Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) drops back to pass against the Colorado Buffaloes during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Caleb Williams QB USC | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Caleb Williams QB USC
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/16/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.59 seconds (91%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.0 DOB: 11/18/2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 02/16/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2024 | |
| 40 time: 4.59 seconds (91%*) | |
| Age: 23.0 DOB: 11/18/2001 | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 93.5 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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77% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
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73% |
| Short Passing: |
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86% |
| Medium Passing: |
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88% |
| Long Passing: |
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96% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
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87% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Top 5
Overall Rank:
#2
Position rank:
#1
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| College Games: 35 College Snaps: 2169 | ||
ESPN RATING: 89/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 99/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trey Lance - North Dakota State |
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63% |
| Justin Fields - Ohio State |
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60% |
| Matt Corral - Ole Miss |
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59% |
Drafted: ROUND: 1 - Pick Number: 1 (CHI)
Draft Profile: Bio
Caleb Williams from Gonzaga High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 5-star grade by 247 Sports and was the number one recruit in the entire country. After high school, Williams opted to join Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma.In 2021 as a freshman Williams started the year backing up Spencer Rattler, but after Rattler was benched in a week 6 game against Texas Williams led the Sooners to an unlikely come-from-behind win - and as a result, was handed the starting job for the rest of the year.
He finished the year throwing for 1912 yards on 212 attempts with a completion percent of 64.2 for an average of 9.0 yards per pass, with 21 TDs, while taking 19 sacks, and an elite QB rating of 118.3. He added 64 runs for a total of 559 yards at an average of 8.7 per run.
After the season Williams followed his coach who left for USC and as a sophomore while playing in 13 games as he put up a record-breaking season passing for an outstanding 4080 yards on 450 attempts with a completion percentage of 66.0 for an average of 9.1 yards per pass, with 37 TDs, while also taking 30 sacks, and putting up a QB rating of 118.6. He also added 90 runs for a total of 614 yards at an average of 6.8 per rush.
In 2023 as a Junior Williams number took a slight dip at USC throwing for 30 TDs 5 Ints and 3647 YDs with a QB rating of 117.4 and also running for fewer yards on with 356.
Honors & awards
- 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Williams, the record-setting Unanimous First Team All-American quarterback
- 2022 holds the USC single-season record for total offense (4,919 yards), most touchdowns scored rushing and passing (52), passing completions (333), passes attempted (500), most passing yards gained (4,537), most touchdown passes thrown (42)
- 2022 Maxwell Award
- 2022 Walter Camp Award
- 2022 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year
- 2021 True Freshman All-American by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Pro Football Focus
- 2021 semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien National Quarterback
- 2018 Gatorade District of Columbia Football Player of the Year and a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Has elite overall arm talent and make pretty much any throw even when off balance - has a Mahomes vibe to his play
- Put up ridiculous numbers in 2022 at USC where he rightfully won the Heisman
- Has an almost unique ability to pull off spectacular plays and saves his best for when the chips are down
- His play doesn't drop off when under pressure - made an array of quality passes while trying to avoid a heavy pass rush
- His play is consistently top-notch despite being on a team with serious OL problems and only limited blocking help from backs
- He’s a huge threat with his legs - his play-fakes are outstanding, and Williams has the ability to manipulate safeties with his eyes.
- He’s a pure athlete, loose-limbed and flexible. Williams has the speed to pick up yardage in scramble situations.
- Elite accuracy overall, including excellent accuracy on short timing routes to backs and receivers, placing the ball slightly in front to lead receivers to potential yardage after the catch.
- Natural leader who will put the game on his back - very mature player
- Williams moves effectively and can throw on the run. He’s at his best on bootlegs, showing zip and accuracy on those throws.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Doesn't have the prototypical size for the position standing just 6-1 and weighing in at 215 lbs - may be an injury risk going forward especially considering his play style
- At USC Williams plays in a simplistic offense mainly consisting of one-read concepts. He would perform in a traditional pro offense is uncertain
- Has played exclusively in the shotgun - at the moment he would be a work in progress as a dropback passer
- His mechanics are hit-or-miss and his footwork needs cleaning up - although most of these issues are hidden by his arm talent
- Williams tends to hold the ball loosely and away from his body, putting him at risk for strip sacks.
Player Comparison
Shorter - Patrick MahomesScouting Report: Summary
Caleb Williams is the best QB prospect in all of college football and has an incredible combination of athletic skills, arm talent, and intangibles. He's also a player who consistently has produced at an elite level at both Oklahoma and USC.It's difficult to find any serious issues in his game that can't be cleared up. The only negative that stops him from being regarded as a Luck/Elway/Mahomes generational-level talent is his lack of height, where he's listed at 6-1 but as demonstrated by Bryce Young's somewhat elastic height measurement William's actual height may be closer to six foot flat.
Expect Williams to be the first player off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft and day one-starter come September.
Caleb Williams percentiles vs other Quarterbacks (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
Caleb Williams Video Review
How other scouting services rate Caleb Williams (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
2.4
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
1.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.