USC QB Caleb Williams makes big draft decision

Caleb Williams will soon sign a massive contract with whichever team selects him in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the star quarterback does not intend to share any of that money with an agent.

A list of draft-eligible players and the agents representing them was published on Wednesday by the NFL Players Association. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Williams was not on the list because the former USC star has not hired an agent and is not planning to.

It is not unheard of for a star player to represent himself, but there are some potential downsides to making that choice. As Florio notes, those issues can be magnified leading up to the draft.

Williams is viewed as the consensus No. 1 overall pick and agents representing other quarterbacks and players may be motivated to leak negative information about the quarterback prospect over the next several weeks. The goal, while scummy, would be to hurt Williams’ stock. Without an agent, Williams could have a more difficult time fighting back if something like that happened.

There are also potential issues that arise when negotiating a contract. We saw an example of that when Lamar Jackson was seeking an extension from the Baltimore Ravens last year, though Jackson eventually inked a five-year, $260 million deal.

At the moment, there is relatively little risk of Williams being drafted at any spot other than No. 1 overall. That might be a reason he is comfortable entering the NFL without representation.