Getty USC QB Caleb Williams.
For most of the year, USC quarterback Caleb Williams has widely been considered the top prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a disappointing season that saw the Trojans go 7-5, Williams’ grip on being the No. 1 pick isn’t as strong.
In fact, CBS Sports Chris Trapasso now has Williams falling to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6 in the draft.
“While Aidan O’Connell has played decent football as the starter after Jimmy Garoppolo was rightfully benched, the Raiders run this pick to the podium,” Trapasso wrote in a December 18 mock draft.
For the Raiders, this would be massive. Williams has the most potential of any player in the 2024 draft. Las Vegas currently holds the No. 12 pick in the draft, per Takathon, so they’d likely need to lose their last three games to get back up to No. 6. In Trapasso’s mock draft, UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are two quarterbacks that get selected before Williams.
Daniels’ stock has been rising fast after he won the Heisman Trophy for the 2023 season while Maye has consistently been up there with Williams as one of the top quarterback prospects in 2024. Maye is a more prototypical pocket passer so it’s possible to see a team favor his skillset. That said, it’s difficult to imagine a team favoring Daniels over Williams.
Caleb Williams Still Expected to Be No. 1 Pick
There may be some talk of Caleb Williams no longer being the favorite for the No. 1 pick but it still might be a longshot. One NFL general manager seems convinced that he’s going to be the first player selected.
“He’s close to a lock [to go No. 1],” an NFL general manager said of Williams, per a December 19 column from ESPN’s Matt Miller. “I wouldn’t say he’s a lock to the level Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow were, but he’s more of a lock than Bryce Young or Baker Mayfield.”
Williams’ sophomore season at USC was dynamic. He threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns with just five intercpetions en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. His numbers took a bit of a dip in his senior year as he threw for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns to five interceptions. While his numbers weren’t as impressive this season, he still put up good numbers on a USC team that didn’t have a lot of talent. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn’t end up being the No. 1 pick.
Here’s just under 10 minutes of USC QB Caleb Williams Heisman season highlights.
• 4,447 total yards (school record)
• 47 total touchdowns (school record)
Back to back Heismans incoming? 👀
Could Las Vegas Raiders Trade for No. 1 Pick?
The Chicago Bears are the most likely team to end up with the No. 1 pick thanks to their offseason trade with the Carolina Panthers. Quarterback Justin Fields continues to show flashes that he could be a franchise quarterback. If he closes the season strong, the Bears could decide to trade the No. 1 pick again for a massive haul.
The Raiders need a franchise quarterback to build around and Caleb Williams would immediately be the face of the franchise. If the Bears don’t want to move on from Fields yet, Las Vegas is a team to watch. They considered trading with Chicago for the No. 1 pick last year to get former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Williams is a far better prospect.
It would likely cost at least three first-round picks and more to make it happen but no price is too steep to pay for a potential top-five quarterback.