Soccer | April 25, 2024
DETROIT—USC Heisman Trophy successful quarterback Caleb Williams was chosen No. 1 general by the Chicago Bears within the first spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday (April 25).
With Williams’ No. 1 general choice, USC now holds the report for many gamers (6) chosen as the highest choose of the NFL draft. Williams joins Ron Yary (1968), O.J. Simpson (1969), Ricky Bell (1977), Keyshawn Johnson (1996) and Carson Palmer (2003) as No. 1 general picks to come back out of Troy.
Along with being the one head coach to tutor three Heisman Trophy successful quarterbacks, USC head coach Lincoln Riley now holds the report for many quarterbacks coached who’ve been chosen at No. 1 all-time (Baker Mayfield in 2018, Kyler Murray in 2019 and Williams in 2024). In seven years as a head coach, Riley is now additionally tied for essentially the most No. 1 general draft choices coached at any place with Georgia’s Wally Butts (Frank Sinkwich in 1943, Charley Trippi in 1945 and Harry Babcock in 1953) who coached the Bulldogs from 1939 to 1960.
Williams is USC’s 524th all-time NFL draftee. USC is second behind Notre Dame’s 525 for many NFL Draft picks. He’s additionally USC’s 86th first rounder, second-most behind Ohio State’s 90. He extends USC’s streak of getting a draftee yearly since 1939. USC maintains the longest lively streak (23 years) of any collegiate program with a participant drafted within the High 3 rounds. USC additionally has essentially the most picks within the widespread draft period (since 1967), with 358 (subsequent is Ohio State’s 337 and Notre Dame’s 311).
That is the fifth consecutive yr that USC has had a primary spherical choose: vast receiver Jordan Addison was the No. 23 general choose by the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, vast receiver Drake London was the No. 8 general choose by the Atlanta Falcons within the 2022 Draft, offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker was chosen 14th general in 2021 by the New York Jets and offensive sort out Austin Jackson was the 2020 Draft’s 18th choose by the Miami Dolphins.
Williams is the seventh Trojan quarterback drafted since 2000, together with 5 within the high two rounds.
He’s the primary Trojan chosen by the Bears since defensive again Rashard Cook dinner was chosen within the sixth spherical with the 184th general choose in 1999.
Williams had a record-breaking profession whereas at USC. He leaves Troy holding the USC single-season report for whole offense (4,919 yards), most touchdowns scored dashing and passing (52), passing completions (333), passes tried (500), most passing yards gained (4,537), most landing passes thrown (42), most dashing and passing performs (613), lowest charge of interceptions (1%, 5 in 500 makes an attempt) and highest passing effectivity ranking (168.5). He’s tied for the USC single-season report for many consecutive 5-touchdown cross video games with 2 (tied with Sam Darnold in 2016 and Kedon Slovis in 2020). He holds the USC single-game report for many yards working and passing (503 vs. UCLA in 2022). His 382 dashing yards in 2022 had been essentially the most by a Trojan quarterback within the final 70 years when full data had been first accessible. He leaves USC fifth on USC’s profession whole offense leaderboard (8,688 yards) and eighth on profession passing (599 completions).
In 2023, Williams led Riley’s high-powered model of offense, leading to USC rating No. 3 within the nation in scoring offense (41.8), No. 3 in group passing effectivity (170.88), No. 5 in passing offense (333.0) and No. 10 in whole offense (467.6). Williams ranked within the nationwide High 20 in factors answerable for per sport, factors answerable for, passing effectivity, passing yards per sport, passing touchdowns, yards per cross try, whole offense, passing yards, completion proportion, passing yards per completion and completions per sport. He went 266-for-388 (.686) for 3,633 yards and 30 TDs with simply 5 INTs. Williams additionally rushed for 121 yards on 99 carries (1.2 avg.) with 11 TDs. He accounted for 41 whole TDs (each passing and working) in 12 video games. He additionally tallied 1 reception for 15 yards.
After transferring from Oklahoma within the spring of 2022, Williams was instrumental in efficiently turning round a program that went 4-8 within the 2021 season to an 11-3 group in 2022. The 7-victory improve from 2021 matches the most important one-season turnaround in USC historical past. The opposite 7-game enchancment was when the 1962 Nationwide Champion Trojans gained 11 video games after successful solely 4 within the 1962 season.
