The hype around the star USC quarterback continues to build amid NFL Draft discussions. He is projected to be the number 1 draft QB prospect in this year’s edition of the NFL Draft. And right behind him are Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. But with so much constant criticism surrounding his name, should the NFL teams be involved in a rat race to sign Caleb Williams?

Caleb Williams, the quarterback for the USC Trojans, was the backbone of his team’s success in the 2023 season. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner was set to lead his team to a CFP top-four spots. But he couldn’t hold the fort against the might of the Washington Huskies, who dashed their dreams to the ground by a score of 52-42. Though Williams’ individual performance continued to stay at the very top. His recent media interviews have certainly had an impact on his credibility. Brian Baldinger became Williams’ knight in shining armor and came to his rescue in a recent interview.

Brian Baldinger comments on Williams’ talent and justifies him being a no. 1 QB pick

On the latest episode of the ‘670 The Score’ radio show, a former offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys joined the show to talk about the upcoming NFL Draft. And later delved into the topic of Caleb Williams and the heat that surrounds him. Baldinger commented on Williams’ decision to not throw out at the Combine and justified it with his own opinion.

Baldinger said, “I’m a fan of Caleb. I’ve known him since he was in high school in Maryland. And so I’ve been around him and I know what kind of a kid he is. I know how smart he is. And so I think they wanna have a more controlled environment rather than throwing to guys they don’t know. I think if he’s throwing it out to USC or throwing it out to his guys, it might look better for anybody he’s trying to impress. Although I don’t think he’s trying to do that. He has 3 years of good tape. I think anybody that sits in a room with Caleb Williams is going to be impressed by how much football knowledge he possesses.” 

It is evident in the way Williams carries himself and speaks that along with talking the talk, he also holds the talent to walk the walk. He has been confident in his decisions to not throw out at the Combine despite the backlash. Moreover, he announced that he wouldn’t undergo medical testing for all 32 teams at the Combine and would choose to provide those details to the one team that ended up signing him. These details sure raise a few eyebrows over Williams’ reliability but don’t falter his chances of being the number 1 draft prospect.

With all that said, the 2nd overall pick of the 1998 NFL Draft also had some brutal words to say about Williams and whether he’ll make it big in the NFL.

Ryan Leaf doesn’t believe that Williams will be a dominant force in his first year

Undoubtedly, Caleb Williams is the best quarterback to come out of the 2023 season of college football. He threw out an impressive 4,633 passing yards and finished over 30 touchdowns successfully. With these sorts of numbers, it was obvious that he had to be miles ahead of Drake Maye’s 3,603 and Jayden Daniels’ 3,812 passing yards. Now that teams like the Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders are nudging each other to land Williams. Ryan Leaf doesn’t think the USC QB is all that.

Leaf said, “If you take him, you better be under the understanding that you’re going to sit him this year — and that’s not going to happen. Seventy-five percent of what made him so great in college is not transferable to the NFL. He’s not going to be able to do that. He can’t do what he did in college 75% of the time and be successful at the NFL level. He can do the 25% at the NFL level, but he needs some time.” Thus, Williams will definitely need some time to settle in, but will he be worth the number 1 pick? This is a question that has got the entire NFL community scratching their heads.

Read more: “Wild as Hell”: Deion Sanders Jr. Stands up for Prejudice Against Caleb Williams After NFL Draft Rankings Get Released

Will Williams end up with the Bears or with the Commanders? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.