USC quarterback Caleb Williams will enter the 2024 NFL draft, he announced Monday on social media. The decision comes on the last day freshmen can testify.
Williams' decision formalizes his status as the favorite to be the first pick in the draft. His formal entrance highlights the Chicago Bears' offseason conundrum of keeping Justin Fields or trading him to (presumably) build around Williams.
Williams' decision is not a big surprise. Since USC's disappointing 2023 season ended, it had been clear that he would wait until the final day to make a decision, similar to how CJ Stroud waited until the final day to decide last year.
The debate surrounding Williams in scouting circles isn't whether he's the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but rather whether he's a once-a-decade prospect or a generational one. Williams' use of various arm angles, his improvisational magic and his ability to use his legs combine to create an intriguing package.
Williams won the Heisman Trophy at USC in 2022 and put together another strong season in 2023, even as USC's record fell from an 11-3 playoff contender to an 8-5 Pac-12. Williams completed 68.6% of his passes for 3,633 yards in 12 games in 2023, compared to 66.6% for 4,537 yards in 14 games the year before.
While Williams did not replicate his Heisman magic and the USC team's performance fell (largely due to a listless defense), he maintained a consistent performance and his status as the best player and quarterback in this class is secure.
ESPN surveyed a half-dozen scouts and executives on Monday, and none could see a scenario other than Williams being No. 1. “I'd be surprised if he wasn't,” said one veteran scout. Another added: “He is the best player in the most important position.”
Williams finishes his career, including his freshman year at Oklahoma when he won the starting job over Spencer Rattler, with a total of 93 touchdown passes, 14 interceptions and 10,082 yards in three seasons. He went 23-10 as a starter and appeared in 37 total games, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
In his two seasons at USC, Williams also scored 21 rushing touchdowns. Perhaps no statistic better sums up his pure talent and potential than him running 10 games in his career being responsible for five or more touchdowns. According to ESPN Stats & Information, only Patrick Mahomes had more in the College Football Playoff era.
Williams and former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye entered the season as the projected No. 1 and 2 picks in the draft. Both teams had uneven seasons, but neither quarterback did anything to change that status. LSU's Jayden Daniels walked away from that conversation with a resplendent Heisman Trophy season, as no quarterback did more to boost his stock than Daniels in 2023. A year after Alabama's Bryce Young and Stroud were No. 1 and No. 2, the The general expectation is that quarterbacks will once again fly into the top two spots. If two quarterbacks occupy the 1 and 2 spots, it would be the 10th time in NFL history that quarterbacks have occupied that position.
Williams gives the 2024 draft its definitive poster, as the Bears' selection decision will loom over the league in the coming months.
