Lincoln Riley reveals his advice to Caleb Williams, attribute that will help him most in NFL
USC head coach Lincoln Riley has been by Caleb Williams‘ side through thick and thin. From his recruitment to Oklahoma, to his transfer to USC and his Heisman Trophy win, the duo’s journey comes to an end on Thursday night. Ahead of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Riley revealed his advice to Williams going into his rookie season, wherever it may be, and the one attribute that he believes will help his QB the most in the NFL.
“We’ve had some really good conversations about his entire journey and what it will look like to make the next step at the next level,” Riley said on Good Morning Football. “It’s been helpful for me to give him perspective from other guys who’ve made the jump. We’ve had some great talks.
“I know he’s very focused on continuing to improve. He understands that he’s still very young as a QB. He’s only played 2.5 years of football. There’s so much ahead for this guy. There will be ups and downs like anyone who goes into the league. It’s hard not to imagine this guy really succeeding at that level.”
Riley: ‘He’s a little bit of a chameleon’
Barring a wild turn of events, the Chicago Bears will select Williams with the No. 1 overall pick shortly after 8 p.m. ET. Once the pick is in, the D.C. kid will be on the move to make yet another city his home. According to Riley, Williams’ ability to fit into any situation is going to make him a favorite in the locker room and in the city very quickly.
“He’s a little bit of a chameleon,” Riley said. “He can walk into any situation with any type of people, and different settings and be comfortable in his skin. He can communicate well and relate to so many other people.
“When he got to USC, he was in a new town, a new team, and he was able to really become a part of those guys, the city, the university, almost effortlessly. I think he’s going to be able to win over a new city and a new locker room quickly.”
In Chicago, the former Trojan has a heavy cross to bear. He’s going to replace another No. 1 overall pick, Justin Fields, and the expectation will be for him to make the team better than the former Buckeye did in his three seasons as starter. The Bears went 7-10 last season, with Fields throwing for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for a team-high 657 yards and four more scores in 2023.