One debate circling the NFL leading up to the 2024 NFL draft is whether or not USC's Caleb Williams is a generational talent at quarterback. Is he worth all the hoopla?
From his perspective, he believes there's nothing he can't do on the football field. He even dared to say he can do as much as the best quarterback in the NFL.
"Everybody watches Patrick [Mahomes] and sees all the cool things he can do," Williams told CBS Sports. "I always said, even in high school, that I don't think there's anything ... obviously, it's special, but I don't think there's anything that I can't do that he's doing out there. I think it's really cool. Like I said, I have comparisons of a bunch of other people to have. Patrick is pretty cool."
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Williams is touted mostly for his --- sorry to steal Tony Romo's thunder --- "Mahomes-y" traits on the field. The off-platform throws, the off-script playmaking, the game managing, the athleticism. It's phenomenal stuff.
Mahomes gained notoriety in the NFL for the same things, but for doing them at a much higher level in the pro league. His diverted arm angles, his creativity and his accuracy are all traits Mahomes has that blow away the league.
How about his body? His trainer, Bobby Stroupe, posted a video of a brutal, spine-bending sack Mahomes took during the AFC Championship game. But because of the rigorous flexibility training Mahomes does, he was able to pop back up from the awkward bend.
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Can Williams do that?
Probably not, but the point is reached. Williams is extremely talented and regarded the best quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft by a landslide. Even if he's not Mahomes, anything close is more than enough. The argument, however, against Williams, comes from his subpar performance during the 2023 season.
USC losses to Utah, Oregon and Notre Dame puzzled pundits and outsiders. How could a proclaimed generational talent perform so poorly in several games? Against Notre Dame, he threw for under 200 yards and three interceptions.
Soon enough, we'll see how the league values Williams in the 2024 NFL draft. First up to evaluate him, the Bears. Will they draft him or opt to keep Justin Fields?
The Bears can't lose out on a Patrick Mahomes twice ... can they?