Caleb Williams separating himself as top quarterback eligible for 2024 NFL Draft
Through five games, USC quarterback Caleb Williams has done nothing but reaffirm his status as the potential top quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft class. ESPN draft analysts Jordan Reid and Matt Miller recently examined why on an episode of the “First Draft” podcast.
Simply, Williams has managed to live up to the massive expectations placed on him, a reigning Heisman winner and one of the most high-profile stars in the sport. And Reid has been impressed with the apparent ease that Williams has continued to excel.
“Just seeing how easy he makes the game look, that’s what is so special about Caleb. He goes and he makes the easy throws but then he’ll come back and he’ll make a miraculous off-script, out-of-pocket throw that just wows you,” Reid said. “So, Caleb has been as advertised and I think he’s done everything that he needs to do to still be in the pole position with this quarterback and I think he’s the unquestioned No. 1 overall pick, nothing’s changed in that department, to me.”
Williams has been lights out in 2023 to build on an impressive 2022 Heisman campaign. If anything, he’s been better as a passer and at the finer points of being a quarterback.
Williams has completed 74.5% of his passes for 1,603 yards and 21 touchdowns to just one interception in five games as USC is undefeated. He’s also got a trio of rushing touchdowns.
“I think he has only separated himself with his play,” Miller said. “And I think, also, we’re all human beings even though we try to be unbiased when we evaluate, I almost feel like the expectations for Caleb as the reigning Heisman trophy winner were astronomical. You almost come into it like, ‘Oh man, how can he ever live up to that?’ We see that every season with guys, I think he has lived up to that.”
Miller thinks Williams has been maturing and improving in real time before our eyes.
“He’s been very prolific as a passer, as a runner I think we’re seeing him mature into the position a little bit more,” Miller said. “You can get into the nitty gritty and talk about time to throw, yeah there are times he’s got like seven seconds back there. But the ability to manipulate defenses with his eyes and with the threat of his legs, it’s just really advanced quarterbacking, in my opinion.”
Simply, a player who established himself as the top quarterback and likely player in the 2024 draft class following the 2022 season hasn’t put one foot wrong during his 2023 encore.
“I mean, he’s been as advertised and everybody knew that Caleb was special coming into the year and he won the Heisman trophy, he had prolific numbers last year, 42 touchdowns to five interceptions. And he’s been everything that we thought he was coming into the season. He’s been special in every game that he’s played in,” Reid said.