USC Football: NFL Draft Analyst Compares Caleb Williams to Former Lincoln Riley QB

Which NFL quarterback is Caleb Williams similar to?

Let the pro player comparisons commence!

With the 2024 NFL Draft only a couple months away, one of the ways draft analysts will begin to project prospects is through comparing them to NFL players.

One of the players who will be talked about the most is USC quarterback Caleb Williams. As one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft and likely the most talked about quarterback, Williams has already been compared plenty, especially since winning the Heisman following the 2022 season. 

As of late, Williams has been compared to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. NFL draft analyst Jacob Infante thought of Murray in comparison to Williams, even though he didn't see it as the perfect comparison.

I’m struggling to come up with the right comparison for Caleb Williams.

I keep coming back to Kyler Murray, but I think Caleb is better. At the same time, Mahomes seems a bit steep at this point.

Any suggestions?

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) February 11, 2024

While Williams and Murray's game might not be exactly alike, the two have some similarities. For one, both are dual-threat and have the ability to run. 

However, Murray does run a lot more than Williams. Murray rushed for 1,001 yards during his final collegiate season, while Williams has at most run for 442 yards in a year. 

Though both have the mobility, it's hard to see Williams ever being asked to run as much as Murray. 

Outside of mobility and athleticism, there are other reasons for the similarities. Both quarterbacks are talented passers, and can throw a strong deep ball. 

In addition, both quarterbacks have similar college resumés. Since Murray and Williams each worked under coach Lincoln Riley. It's not surprising that they've adapted similar mannerisms in their game play. 

They've also each won the Heisman Trophy, won the AP College Football Player of the Year award, and were All-Americans. All in all, both Murray and Williams are tremendously talented quarterbacks and seen as a top prospect coming out of college.