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Caleb Williams is the 2024 NFL Draft’s most anticipated gem. An ideal, gleaming, status-altering determine who’ll elevate the fortunes of the crew that drafts him — but in addition fully out of attain for now. The Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints all sit in pole place in most projections, however the Arizona Cardinals buying and selling their third choose in final weekend’s draft for the twelfth general choose and Houston’s first-rounder in 2024 was Kyler Murray’s canary within the coal mine. Caleb Williams is on the clock.
Might Caleb Williams be Kyler Murray’s successor?
Murray tore the ACL in his left knee in early December, one month earlier than Robert Griffin III suffered the identical harm in the course of the 2013 playoffs. RG3 was prepared for Week 1 of the 2013 season, however from the sounds of it, Arizona is prepared to provide it half a season. Like RG3 warding off the encroaching Kirk Cousins, Murray is feeling the strain with a successor doubtlessly respiration over his shoulder.
I’m clearly not referring to Colt McCoy. The previous Texas boy surprise has been knowledgeable understudy since 2010. And even when he has performed, he’s been one of many NFL’s extra fragile quarterbacks.
If the Cardinals take the cautious route, Murray would miss a good portion of the 2023 marketing campaign. By the point he returns, the Cardinals could be halfway right into a free slide into the abyss. Ready for them shall be a fork within the highway, a couple of extra years of uncertainty across the quarterback they simply shoveled assets into or embarking on a brand new undertaking. Even when Murray returns and flips Arizona’s season round simply sufficient to maneuver them off the No. 1 choose, they’ve Houston’s 2024 first-round choose in place as a redundancy.
The Lincoln Riley impact?
Williams is definitely worth the distress of a misplaced season for Arizona. “One of the best prospect since Andrew Luck” and “ Mahomesian expertise” have been the superlatives tossed round, nevertheless, we’d be remiss to not pump the brakes on the Caleb Williams hoopla practice accelerating towards subsequent 12 months’s draft with out acknowledging that Lincoln Riley has created extra hit-makers than Quincy Jones. Nonetheless, there’s a caveat related to drafting Riley quarterbacks. As soon as lots of them depart his thriving offensive machine and go solo, Riley quarterbacks have been one-hit wonders on the subsequent stage. Baker Mayfield was an abject catastrophe for Cleveland, after which for Carolina. Murray’s improvs on Sunday are adrenaline-inducing, however his preparation and overconfidence in his skills examine unfavorably to Ricky Bobby.
Riley additionally coached Hurts for one season, however the bulk of his upgrades as a passer occurred after he was drafted by the Eagles. Williams’ throwing mechanics, capacity to throw from completely different angles, and rip it with zip have already earned him excessive reward.
The ground on Williams is excessive, however he might additionally pan out because the Trae Younger to Mahomes’ Steph Curry. That’s the gamble groups shall be greater than prepared to tackle his prodigious upside. To date, Williams checks off all of the intangibles packing containers as effectively. His equanimity in tense moments mirrors Hurts’ calm composure. In clutch moments, he persistently rises to the event. Williams’ 53-yard landing to conquer nationwide powerhouse DeMatha Excessive Faculty in Washington D.C.’s Catholic Athletic Convention championship recreation as a sophomore was merely the start of his mythology.
From there, he matriculated to the Oklahoma Sooners the place he was anticipated to take a seat behind Spencer Rattler for no less than one season, presumably two. As an alternative, Sooner followers chanting “We would like Caleb,” have been granted their want by October of that season. In Riley’s offense, Williams supplied Riley with a bodily working possibility who warped defenses along with his legs, flashed the potential to fling it down the sector with precision and guarded the ball.
After changing Rattler trailing 28-7 to Texas, Williams scored a landing on a 4th-and-1 designed run and snatched the job away completely by spearheading the Sooners to a Pink River Rivalry comeback victory. He snatched the ball away from a Sooner working again who was wrapped up by Kansas Jayhawk defenders on a vital 4th-and-1 to save lots of the Sooners. There’s a motive he’d been labeled Superman on the gridiron.
Heisman Trophy winner at USC
From there, Williams re-emerged at USC as an much more proficient passer in his sophomore season, logging a 42:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Even on a hamstring he popped within the first quarter in opposition to Utah within the Pac-12 Championship Sport, Williams registered 363 yards via the air and three touchdowns. This wasn’t your stacked Trojans groups of yesteryear both. Williams almost carried a roster cobbled collectively on the school soccer switch market to a playoff berth.
Nonetheless, NFL scouts are pure haters. Williams measures in at 6-foot-1, which isn’t nice however leaves him on par with Hurts, and possesses a thick decrease physique that may maintain the trials of an 18-week NFL schedule. So long as he doesn’t “shrink” between now and 2024, his measurement shouldn’t be a difficulty.
Nonetheless, if he’s discovered wanting in that division, UNC’s 6-foot-4 Drake Maye matches the stereotypical necessities for a franchise quarterback and has a buzz of his personal. NFL scouts who love embellishing essentially the most infinitesimal defects, will dissect Williams and attempt to knock him down a peg between at times. Earlier than Williams’ identify is engraved on the No. 1 choose, he’ll be scrutinized extra totally over the subsequent 12 months than a presidential candidate in an election 12 months. Williams shall be dissected totally over the subsequent 12 months, however he’s aced every check with flying colours throughout his first two seasons beneath the highlight.
Observe DJ Dunson on Twitter: @cerebralsportex
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