Getting a rookie quarterback or a devy quarterback like Caleb Williams, that looks the part can be gold for your fantasy team. Whether you stash the player until they can be used on your dynasty roster or C2C lineup, perhaps you decide to trade them for more immediate and impactful players.
No matter what, quarterbacks are always a long and patient play. What is important is you digest as many of their game reps as possible, and if you can’t, find someone who does.
This is where Dynasty Nerds can step in.
For this report, it is worth looking at a prospect who is right up there with Andrew Luck and Trevor Lawrence in terms of hype. Williams was Spencer Rattler’s backup this time last year; a no better example of how fluid things are. If you kept the course and were patient, you may have a share worth its weight in gold. Fast forward to the present day, and you are seeing him thrive at USC with his head coach Lincoln Riley using his offense to lift him up further.
This year’s game against Stanford was supposed to be his first big test. To say he passed with flying colors is an understatement. Dive into a full-scale scouting report from that game earlier this year.
Accuracy
Williams controls his passes almost like they are a drone, and he has the remote. Whether short, intermediate, or deep downfield, he is constantly finding his mark. This trait alone makes me excited about his potential as an NFL quarterback, a high-scoring one.
Arm Strength
Williams’ passes always efficiently find their receiver. The ball never loses any gas before hitting its target. He demonstrates elite-level arm strength when pushing the ball downfield. At one point in this game, he was forced to stay in the pocket, throw off his back foot, and hit Jordan Addison 50+ air yards later.
Size
Physically, Williams is listed as 6’1″ and 216 pounds. He uses every ounce and inch of that frame to find success. Several times in this game, he can handle defenders when extending plays. He even gets physical, with defenders closing in on him toward the sideline to earn some extra yards in the process.
Mobility
Williams uses his legs to extend plays inside and outside the pocket. That movement in the pocket is priceless, you cannot teach it, and it is what makes quarterbacks special. While he will never be one you can rely on to give many rushing yards, he does have an underrated ability to get mobile and pick up a first down.
Decision Making
Williams will push the ball downfield, but he rarely underthrows it in this game to where the defender can make a play. He can be a little riskier when making a crossfield throw outside the numbers, but he still makes up for it with ball placement. The only concern is that he can get more confident as the game goes on, and he will make a scary throw, but it almost brings him back down to earth.
Out of Structure Ability
Williams was forced outside of the tackle box several times in this game, but he has the awareness to keep his eyes downfield. Because he does that, it allows him to see when receivers extend and go out of structure with him, and that is when big gains come from broken plays. You see that a lot in USC’s game against Stanford is due to their defensive front getting pressure.
Pocket Awareness
I mentioned it above, but Williams has some of the best pocket awareness I have seen in college football. In this game, though, it stands out as one of his best traits and is something that NFL teams should drool over. Having that ability makes every offensive line he plays behind better; teams know that.
Touch/Placement
Placement on some passes can be risky, but Williams has excellent control overall. Later in games, he has a chance to put balls in riskier spots of the field, such as crossfield, but it is only risky because it allows time for defenders to recover. This is by no means a glaring issue, but just one that is noticeable on film in the Stanford game.
Mechanics
Williams has a clean throwing motion, excellent footwork, and good shoulders. There is not much more you can ask for from a quarterback mechanically than what Williams gives you here.
Progressions
While he keeps his eyes downfield to extend plays, Williams can hone in on just one receiver to push the ball downfield. He also can look for the quick out route or safety valve. He has a chance to help an NFL offense if he can develop this better, but in this game specifically, it wasn’t very present.
Overall Thoughts
Williams is one of the best quarterbacks in college football. This time next year, he will be one of the best prospects on NFL team’s radars. He has the physical gifts, arm talent, and level-headedness you dream of in a quarterback. In this game against Stanford, he demonstrated all of these traits. Hopefully, this report gives a complete idea of what his game can be, as this game was one of the better ones in his career. Stanford has a tough defense; he made them look like an FCS school at the end of the day.
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