Is Heisman Trophy-winning USC QB Caleb Williams overrated? A contrarian look to national viewpoint on Trojans signal caller

Caleb Williams is the consensus favorite to win the Heisman Trophy for the second consecutive year. Former Ohio State Buckeyes running back Archie Griffin remains the only player to win the prestigious award multiple times.

Williams has received plenty of hype since making his collegiate debut in the 2021 season. The USC Trojans quarterback is considered the top prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft and has been labeled the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck.

Take a look at whether or not Williams is deserving of such praise:

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How has Caleb Williams performed in his college career?

Caleb Williams joined the Oklahoma Sooners as a five-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class. He took as the starting quarterback midway through his true freshman season, making 11 appearances and seven starts.

He ended the season with 1,912 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. Williams completed 64.5% of his passes while adding 442 rushing yards and six touchdowns. His performances earned him a spot on the second team All-Big 12.

Following the season, Williams followed coach Lincoln Riley and joined the USC Trojans via the transfer portal. As a sophomore, he threw for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Williams completed 66.6% of his passes while running for 382 yards and 10 touchdowns on 113 carries.

He won the Heisman Trophy and was also named a unanimous All-American, Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Pac 12.

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Is Caleb Williams deserving of the hype he has received?

Caleb Williams has received plenty of praise, drawing comparisons to Andrew Luck and Patrick Mahomes. While those are lofty expectations to place on any college player, Williams has shown that he has the talent to warrant them.

While speaking with Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks on the Move the Sticks podcast, Luck's former college coach David Shaw compared the two prospects:

"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. His accuracy, his athletic ability, his strength...

"This guy has got a natural make-or-miss ability and what I love most about him, that the great ones all have, he plays the game with a sense of calm. He knows he's better than you."

While he will need to prove his talent at the next level, both his stats and eye test check out when evaluating Williams. Don't be surprised if he becomes the latest quarterback to turn an NFL franchise around.