USC's Caleb Williams May Be 'More Athletic' Than Patrick Mahomes, NFL Scout Says

USC quarterback Caleb Williams appears to be the likely No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft and he is reminding scouts of another athletic gunslinger who is currently torching the NFL.

Pete Thamel of ESPN spoke to numerous scouts who acknowledged the similarities between Williams and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

"A lot will give you Patrick Mahomes—yeah, cool, I see it," said a scout, per Thamel. "That's fair. I just think Patrick Mahomes is a unicorn. There's an argument to be said that Caleb is more athletic than Mahomes. Could he be potentially better? I don't know. We get in these superlatives and clickbait. Slow down. Let's just say he's the best quarterback prospect in the draft and evaluate him fairly."

The comparison is lofty, given Mahomes' significant success in the NFL. However, another scout told Thamel that the Chiefs quarterback's rise may have helped Williams have his skill set fully appreciated.

"I think it's scary to compare to Patrick Mahomes," a scout said, per Thamel. "When he was a prospect, he was unfairly treated as more of a project. This dude, and maybe it's because of what happened with Mahomes, I don't think he's viewed that way at all."

Mahomes was excellent in college, tossing for 11,252 total yards in three seasons and throwing 93 touchdowns to 29 interceptions. Despite this, he played in an air raid system at Texas Tech and was viewed as a project quarterback heading into the draft.

Williams doesn't have the same project label that Mahomes did entering the NFL. He is coming off of a season where he eclipsed 4,500 yards with 42 touchdowns and just five interceptions and won a Heisman Trophy for his efforts. He has put up dominant statistics in two Power Five conferences and still has another season to further build his collegiate legacy.

Of note, Mahomes was able to develop for a season under veteran quarterback Alex Smith and entered an offense that was already excellent with a solidified head coach and team culture. Given Williams' pedigree and expectations, he will likely head to a team in transition and he will be expected to produce right away.

While Williams appears to have all the tools to thrive in any situation, Mahomes-esque comparisons are definitely unfair to place on a player who still has at least one more collegiate season ahead before he puts on an NFL jersey.