USC quarterback and expected No. 1 pick Caleb Williams is declining to partake in medical examinations with all 32 teams, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones. ESPN first reported Williams didn't plan to do the testing.
In accepting his invitation, Williams didn't sign off on having his medical records shared with all of the teams in the NFL, according to the report. He will reportedly conduct medical examinations with teams he meets and interviews with.
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According to Jones, one league source believes Williams is the first combine invitee to attend after declining medical examinations. The combine started in January 1985 and has been held every year except 2021 due to Covid-19.
In conjunction with the medical examinations, Williams also opted out of throwing and performing in drills at the combine, too. This isn't an uncommon maneuver, either, as LSU's Jayden Daniels also opted not to throw.
Williams is interviewing with teams, however. He was scheduled to meet with eight teams at the combine, including the Bears, Commanders, Raiders, Vikings, Falcons, Patriots, Jets and Giants, according to Jones. Per the report, he met with the Bears on Wednesday night.
As Jones pointed out, medical examinations at the combine have been widely scrutinized by players. Players hold disdain with the medical evaluations because of the amount of time doctors use and the redundancy of visiting doctors from every team, who all ask the same questions.
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Some medical examinations damage players' draft stock, too. For example, offensive lineman Peter Skoronski was widely scrutinized last season for his arm length coming out of the combine. Hand size is typically placed under a microscope by teams, also.
Williams is widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. His decision to opt out of throwing and partaking in medical examinations comes with the immunity surrounding his talent. Some suggest he's a generational prospect at quarterback.
We'll see how much those decisions affect his draft stock, if at all, this offseason.