Caleb Williams QB USC: Scouting Report

Height: 6’1

Weight: 215

Overall

Caleb Williams is a dynamic playmaker in USC’s RPO heavy offense. He began his career at the University of Oklahoma where he played in 11 games, starting 7 of them. He then transferred to USC where he played his final 2 seasons. During that time, he played in 26 games, starting all of them. He had elite production at USC and has the traits to become a dominant quarterback at the next level.

Pass Game

In the pass game, Williams has inconsistent footwork but he has elite pocket mobility allowing him to evade pressure and extend plays. He is a very creative player and outside the pocket he shows good accuracy on the run and can make plays while throwing from all different arm angles and off-balance. He has very good velocity on his throws allowing him to fit the ball into very tight windows. He has the arm strength to make every throw on the field and he throws a very good deep ball. Playing in an RPO heavy offense, Williams threw a lot of screens and quick passes on film and with his quick release and different arm angles, he was able to get the ball to the receiver in a lot of situations. He made a lot of big plays on film with his ability to ad-lib against the pass rush but he often tried to do too much resulting in bad turnovers. His decision-making will need to be coached up in the NFL to limit these devastating mistakes.

Run Game

In the run game, Williams has good speed and is very elusive in space allowing him to dodge defenders and gain extra yardage. He made a lot of plays with his legs when scrambling but he was used on a lot of zone reads as well. He showed good acceleration in getting up the field but he took unnecessary hits too often instead of sliding or going out of bounds. On zone reads, Williams again showed inconsistent decision-making when he often kept the ball rather than handing it off on crucial plays and was indecisive on his handoffs leading to more fumbles.

Last Word

Williams is an elite playmaker and is a “win because of” quarterback. He projects best in a pass-heavy offense with a mix of RPO allowing him to get out in space and keep defenders guessing. He has excellent arm talent allowing him to make every throw on the field and he has the speed and elusiveness to move around the pocket and make big plays on the run. On film, he made a lot of big plays on 3rd downs and in crucial situations but his desire to make big plays results in too many bad turnovers.

One-Liner: Caleb Williams has all the physical tools of a dominant franchise quarterback and if he improves his decision-making and ball security he will be very tough to defend throughout his career.

Grade: 7.2 (High End 3 Down Starter)

Games Watched: 2023 - Arizona, Oregon, USC, Utah

Team Fits: Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders