Todd McShay makes way-too-early case for USC QB Caleb Williams at No. 1 in 2024 NFL Draft

Caleb Williams is the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and ESPN draft expert Todd McShay says it’s a safe bet to expect Williams to have a long, successful NFL career.

After what is expected to be another great season for him under USC head coach Lincoln Riley, only a drastic change would stop Williams from being the first player to shake Roger Goodell’s hand on draft night next year.

“Bryce Young was the 2022 Heisman winner and now the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick. Caleb Williams will follow a similar route. He is the 2023 Heisman winner and will be the 2024 No. 1 overall pick. Right now, he’s the odds-on favorite,” McShay said during Saturday’s draft coverage. “He looks like Patrick Mahomes playing the college game, the way he has the magic, the ability to extend, the mobility that he has while also working inside the pocket.”

A huge spotlight will be on Williams and his USC Trojans this fall, though it’s one he certainly earned after throwing for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns, while also rushing for 382 yards and another 10 scores. Those stats earned him his aforementioned Heisman Trophy — which generally means you’re the best player in college football.

Williams isn’t the only player that scouts are looking ahead toward to be a top draft pick next season. According to McShay, there are four players, including Williams, that could be the top pick when it’s all said and done. Though, Williams remains the favorite.

“I’ve talked to some scouts already in the league and they’re already looking ahead,” McShay said. “Two guys they always mention — Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. Drake Maye is another guy and don’t forget about [Brock] Bowers. That dude is special, too.”

McShay is so high on Williams that he has gone on record as saying that if the USC QB was eligible for this year’s draft, he would have been selected over Bryce Young, CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson. That’s saying a lot, given that three different teams expect their first-round picks this season to be their franchise QB of the future. From that perspective, the team that drafts Williams will be getting a future multi-time All-Pro.

Williams has done everything at the college level except win a Pac-12 title and a national championship. 2023 is his final season to accomplish both tasks. In theory, Williams has a decade-plus in opportunities to win a title at the professional level if his pro career pans out the way experts project.