Caleb Williams Blog: 'I Could Have Been George Floyd'

No. 1 quarterback prospect Caleb Williams and his father, Carl, share their perspective on the current state of the nation.

Caleb Williams is the top quarterback prospect in the 2021 class with scholarship offers from elite programs coast to coast. He has agreed to give Sports Illustrated exclusive access into his world by chronicling everything from his experience as a high profile recruit to his home life and preparation for his senior season. This is 'All on the Line.'

Hey guys, welcome back for another week of the blog. 

It's been a crazy few months but this week and weekend, especially, has been crazy with all of the riots and George Floyd's death. With the pandemic, it's two really tough times right now that we're under. That's what I'll be talking about today. 

The protest is fine, we should protest. Things shouldn't have escalated to a man being killed in the streets. He was defenseless and on the ground.

I just saw and heard about at least three police cars going down the street. I'm not far from the capital, the White House, where the protests are going down. I was kind of expecting things like that. But it's kind of crazy, especially being in D.C., one of the cities that are one of the most active. 

The capital is right here. We protest a lot here. We stand for what we need to stand for, what we believe in all the time here. I'm kind of used to protests and things like that but this is kind of crazy. Seeing the police cars, police trucks and certain blockades. In certain places you see a lot more police officers in D.C., more than there already is. It's kind of crazy here but it's not the worst here. 

Connecting it to the other places, like where it happened, and all of the fires, looting—aw, man. It's crazy. 

With George Floyd, his family and those who were connected to him, as well as the others that were injured or harmed by this whole situation, I feel sorry for them and their families. I really do wish the best for them. 

I could have been George Floyd. 

If you really think about it. Being a black, African-American, 18 year-old kid. It's kind of crazy to think that I could be in that situation in this day and age. I could have been George Floyd, in the street with a white male on my neck while I'm begging for air. Kind of surreal. Kind of crazy. 

My dad has always told me, 'if an officer ever pulls you over, hands on the dashboard. Ask before you do things, don't just go and do things. Make sure he understands that you're not trying to be harmed and you're not trying to harm anyone.' Watching the videos, watching the rioting, I feel for the people and I feel for their families. Also the people going through it and that are connected to it. 

Connecting this more to me, my family, we're big on faith. My grandfather is a pastor and so is my uncle. My dad kind of runs the church that they pastor at. The Williams name, grandfather, uncle and my dad as well as others in my family, has always brought people together in tough times. Trying to make people understand that you'll get through it, have faith, be positive, pray and believe in the man upstairs putting you through these tough times for a reason. 

Connecting this to another aspect of my life, my football life. I've seen Joe Burrow, I've seen Sam Ehlinger speak on this tough time, using their platform to speak to the people and let the people know they're with them and how they feel about it. I wanted to figure out a way to say what I had to say about it and this was the best way for me to put it out there and for all of you to see it. 

I wanted to hop on here and use my name to speak out on this. All of the people that follow me. I hope you read this and hear this. My family has been bringing people together for years, decades. I want to keep that going and keep bringing people together in these tough times with the pandemic and with what we have with George Floyd.

Keeping a smile on my face, being positive. I hope that shines through others to do the same.

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"This is a nationwide problem that needs a nationwide solution instead of one community figuring it out," Carl Williams, Caleb's father, said. "It's happening in all of these other places. It's not just D.C., it just happened in Minnesota...you would think everything is cool there. It makes people believe it can happen anywhere and it's been happening in other places, too. 

To be able to video that thing, where somebody kills a man...I don't know. Without strong leadership at the federal level, I don't know how you reign this back in. I don't know.

Caleb said, 'that could be me.' They go out all the time. I'm like, 'Hey man, you've got to keep your phone on you. I'm not tracking you but if something happens, you've got to get me on the phone.' 

How do you know that your kid is going to be okay halfway across the country in any one of these situations? That is a huge factor in the final decision-making process."

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Alright guys, signing off for Caleb Williams: All on the Line. 

I know this past week has been a little bit different than it has been in the past.

Make sure you wash your hands. 

Stay safe, stay positive, stay strong and we'll get through it together. 

All on the Line: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13

Twitter: @CALEBcsw

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