When head coach Lincoln Riley left the Oklahoma Sooners for USC, many assumed quarterback Caleb Williams would follow. While the star freshman remains in the transfer portal, it might not be long before he announces his next destination.
A 247 Sports’ five-star recruit in 2021, Williams wanted to play for Riley. When Spencer Rattler struggled during the 2021 season, Oklahoma’s freshman quarterback took over and generated some Heisman Trophy buzz late in the year. After wrapping up a strong freshman campaign, many were excited for what Williams would look like in 2022 with the Sooners.
- Caleb Williams stats: 64.5% completion rate, 1,912 passing yards, 21-4 TD INT ratio, 169.6 QB rating, 442 rushing yards and six touchdowns
But everything changed in a matter of weeks. Riley left for the Trojans and not long after his departure, Williams entered the transfer portal. While the former Oklahoma quarterback hasn’t picked his next landing spot, ESPN’s Pete Thamel provided some insight on when that could happen.
“Carl [Williams] said we’ve got to do it [Caleb’s decision] now in two weeks. So, it could be as soon as the end of this week, but there’s also schools on the quarter system where they could wait until March. They want to see how NFL hires that could trickle down to college shake out, because they really want NFL training for Caleb Williams to best prepare him for pro football.”
ESPN’s Pete Thamel on potential timeline for Caleb Williams decision, per 247 Sports
Reaching the NFL has always been the family’s priority. Even in an era where student-athletes can sign Name, Image and Likeness contracts worth more than $1 million, that isn’t the family’s goal. As Caleb Williams described to Thamel, the priority is ‘professional developing and an emphasis on finding the place that will best allow Caleb to, “be ready to play when he becomes a pro.”
Because of those goals, a few programs have stood out. Among them, the Georgia Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels and LSU Tigers. But the Trojans are the likeliest landing spot for Williams, because of the reasons explained by another prominent college football writer.
“I think (USC) is the team to beat for (Williams’ recruitment), because (the players) bought into Lincoln Riley a couple of years ago. They have three starting quarterbacks in the NFL right now in Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts, that (Riley) has helped develop.”
CFB insider Bruce Feldman on why USC is favored for Caleb Williams, via The Paul Finebaum Show
While Georgia would allow Williams to compete for a national championship, Kirby Smart doesn’t have a great history sending quarterbacks to the NFL. He chose Jake From over Justin Fields and has received criticism for not making the best. The Bulldogs also haven’t seen their star signal-caller achieve success in the NFL since Matthew Stafford, who left in 2008.
With Caleb Williams’s future in the NFL atop the priority list, USC is a natural fit. The familiarity with Riley, an opportunity to turn the Trojans’ program around and USC’s history with quarterbacks all lead to one conclusion. When the 2022 season starts, it would be a surprise if Williams isn’t starting for the Trojans.