Why Teammates Are Already Comparing Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold to Caleb Williams
NORMAN — Oklahoma’s offensive line has a pretty high opinion of their freshman quarterback.
Five-star credentials or not, Jackson Arnold has flashed that kind of talent already.
“Man, he’s just an athlete,” center Andrew Raym said Tuesday night after practice. “He reminds me a little of Caleb (Williams) the way he runs, the way he can throw outside the pocket.”
Arnold ran the gamut of spring practice, going from fourth string at the beginning to second string by the spring game. He’s apparently continued that trajectory this preseason.
“He’s going to be such a good quarterback,” said left guard Savion Byrd. “Like, without a doubt, he’s going to be such a good quarterback.”
Byrd, a junior from Duncanville, TX, will be a first-year starter for the Sooners this year, but Raym will be in his third season snapping for OU. He played mostly guard in 2020 but snapped to Spencer Rattler and Williams in 2021, and Dillon Gabriel in 2022.
Raym, a senior from Broken Arrow, OK, might not be around to snap to Arnold next year. He has his COVID year if he wants it, but he might be bound for the NFL if things work out. Since Arnold is the backup, Raym said he “sadly” hasn’t worked with him extensively “unless we’re doing our Q run game.”
But he likes what he sees so far.
“Once he gets settled down and understands the offense,” Raym said, “he’s going to be a really good player.”
“He’s going to be a star one day,” Byrd said.
Byrd admits he may be a little biased since he and Arnold are both from the DFW Metroplex (Arnold from Denton, Byrd from Duncanville), but was eager to praise his young QB.
“Right now,” Byrd said, “he already has like, the traits of a champion. Football is just a developmental game, and the more you do it, the better you get at it.
“He knows when to tuck the ball and run out of the pocket. We knows when to stay in the pocket and (throw). For offensive linemen, those are always good qualities. You know when to run out the pocket? OK, let’s do it.”
Players are seeing more than just athletic ability or accuracy or a big arm from Arnold. They’re also seeing someone with a high football IQ and a natural mind for the game.
“I talk to Jackson all the time outside the field in the locker room,” Raym said. “Like, I’ll see some plays of his from the sideline, and go talk to him about it, see what he’s seeing, tell him what we’re seeing just so he can understand what the whole field is seeing.
“Jackson’s gonna be a good player.”
