INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 02: Caleb Williams #QB14 of Southern California looks on during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 02, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
A former NFL star offensive lineman claims that Caleb Williams didn’t exactly give off “a good vibe” at this year’s Scouting Combine.
The USC quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is the overwhelming favorite to go first overall in this year’s draft. The Chicago Bears hold the top pick, and they’ll presumably trade starting QB Justin Fields before taking Williams with the selection.
Speaking on the Barstool Sports “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast (h/t Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post), former Tennessee Titans Pro Bowl offensive tackle Taylor Lewan stated that Williams did not leave the best of impressions at the Combine:
“One guy that, this is up for everybody else to interpret, but I did not get a good vibe from Caleb Williams throughout the combine process. I know, a lot of backlash for the boy. He essentially came to the combine for the free gear and the interviews…
“Only player in combine history not to do a medical review. Only dude [who] didn’t run, didn’t throw. His choosing not to throw was, ‘Hey there’s a lot of film on me, you can watch that in real action. I don’t need to do that.’ So he essentially went there and then I think he did one thing about sour gummies, like him and some lady sat there and tried sour candy…
“It’s incredible how talented he is, but he’s got this type of ‘I’m better than everyone’ attitude that it’s coming off of. Now if that’s not the individual he is, he’s more than welcome to come on the bus (the podcast) and explain himself, but what I saw from the short sample size I got of watching a few interviews of him on my way to the combine was, (the) guy is very full of himself. He’s got some big time yes people in his camp right now that are getting in his ear a little too much.”
Williams raised some eyebrows when he decided against throwing at the NFL Combine, and he didn’t provide a clear-cut explanation for it. But even if many around the NFL felt the same thing as Lewan, it’s awfully unlikely that this will cause Williams to fall outside of the No. 1 spot.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Williams completed 68.6 percent of pass attempts for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and only five interceptions to go along with 136 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.
In his 2022 Heisman Trophy-winning season, Williams threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns to and 11 rushing scores.
Chicago obtained the first overall pick via the Carolina Panthers, who surrendered their 2024 first-rounder a year ago as part of the trade-up for Bryce Young. Barring any surprises, Williams will eventually replace Fields as the new stating QB in Windy City.
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