Joel Klatt details why Caleb Williams is a generational NFL talent
Caleb Williams has long been viewed as the best prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. That take remained consistent for Joel Klatt today with his reveal of the Trojan quarterback at the top of his rankings at the position.
Klatt ranked his top-five quarterbacks, including Williams at No. 1, in an episode of his show on Monday. After placing Williams atop the list, he then praised the former USC star and Heisman Trophy winner as a prospect that you don’t see every day.
“I have said before and you’re going continue to hear this. Like, ‘Well, he does a lot of things like (Patrick) Mahomes‘, ‘He’s even better than Mahomes was in college‘ and all of those things are true. But let’s not just stop there,” said Klatt. “I want to try to, as best I can, explain why I think Caleb is a generational talent at the quarterback position.”
“Why is he my top quarterback in a quarterback-heavy draft? The reason is is because I find it incredibly rare, and, in fact, it generally never happens, where a quarterback that I evaluate is excellent in all five categories that I’m trying to evaluate him with,” Klatt stated. “Williams is top-level talent in every category.”
Klatt then listed his five categories as controlling the game from the pocket, arm talent, movement and creating, being a threat with your legs, and mind.
However, it was movement and creation that Klatt highlighted as the best skill in his game. He sees him as a player that’s as good at that as anyone he has ever assessed, especially when you combine that talent with his other talents like his arm and view of the field.
“I don’t know if anybody has ever done that, at least that I’ve evaluated, better than Caleb Williams. This is his super power right here in category number three,” Klatt said. “When he’s on the move? He is most dangerous. Very similar to Mahomes in a lot of ways. The reason is is because there’s a combination of that arm talent and the ability to continue to know what’s going on down the field. He is accurate on the run, off platform.”
“We’ve seen this time and time again. He gets himself loose in the pocket, he escapes. His eyes stay downfield and then – boom! Laser beam and he scores a touchdown, throws a touchdown. That’s his super power right there,” said Klatt. “The guy is ridiculous in that one.”
Williams is elite based on what he produced during three college seasons in Norman and Los Angeles. He completed 66.6% of his throws for over 10,000 passing yards, 93 touchdowns, and just 14 interceptions. He also used his feet to add 960 more yards and 27 additional scores on the ground.
Still, Klatt is as impressed as he is because he sees no flaws in Williams based on his personal analysis. That’s why, as an anomaly in terms of prospects, he has Williams as his top quarterback on the board.
“When I look at those five categories? Normally, normally, when I’m evaluating these quarterbacks for the draft? There’s always at least one where you say, ‘Eh, average to below average in that category’ but he’s so good in the other ones that it makes up for it. There’s guys like that all over the place,” Klatt explained. “The rarity is to find someone that is exceptional in all five.”
“Why is Caleb Williams a generational talent and why is he number one on many lists, including mine? This guy is top-end excellent in all five categories that I evaluate,” said Klatt. “That’s one of the most rare things in this position and profession.”