The best quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft all had significant questions that kept them from being viewed as generational talents. As NFL teams look ahead to the 2024 class, the same reservations don’t exist with USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams.
Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and the favorite in the 2023 Heisman Watch, is already generating significant attention from NFL teams. Months out from college football season and even further away from the pre-draft process, talent evaluators are sold on Williams as the next star NFL quarterback.
- Caleb Williams stats (2022): 168.5 QB rating, 42-5 TD-INT, 4,537 pass yards, 10 rush TDs
Related: Multiple NFL teams view Caleb Williams on same level as Trevor Lawrence
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared that multiple NFL talent evaluators he spoke with are extremely high on Williams, viewing him as a generational talent. Some have put him on the same tier as Trevor Lawrence and Andrew Luck as prospects.
While historically some scouts and evaluators have used a program’s history at specific positions against players, that’s not the case with Williams. Despite the Trojans’ recent track record of not producing starting-caliber NFL quarterbacks, that’s not an issue being held against Williams.
In his first season at USC, Williams was the best quarterback in college football. He displayed outstanding arm strength, excellent accuracy, poise in the pocket and his athleticism makes him a dangerous dual-threat quarterback.
Williams also won’t face the same size concerns that Bryce Young encountered during the pre-draft process. Williams is 6-foot-1, three inches taller than Young and already has an NFL-caliber body at 220 pounds.
Related: Caleb Williams compared to all-time great QB by NFL evaluators
Lawrence and Luck have been viewed as the best quarterbacks to enter the NFL Draft since John Elway. While Luck retired early and Lawrence struggled in his first NFL season, both signal-callers proved they could be two of the best players in the league.
The buzz around Williams has already led to conversations around the NFL about the possibility of tanking toward the end of the season. Considering the hype surrounding the 2024 quarterback class, which includes Drake Maye, there will be a close eye kept on the bottom of the NFL standings in November and December.
Related: Heisman Trophy winners