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Joel Klatt calls Caleb Williams 'superior' to Patrick Mahomes at this point in development

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•09/30/23•

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(Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Caleb Williams regularly gets Patrick Mahomes comparisons these days, but Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt thinks the USC quarterback is “superior” at this point.

Mahomes had plenty of talent at the college level, but some questioned how it could translate to the NFL. Obviously, it translated quite nicely.

Klatt made the case that Williams is already ahead of Mahomes in terms of development before the NFL.

“Well, he’s always going to draw comparisons to Patrick Mahomes because of their ability to throw the ball so accurately and with so much velocity when they’re on the run outside the pocket,” Klatt said on the USC-Colorado game broadcast.

“But to be honest Gus, at this stage in their careers when Patrick Mahomes was in college and now Caleb, Caleb is far superior and further down the road in terms of development and what Patrick was at Texas Tech.”

Williams is arguably the best NFL prospect in recent memory. The same went for Andrew Luck a decade ago. It’s that type of buzz right now for the USC quarterback.

“But make no mistake, it’s the comparison (to Mahomes) because of their arm talent outside of the pocket and their ability to hurt you outside the pocket,” Klatt said. “That’s what has everybody at the next level really salivating at their opportunity to potentially draft No. 13.”

Williams proceeded to throw side-armed which resulted in a touchdown 71 yards down the field. 

“It’s like clockwork, exactly what we were just discussing about Caleb Williams, his superpower emerges right here,” Klatt said of the touchdown throw. “Nothing there initially, and he doesn’t panic and the reason he doesn’t panic is he knows that he has a weapon on his right arm. 

“Look at this throw. He’s rolling left ,throwing back right down the middle of the field and he just has all sorts of torque velocity. The ball’s thrown accurately and all of a sudden they’re in the endzone. They played great defense there and Caleb Williams went to the x’s and o’s and finds a touchdown with Tahj Washington.”

At the end of the first quarter, with USC leading 14-0 and knocking on the door again, Williams was eight-of-11 passing for 147 yards and a touchdown.