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USC Football: NFL GM On Hand For Worst Performance Of Caleb Williams' 2023 Season

Could this affect Williams' draft stock?

Kevin Skinner

In this story:

Minnesota Vikings general manager Kewsi Adofo Mensah attended the Saturday night showdown between your USC Trojans and rival Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Unfortunately for Williams, he did not have the performance he would have liked during this marquee matchup.

On the night, Williams passed for 199 yards, three interceptions, and a single touchdown en route to a 48-20 loss against the Irish.

Coming into the game, the Trojans' star quarterback was the prohibitive favorite for his second consecutive Heisman Trophy Award and the consensus number one overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft. He did not look comfortable in the pocket all night. The Irish pass rush effectively lived in the backfield and dropped Williams a season-high 6 times.

Ultimately, last night is unlikely to affect his draft stock. Despite the loss, Williams is still having a career year completing 70% of his passes with 23 touchdowns to only four interceptions. 

The Vikings number among a handful of teams that could be in a position to draft the Trojan quarterback next year. With Kirk Cousins in the final year of his current deal and the team looking like one of the league's worst with a paltry 2-4 record, there will potentially be a vacancy in Minnesota. Earlier this year reports and rumors circulated that Williams has a preference for which teams he'd be willing to play for - the Vikings among them.

The Trojans leave South Bend with a 6-1 record and look to get back into the winning column next week at home against the 14th-ranked Utah Utes. 

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Kevin Skinner
KEVIN SKINNER

Graduated from Creighton University with a dual degree in Biology and Philosophy. Despite growing up in San Diego, I love all things LA sports. 

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