Caleb Williams faces career hinge-point ahead of USC debut

College football analyst J.D Pickell recently ranked his top five quarterbacks in college football heading into the 2022 season. And USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams ranked high on that list, coming in at No.3.

“At number three… Caleb Williams. He’s an elite athlete, right. In terms of just this top-five, he’s probably the most gifted physically,” said Pickell. “Did a lot of great things for Oklahoma a season ago. At times, though, you saw him have some true freshman moments. There were times, especially against Baylor when he came to Waco, when he was making those off his back foot into double coverage and having careless turnovers and not tucking the football and having fumbles. So, at times, you would see really really good Caleb Williams that would cause everybody to say okay he’s the future of the sport.”

Williams’s performance against the Bears in comparison to him leading the Sooners to a comeback victory against the Texas Longhorns was night and day on paper. Against Texas, Williams did throw into double coverage as well. However, they did not make him pay as Baylor did. But all of this happened during the new Trojans signal caller’s true freshman season. And with his first collegiate season behind him, Williams will look to be more poised in the pocket in 2022.

Pickell thinks it’s a make or break year for Williams

There are some concerns with the new USC quarterback, but Pickell has him ranked third for a reason. As he continues, he explains his ranking and why this is a make-or-break year for Williams.

“The big point for me, this is a huge opportunity, at the same time, it’s a hinge point in his career. With all that he put on tape a season ago and all the hype that he has coming into USC if he knocks it out of the park, I mean it’s a grand slam. He gives himself first-round status locked in. If he fails to take that next step, if he fails to progress as a passer and fails to progress in the system, it’s a long way to fall. For him, he has to prove a lot of people right. But for my money, I think he’s the third best quarterback in the country going into 2022.”

With all the hype and expectations levied on Williams at USC, the young quarterback has his work cut out for him. However, given his track record, Riley has done well with dual-threat quarterbacks. The former Oklahoma head coach has turned his last three starting quarterbacks into starters at the next level. And two of those three won the Heisman Trophy and we’re number one overall picks in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray all under Riley’s guiding hand.

Williams has all the tools laid at his feet to become the next great USC quarterback. Only time will tell whether he rises to the occasion or regresses to the mean.