Caleb Williams Is Still the No. 1 Draft Pick, Like It or Not

The USC quarterback will be the first name off the board.

Despite what anyone wants to believe, the NFL draft isn’t rocket science. Teams gravitate toward the most accomplished, skilled and NFL-ready players when evaluating talent and make no mistake: Caleb Williams is that player. 

The USC quarterback caught some heat Saturday night—and rightfully so—when he declined to speak to media members after his team’s loss to UCLA. Williams maybe figured he has enough practice at postgame press conferences following a loss, seeing as how the Trojans dropped five of their last six games. 

The loss marked the end of the regular season for USC (7–5), and likely, the end of Williams’s college career. After all, it’s hard to imagine his stock getting much better in a meaningless bowl game. Williams went into the season as the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and the consensus top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but due to the team’s struggles and his latest display of immaturity, some fans have attempted to dethrone him as April’s top pick. That just isn’t going to happen, though.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams (13) makes his way off the field after warmup up before a game against UCLA :: Ashley Landis/AP

If Williams’s college career ended today, he’d finish second in the country in passing yards (3,633) and tied for third in passing touchdowns (30). He’s only thrown five interceptions and completed 68.8% of his passes. No matter how much you hate it, Williams is the most NFL-ready quarterback in this draft with the highest ceiling.