Caleb Williams is well on his way to being the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Teams seeing these Cotton Bowl highlights should be tempted to tank.
Caleb Williams is a cheat code on the football field.
He’s the closest thing to Patrick Mahomes that college football has ever seen and he proved it with more outrageous plays in USC’s Cotton Bowl loss to Tulane.
While the Trojans went down in defeat, no one could lay it at the feet of the quarterback, who made play after play en route to 462 yards and five touchdowns.
So let’s take a look at the best of those plays that should have NFL scouting directors, GMs, head coaches and offensive coordinators salivating for the 2024 NFL Draft.
4 Caleb Williams Cotton Bowl plays that will have NFL teams tanking
Just remember while watching these highlights that Williams was not 100 percent recovered from the hamstring injury that hampered him in the Pac-12 title game. He did all of this while remaining somewhat limited as a runner. He’s got even more to give on the ground.
This routine 59-yard completion while rolling out right
Williams methodically led USC down the field for their opening touchdown on a 17-play drive, so his first big throw of the day went to Tahj Washington on third-and-four late in the first quarter.
The kind of arm talent it takes to throw that pass downfield with pinpoint precision while rolling out like that is ridiculous.
This insane third-and-22 conversion
One of the most devastating aspects of Williams’ game is his ability to extend plays. He did that on third-and-22, evading pressure, biding time and then giving his receiver a chance down the field.
Brenden Rice’s catch was impressive. His quarterback made it possible.
This 74-yard completion from his own endzone
A sophomore quarterback standing in his own endzone absolutely launched a 74-yard throw to move his offense down the field in a literal instance.
That’s just ridiculous.
This TD spilling left and throwing across his body
Rice came through with another huge play for the Trojans and his QB on this play, but first Williams made something incredibly difficult look easy.
Most quarterbacks simply can’t spin away from a defender, then roll left and throw a perfect pass across their body for a touchdown.
Williams is special. The NFL is going to see it and whoever has the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, when he is eligible for the draft, is going to get a generational player.
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