USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and the consensus top prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft class. While he’s a year away from being drafted, NFL teams have already begun evaluating the All-American quarterback.
Williams, a former five-star recruit, transferred to USC last year to remain in Lincoln Riley’s offense. He quickly emerged as the best quarterback in college football, being named the AP College Football Player of the Year and winning both the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award.
- Caleb Williams stats (2022): 168.5 QB rating, 42-5 TD-INT, 4,537 pass yards, 10 rush TDs
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While three quarterbacks were taken within the top four picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, including Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud with the top selections, the consensus around the NFL was that Williams is the superior talent. As he heads into his junior season, the early evaluations on him from some NFL teams put him on the same tier as one of the best quarterback prospects in decades.
According to NFL film analyst Brett Kollman, two teams he spoke with who have early grades on the 2024 quarterback class either have equivalent or better grades on Williams than Trevor Lawrence.
Kollman notes that the teams who are putting Williams on that level as a generational quarterback prospect won’t be in the mix for him in 2024. While it does suggest these clubs haven’t scouted him as thoroughly as others who are expected to be in the mix, it does also mean those teams likely have a track record in identifying quality talent.
- Caleb Williams NIL worth (On3): $2.6 million
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Williams, who turns 22 in November, is also joined in the 2024 draft class by North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. Both players are early projected top-two picks in 2024 NFL mock drafts and will likely receive higher draft grades than Young or Stroud received.