Caleb Williams Named No. 1 Overall Prospect by SI All-American

To kick off its inaugural prospect ranking, SI All-American has named Oklahoma quarterback commitment Caleb Williams as the top overall recruit in the college football recruiting class of 2021.

July 2020 won't be easily forgotten for Caleb Williams. 

The Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga star quarterback won the prestigious Elite 11 Finals quarterback competition on July 1, made the most anticipated college commitment to Oklahoma University on July 4 and has now been named the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2021 by SI All-American some two weeks later. 

"I'm not big into rankings but I've always felt as if I was No. 1 in my heart," Williams told SI All-American. "I don't really say it, I don't really speak about football in those ways but I always feel that I'm No. 1 because of how hard I've worked in the past and how hard I'm working now in the present.

"It feels really good that people are noticing. I'm grateful and thankful to be No. 1."

One of the most physically gifted prospects at any position at the prep level, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect is known for having a great frame and one of the strongest arms in the country while possessing the athleticism to gash a defense as a scrambler or on designed runs from scrimmage.

Looking to focus on advancing "leadership" skills going into his senior year, the accolades and praise for his progress at the game's most important position continue to roll in. Williams was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Washington D.C. after the 2018 season and named student-athlete of the year throughout the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia (D.M.V.) metro  following the 2019 campaign.

"He can put his body in kind of unique positions and still throw with accuracy much like a guy named Patrick Mahomes," said former NFL and college head coach Jim Mora. "It's really impressive."

Williams, who amassed scholarship offers from coast to coast before picking OU, has already captained a historic run at Gonzaga College High School in the thick of one the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, of America's most competitive football leagues. He led the Eagles to the WCAC championship game as a freshman, helped them to a league title win as a sophomore and nearly duplicated the feat in combining for more than 2,600 yards and 37 touchdowns from scrimmage as a junior.

"This kid has a special makeup," said Elite 11 Head Coach Trent Dilfer after Williams committed to Oklahoma. "Congrats Caleb, OU gets another special one." 

On Friday, July 17, SI All-American will unveil the first (quarterbacks) of its positional top 10 lists that will roll out over the summer. SI will announce its Preseason Top 99 (the SI99) on August 24.

The candidates will be narrowed to 250 finalists in October and 99 finalists in November, and will culminate with 25 first-team Sports Illustrated All-Americans saluted at SI’s annual Sportsperson of the Year banquet in New York in December.

More:

Caleb Williams Sets the Tone at the Elite 11

Video: Recruiting Trends in the Class of 2021

Caleb Williams Blog: All on The Line

SI All-American Candidates in Washington, D.C.

Oklahoma Sooners Commits, Targets Named SI All-American Candidates

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