Drake London Reveals Two USC Quarterbacks He Wishes He Could Have Played With

“The one that’s recently close is probably Caleb [Williams],” London said. “But me personally I would probably like to play with Matt Leinart. I think that era is so dope. He’s a lefty and I’m a lefty so it just makes sense.”

London’s answer ties together two very different eras of Trojan football—one defined by Heisman-level stats and electrifying playmaking, the other by dominance on the national stage and nearly unmatched winning.

The Caleb Williams Connection

It’s no surprise Williams made London’s list. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner set USC records almost as fast as he broke defensive backs’ ankles.

His first season in Los Angeles was historic: 4,075 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, just four interceptions, plus another 10 scores on the ground.

Williams’ 52 total touchdowns that year are the most ever by a Trojan quarterback in a single season.

Even in a slightly more human 2023 campaign, Williams still produced 3,633 yards and 30 touchdown passes.

In two years, he rewrote the program’s record book and brought the Trojans back into national spotlight conversations.

For a receiver like London—who thrived on contested catches and deep-ball opportunities—the chance to link up with Williams’ arm talent and improvisational magic seems like a more than ideal pairing.

Their styles match: London excels at winning one-on-one battles downfield, while Williams is at his best when creating opportunities outside the structure of the play.

The Leinart Era

Then there’s Leinart, the ultimate winner. From 2003 to 2005, he embodied USC’s golden age.

The left-handed quarterback went 25-1 as a starter across two seasons, led the Trojans to back-to-back national championships, and nearly pulled off a three-peat before falling to Texas in the 2005 Rose Bowl classic.

Statistically, he threw for 6,878 yards and 71 touchdowns with a 64.3 percent completion rate. But numbers only tell part of the story.

Leinart’s poise, leadership, and uncanny ability to deliver in big games cemented him as one of the faces of USC football’s most dominant run.

For London, the appeal is both stylistic and symbolic. London hinting to how they both are left-handed—a small detail, but one that highlights how personal the connection feels.

More than that, Leinart represents an era of Trojan football that remains iconic nearly two decades later.

The Reality of London’s USC QBs

During his own USC career (2019–2021), London played primarily with Kedon Slovis and briefly with Jaxson Dart.

Slovis showed promise—throwing for over 7,500 yards and 58 touchdowns in three seasons—but injuries limited his consistency.

Dart flashed as a freshman in 2021 but was still raw when London’s college career ended.

London himself was spectacular, winning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 despite missing games with an ankle injury.

Still, his quarterbacks didn’t have the Heisman hardware or national championship pedigree that Williams and Leinart carried.

Why It Matters

London’s comments aren’t just about nostalgia—they underline the quarterback tradition USC has built over generations. Williams showcased the kind of jaw-dropping individual dominance modern fans crave. Leinart proved what it looks like to lead a program to the mountaintop.

London played in between those eras, leaving him to imagine what could have been if his size, skill, and contested-catch ability were paired with two of the best Trojan quarterbacks to ever do it.