Caleb Williams thanks Oklahoma fans and says “Hornsdown4Life” in an NFL statement.
Many people think that Williams will be the first pick in the NFL Draft in 2024. He saved the game against Texas when he came off the bench and became the starter to be a true freshman in 2021. He then followed Lincoln Riley for USC and won the Heisman in 2022.
Monday is the last day for high school seniors to say they are qualified for the draft. Williams told OU and USC fans on Instagram that his time there was “the most fun I’ve ever had playing the game.” He also thanked fans from both schools.
You welcomed a kid from Washington, DC, and I would like to thank you for that. “I loved my time at OU,” he wrote. “To my Trojan family, it’s been an honor to wear the cardinal and gold for the past two years.” Please know that I hope I made you as happy as you have made me.
Williams said, “My life and passion for the game have never changed. It has been my dream to play football since I was 10 years old.” I’m more and more thankful every day that I get to play this game.
Williams completed 66.9 percent of his completed passes and threw for 10,082 yards and 93 scores throughout his three college seasons. He also threw 14 interceptions and had a passer rating of 169.3. Besides passing, he ran for 979 yards and 27 scores.
He threw for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 4 picks in his one season at OU. He had a rating of 169.6 and a.645 completion percentage. Williams ran for 442 yards and six touchdowns as a Sooner.
Caleb Williams, the quarterback for USC, said on social media Monday that he will enter the 2024 NFL draft. This choice is made on the last day that underclassmen can announce.
Williams’ choice makes it official that he will be the first pick of the draft. His official entry shows how hard it will be for the Chicago Bears this summer to decide whether to keep Justin Fields or trade him so they can (supposedly) build around Williams.
Williams’ choice doesn’t come as a big surprise. He had made it clear since the end of USC’s poor 2023 season that he would wait until the last day to make a choice, just like C.J. Stroud did last year.
In the world of scouting, the question about Williams isn’t if he’s the best player in the version, but whether he’s a once-in-a-decade or once-in-a-generation talent. Williams’ use of different arm angles, his skill at improvising, and his leg-moving skills all make for an interesting package.
In 2022, Williams took the Heisman Trophy at USC. He had another great season in 2023, even though USC’s record dropped from 11-3 and in the running for the playoffs to 8-5 and in third place in the Pac-12.
In 2023, Williams caught 68.6% of his passes, which added 3,633 yards across 12 games. The year before, he did the same in 14 games, completing 66.6% of his passes for 4,537 yards.
Williams didn’t repeat his Heisman magic, and USC’s squad performance went down, mostly because their defense wasn’t playing well. However, he kept up his strong play, and he is now without a doubt the best player and QB in this class.
CNN asked six scouts and executives on Monday, and none of them could see anything but Williams going No. 1. One pro scout said, “I’d be astonished if he wasn’t.” This person also said, “He’s the best star at the most valuable position.”
In three seasons, Williams throws for 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns, and 14 picks. As a student at Oklahoma, he beat out Spencer Rattler to become the starting quarterback. ESPN Stats & Information says he started 23 games and lost 10, and he played in 37 games altogether.
Williams began his journey at Oklahoma, then moved on to USC and had a great season in 2022. In 2023, he wasn’t extremely at that level, and USC had a lot of problems as a team, but it was clear that he could make plays.
Because of a trade with the Carolina Panthers before last year’s draft, the Chicago Bears have the first pick. Between Williams and Drake Maye of North Carolina as the top pick, there will be a lot of talk over the coming weeks and months.
Williams had a great arm and a special ability to make plays, which led to some amazing moments at USC. Since the end of his Heisman season, he was seen as the clear top talent for the 2024 draft.
But he wasn’t as good in 2023, and NFL draft experts wondered if he played too much outside of the USC offense’s scheme. At the same time, Maye had a great season and moved up in the draft rankings.
The Washington Commanders had the second pick in the draft and can’t wait to see what the Bears do. They might decide to keep Justin Fields and trade the first overall pick.