoy said. “If you get rid of Baker, who is that guy? The draft is full of question marks. I don’t care how good they were in college. That does not guarantee they will be good in the NFL. So if you get rid of Baker, who do you go get? Who is out there?
If there’s a top (NFL) quarterback out there, that team is not going to let them go. And to get a good guy in the draft, you’ve got to be trash. I don’t plan on the Bucs being trash, so you might as well sign him. Let’s build this thing and see what happens.”
McCoy’s reasoning is one that many NFL clubs can understand. Identifying a franchise quarterback, possibly in the NFL Draft, is one of the more challenging things for a team to do. On the other hand, the Buccaneers already have one, and Mayfield has already brought a sustained level of winning to Tampa.
Instead of testing the waters with an untested rookie quarterback, or hoping there is some sort of ripple in the free agent waters for a franchise quarterback to fall into their laps at some point. the former pro bowler sees continuity as the right option.
McCoy Sees Two Very Different Success Stories
While McCoy’s opinions on Williams and Mayfield take different directions, they arrive at the same conclusion. He believes Williams has the talent to eventually become the NFL’s best quarterback if he continues to mature, while Mayfield has already proven enough to deserve Tampa Bay’s long-term commitment. Whether projecting future greatness or recognizing established success, the former pro bowler made it clear that both quarterbacks are exactly where they should be.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
