2024 NFL Draft: True to form, USC’s Caleb Williams dazzles in 2023 season debut vs. San Jose State

USC quarterback Caleb Williams made his debut in a 56-28 win over San Jose State Saturday. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner and presumptive No. 1 total variety performed 52 offensive snaps sooner than turning it over to backup Miller Moss in the fourth quarter.

Williams finished 18-of-26 move makes an attempt for 278 yards and three touchdowns. Two of the ones incompletions had been transparent drops by means of his receivers taking a look to make a play sooner than securing the soccer. The one-time Oklahoma switch additionally sailed one move in the tip zone however used to be another way correct. 

The comparisons to Patrick Mahomes are obtrusive however hyperbolic till he proves it in opposition to a equivalent stage of pageant. Both have mobility even though basically best use their legs to lengthen the play for any other alternative to throw the soccer. Like Mahomes, Williams is in a position to throwing from other arm slots. 

The quarterback has a rugby-style of play every now and then the place he’s going to acquire flooring that the protection permits sooner than tossing it backward or ahead to a teammate in line with the place he’s in relation to the road of scrimmage, which isn’t at all times important. On one explicit play, Williams used to be scrambling proper and moderately than simply going out of bounds, he pitched it to a teammate that misplaced two of the yards won at the play. 

One play the place Williams fumbled the snap however discovered a streaking Tahj Washington for a landing went viral on social media. The junior used to be in a position to find his goal downfield temporarily and threw the move 48 yards during the air with power bearing down on him.

Williams’ first landing of the season appears moderately pedestrian, however realizing there have been two top safeties, the center of the sphere must be open so long as the linebacker does now not drop. Notice Williams’ eyes at the play as he snaps his hips towards the slot curl, which pulls the linebacker up and opens the post at the back of him for a stroll in landing.

Since arriving on the collegiate stage, Williams has taken 98.1% of snaps out of shotgun formation, in accordance to TruMedia. The NFL moderate for snaps out of the shotgun is 67.2%. Head trainer Lincoln Riley has a wealth of offensive ability skill at his disposal so he desires to unfold out the sphere and make allowance his quarterback to make performs. 

Williams is a unique skill who’s projected to be taken early in the 2024 NFL Draft for legitimate causes. He isn’t best, then again. At occasions, the Washington D.C. local tries to do an excessive amount of. On one play, he used to be operating out of room at the sideline and tossed the ball downfield. It used to be so shut to being inbounds that the defender attempted to knock it again in to his teammate. It used to be too shut for convenience when he wanted to simply throw it away. There used to be any other move that used to be a 50-50 ball downfield. One would really like to suppose that Williams relied on his receiver to both make that play or save you the defender from creating a play moderately than it merely being a reckless resolution.

Williams used to be blitzed 29.0% of the time, however sacked simply as soon as. He has a excellent really feel for power in the pocket and is in a position to evade. He displayed an array of abilities from his talent to manipulate defenses together with his eyes, arm power and impromptu play-making talent in the opener in opposition to the Spartans.

The Trojans host Nevada subsequent weekend sooner than opening convention play the next week in opposition to Stanford.