Williams had a historic 2022 season because the beginning quarterback at USC which culminated in him being named the 88th recipient of the Heisman Trophy. He’s USC’s eighth winner of faculty soccer’s most prestigious award. Williams joined a formidable fraternity of Trojan greats who’ve earned his award earlier than him: Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Simpson (1968), Charles White (1979), Marcus Allen (1981), Carson Palmer (2002), Matt Leinart (2004) and Reggie Bush (2005). He was named the 2022 Walter Camp Participant of the Yr (becoming a member of 5 different Trojans to have been so honored, Simpson in 1967 and 1968, White in 1979, Allen in 1981, Leinart in 2004 and Bush in 2005).
He was additionally named the 2022 AP Participant of the Yr (becoming a member of Leinart in 2004 and Bush in 2005). He gained the 2022 Maxwell Award, offered to the perfect participant in faculty soccer (becoming a member of Simpson in 1968, White in 1979 and Allen in 1981). He was named the 2022 Sporting Information School Soccer Participant of the Yr (becoming a member of Simpson 1968, White, 1979, Allen 1981, Palmer, 2002 and Bush 2005). He was additionally named the 2022 CBS Sports activities Participant of the Yr, the 2022 Motion Sports activities Participant of the Yr, the 2022 CFPA Nationwide Performer of the Yr and the 2022 DC Landing Membership Participant of the Yr. He was a Unanimous All-American being chosen to the First Group for AP, Soccer Coaches, Soccer Writers, Walter Camp and Sporting Information. He was chosen because the 2022 Pac-12 Offensive Participant of the Yr and was named to the 2022 All-Pac-12 First Group, the AP All-Pac-12 First Group and the Phil Steele All-Pac-12 First Group. General in 2022, he accomplished 333-of-500 passes (.666) for 4,537 yards and 42 TDs with simply 5 INTs, plus he rushed for 382 yards on 113 carries (3.4 avg.) with 10 TDs. He additionally recorded 2 punts for 84 yards (42.0 avg.) with an extended of 58 yards. He was first nationally in passing TDs (42, first in Pac-12) and factors answerable for per sport (22.3, first in Pac-12). He was third nationally in passing yards (4.537) and fourth nationally in passing yards per sport (324.1). He was fifth nationally in passing effectivity (168.5, first in Pac-12) and whole offense (351.4). He was seventh nationally in yards per cross try (9.07, first in Pac-12).
He dazzled the nation together with his elusive strikes, highly effective arm and thrilling runs. All through his USC profession, he recorded 72 TDs and solely 10 INTs. He went 599-for-888 (.675) for 8,170 yards. Williams additionally rushed for 503 yards on 212 carries (2.8 avg.) with 21 TDs. He accounted for 93 whole TDs (each passing and working) in 26 video games as a Trojan.
Williams, who enrolled at Oklahoma within the spring of 2021 after graduating a semester early from highschool, emerged because the Sooners’ beginning quarterback by mid-season and proved to be one of many nation’s premier freshmen in 2021. General in 2021 whereas showing in 11 video games (all however West Virginia and Nebraska) and beginning the final 7 contests (TCU, Kansas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Oregon), he accomplished 136-of-211 passes (64.5%) for 1,912 yards and 21 TDs with 4 interceptions and he ran for 442 yards on 79 carries (5.6 avg) with 6 TDs. His 1,670 passing yards and 18 passing touchdowns had been essentially the most ever by an OU true freshman. He had 200-plus passing yards 5 occasions, 3-plus passing TDs 4 occasions and 2-plus passing TDs 6 occasions.
He was a 2021 True Freshman All-American by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Professional Soccer Focus. He additionally was a 2021 semifinalist for the Walter Camp Participant of the Yr, Davey O’Brien Nationwide Quarterback and FWAA’s Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Yr awards. He made 2021 AP All-Huge 12 second group and All-Huge 12 honorable point out by the league’s coaches.
The 2024 NFL Draft continues with the second and third rounds on Friday (April 26) after which concludes with the fourth by seventh rounds on Saturday (April 27).
