Report: Caleb Williams down to two potential transfer destinations

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh•01/21/22•

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One of the most highly sought-after transfers in the country is still available in Caleb Williams. The former Oklahoma Sooner has been linked with programs across the country but is taking his time making a decision, even with schools beginning to start classes.

According to a report, Williams has taken a step forward in a process, narrowing his destinations down to two. OKC-KWTV Sports Director Dean Blevins said “it’s down to USC-LSU” for the former On3 No. 1 overall player. Blevins said his source is somebody “with direct knowledge.” No sort of timeline was mentioned.

Williams ending up at USC would not be much of a surprise. He would be reuniting with head coach Lincoln Riley, who was the main reason Williams ended up at Oklahoma in the first place. Plenty of other Sooners have made the trek out west, becoming Trojans through the transfer portal.

USC has seen two quarterbacks leave the program through the transfer portal in Jaxson Dart and Kedon Slovis. If Los Angeles is not the destination for Williams, Riley would have a thin quarterback room heading into spring practice. Landing Williams is crucial toward Riley being able to accelerate the rebuild.

Coming out of high school, Williams put out a top three list of LSU, Maryland and Oklahoma before making his decision. The Tigers are a program the quarterback is familiar with, even though there is a new coaching staff in place.

Head coach Brian Kelly already has a loaded room but Williams is the type of player you sacrifice for. An On3 Consensus four-star quarterback is already en route to Baton Rouge in class of 2022 signee Walker Howard. Myles Brennan withdrew his name from the transfer portal, while Garrett Nussmeier will remain on campus.

If the report of LSU being a possibility for Williams is true, Kelly would have some magic to work within his quarterback room. Williams has two years of eligibility before heading to the 2024 NFL draft would have at least one, if not two, LSU quarterbacks looking for new homes.

In On3’s new transfer portal tracker, Williams is the No. 1 player to enter during the cycle. After being rated 98.08 coming out of high school, he is now rated a flat 98 as a transfer. According to the On3 RPM, there is a 99.5% chance Williams ends up picking the USC Trojans, while the UCLA Bruins have a slim 0.5%.