While only in college, USC QB Caleb Williams has established himself as one of the world’s best quarterbacks. In doing so, he has drawn comparisons to the best of the best in the NFL today, including the man who many consider to be the greatest at the moment in Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
However, Williams isn’t at all interested in that resemblance. As he said during media yesterday, he has nothing but respect for Mahomes and what he has done over his six years as a pro. It’s just that he also feels like he’s forging his own path and also has other things to focus on when he hasn’t yet won at a similar level.
“It’s a lot closer to the irrelevant side,” Williams said. “There’s a sense of respect to think that. I mean he’s the best player in the world right now. He does special things, his teammates love him, everybody in the world loves him. He makes special plays and the man has two Super Bowls. So to be compared to someone like that? It’s a sense of respect but it also is irrelevant because I’m Caleb, Caleb Williams.”
“I’m here at USC and I haven’t even won a national championship yet,” said Williams. “It’s respect and all but it’s closer to the irrelevant side.”
Williams and Mahomes both play the game with a certain flare that leaves audiences in awe. It’s one of those things where, when you’re watching it, you just know.
Now, as he enters his third college season, Williams has a chance to catch up to Mahomes’ own collegiate numbers. Mahomes left Texas Tech as a Top-10 pick in 2017 with over 11,250 passing yards and 92 touchdowns to his name in three years. That puts Williams, after a year at Oklahoma and one in Los Angeles, 4,801 yards and 30 touchdowns away.
This may very well be Williams’ last year at this level before taking his talents to the league and really getting his eventual one-on-one comparison to Mahomes. Still, as far as he’s concerned, he wants to beat to the march of his own drum on the way there, regardless of how complimentary everyone is being with the connection.
Lincoln Riley believes Williams has plenty of room for growth
Despite a Heisman Trophy on his shelf, Lincoln Riley believes USC quarterback Caleb Williams has plenty of room for growth in 2023.
Riley says Williams can be one of the legends, and he has his entire career ahead of him. That’s causing him to push the reigning Heisman as far as he can go and, in his eyes, Williams is responding to it and then some.
“He’s played a year and a half of college football. There’s fifteen more levels he could get at,” Riley responded. “I mean he’s going to continue to get better throughout his career. He’s still got the bulk of his career in front of him. So, yeah, we’re going to try and take a great step throughout this season. Needs to get better at a little bit of everything. I don’t know if you guys believe me when I say that but it actually is the truth. He’s tremendous (but) he doesn’t walk on water yet.”
“He’s got a lot of work to do. And he’s the first one to admit that and to see that. He’s a tremendous player but there’s not any part of his game where you’re like, ‘That is elite. It can’t get any better’. So we’re pushing it on all facets. We’re coaching him hard and he’s been very responsive. And I do think he’s a better player right now than he was. I do think he’s got a different skillset and a whole new set of challenges coming up that he’s going to have to be ready to deal with and respond to.”
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