Much has been written about USC quarterback and top 2024 NFL Draft prospect Caleb Williams and his NFL potential, but just how special can he be? One NFL Draft analyst made a bold claim about Williams’ physical talent.
NFL Draft Analyst Calls Caleb Williams Special, Draws Similarities to Patrick Mahomes
Williams is widely regarded as the top QB prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, and some have compared him to Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller didn’t go as far as comparing the two 1-to-1, but he did acknowledge that Williams bears some stylistic similarity to the passer who’s been the driving force of the Chiefs’ current legacy.
In a recent conference call with the media, Miller discussed the merits of the Williams-Mahomes comp, and how Williams fits that profile:
“I’m afraid to compare anyone to Mahomes,” Miller began, before acknowledging: “I do think there’s some similarities in the arm angles, arm strength on the move, ability to play off-schedule and string out a play.”
Miller was also asked if he thinks Williams translates to the NFL, given his unorthodox playing style. The analyst was optimistic in his assessment of Williams’ projectability as an NFL signal-caller.
“I definitely think he translates well. What makes him great is also what makes him scare you. It’s a lot of off-rhythm, off-script things that keep things off-schedule. That might bring early bumps and bruises, and you have to be patient with those bumps and bruises. But Caleb is my No. 1 player in the NFL Draft, regardless. He’s special, he’s unique.”
Are Williams and Mahomes Similar Players?
Any comparison of Mahomes to Williams — or any prospect for that matter — is unfair at this point. Mahomes landed in a great situation, with a legendary offensive schemer and play-caller in Andy Reid, and he’s grown into a predestined Hall of Fame passer.
Mahomes doesn’t just have the otherworldly arm talent and playmaking ability. What makes him so special and hard to stop is his mental acuity and the ability to use that talent with control, discretion, and infallible football IQ.
Williams, like most other NFL Draft prospects, is not like Mahomes in that aspect. His feel for creation off-script is awe-inspiring at times, but he can still better control his tools, anticipate with more consistency, and improve at taking what’s given.
KEEP READING: Caleb Williams 2024 NFL Draft Landing Spots
It’s important to make that distinction, but it’s also okay to acknowledge (like Miller did) stylistic similarities that could elevate Williams’ ceiling. I did the same in a QB profile during the 2023 season: “Williams is similar to Mahomes in one distinct way: The play is never over with him — from the snap to the boundary.”
If Mahomes continues on his current trajectory, he could be the greatest of all time. No prospect should ever be compared to that. At the same time, Williams’ natural playmaking ability does put him in exclusive company as a projectable talent, and the upside is there to turn a team into a perennial contender.
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