Caleb Williams is still the #1 QB prospect going into the 2024 draft process for most evaluators. It has been that way for almost three years since his breakout at Oklahoma. Expectations remain that whoever holds the #1 overall pick will earn the right to take him next April. As of now, it looks like the Chicago Bears will be that team. They have a 96% chance to secure the pick with two games left. GMs and personnel people across the league have made their opinions known. They'd trade Justin Fields and draft Williams if it were their choice.
However, everybody knows the draft is an inexact science. Especially when quarterbacks are involved. While nobody disputes Williams' talent, there are lingering concerns about his playing style and his overall temperament. Here is where things get interesting. Williams elected not to play against Louisville in USC's bowl game. In his place, backup Miller Moss threw for 372 yards and six touchdowns. Keep in mind Louisville had the 22nd-ranked defense in the nation—hardly a pushover.
While it was only one game, it was a sobering reminder that Lincoln Riley's offensive system remains among the most QB-friendly in college football. One can't help but wonder if Williams' success was more inflated by the system than people want to believe.
That alone isn't enough to raise concerns.
It was after the game that things got interesting. First were comments by Moss on how a lack of ego and individual thinking led to the Trojans' big win.
He wasn't the only one. Cornerback Jacobe Covington echoed similar sentiments. It was hard not to take these comments as a slight at Williams, who seemed to hijack headlines all year and fielded questions about his leadership. He'd dodge the media whenever the team lost and even rumors of him refusing to shake hands with opposing QBs. Maybe it's all overblown, but one can't help but think about it.
Caleb Williams has enough red flags to warrant a discussion.
The character concerns aside, he also has a growing reputation for coming up small against good teams. He was stellar for three quarters in the Cotton Bowl last year. Then he vanished in the 4th quarter, allowing Tulane to pull off a comeback for the win. This past season, he faced a ranked opponent four times and went 0-4 in those games. He had some of his worst performances in those games. It was the same last year too. Williams was 2-3 against ranked teams. This leads one to feel as if he took advantage of a QB-friendly system and a mostly soft schedule.
It is almost draft season. Everybody knows that things tend to get blown out of proportion this time of year. It's more than possible Caleb Williams is being nitpicked right now. He may very well become the superstar many expect him to be. That said, everybody knows that college stars don't always become NFL stars. Williams got away with a lot at USC because he faced a ton of bad defenses. It will be far more challenging at the next level, and we've seen he doesn't respond well to being challenged.
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