David Shaw calls Caleb Williams best NFL prospect since Andrew Luck

For this generation, Andrew Luck is widely considered the best NFL prospect we have seen. He came out of Stanford after playing for head coach David Shaw. and was drafted No. 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts. Teams have been looking for someone similar ever since. The search might now be over according to Shaw, with Caleb Williams set to declare for the NFL Draft after the 2023 season.

Shaw called Williams the best draft prospect since Luck, scoring him a near perfect 10. Trevor Lawrence used to hold down that spot for Shaw but after seeing Williams in person last year, the USC quarterback has taken the crown.

“There’s only one 10 out of 10 that I have seen,” Shaw said via the Move The Sticks podcast. “That’s Andrew Luck. When Trevor Lawrence came out, I thought he was the best since Andrew. Caleb Williams is the best since Andrew. If he’s not a 10, he’s a 9.9999999… He’s special. To me, it’s Andrew one in this generation and Caleb Williams two. I don’t know if there is a close number three. This guy is different.”

Shaw was the long-time head coach at Stanford and got to face off against Williams last year. USC came to town in Week 2, leaving Shaw with nothing but the Oklahoma freshman year tape to watch. But as you might expect, Williams had a great day, completing 20 of 27 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns.

David Shaw breaks down why Caleb Williams is special

Shaw has reasoning behind his statement, explaining why Williams is so special. Different traits Williams possesses compares to different quarterbacks currently in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Kyler Murray were all mentioned by Shaw.

“His improvisational skills are to the level of Patrick Mahomes,” Shaw said. “You get mesmerized watching this guy play… His accuracy, his athletic ability, his strength. You’re going to take a guy who has Andrew Luck’s accuracy but he has the build of the behemoth of a quarterback in Philadelphia (Jalen Hurts). He’s not going down easy.”

The Murray comparison came when talking about Williams on the run. Of course, he is a threat to take take off downfield and burn teams with his legs. But Williams has the ability to scramble out of the pocket and have just the perfect amount of time to get a pass off before getting caught.

“It’s not just about his speed,” Shaw said. “This guy has natural ‘make you miss’ ability. What I love most about him, that most of the great ones have — he plays the game with a sense of calm. He knows he’s better than you. He’s going to run just fast enough that you can’t catch him.”

Tanking is going to be in full effect this season in the NFL. It’s too hard to pass down a player somebody thinks is on the same level as Andrew Luck.

If Williams does wind up playing at the same level, a franchise will be changed forever.