NFL GM: USC's Caleb Williams 'Can Do It All' but Sometimes Plays with 'No Rhythm'

As the debate about the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft is set to really begin with the regular season nearing a conclusion, teams are going to be picking apart the talent for Caleb Williams and Drake Maye for three months.

One general manager told Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune that Williams "can do it all" on the field, but he also has plenty of moments when he plays with "no rhythm."

"There is some tape where you go, 'Man, what is going on?' No rhythm. No structure. You're not sure where he's looking," the GM said. "But with that, you also recognize immediately that he is a freak talent. He can do it all."

This has been an ongoing story for Williams throughout his college career, but especially this season. He had to put the Trojans on his back because of how poor their defense was. They allowed at least 36 points in each of their five losses.

Williams threw for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and completed 68.6 percent of his attempts. He also scored 11 rushing touchdowns.

During his three-year college career, Williams held onto the ball longer than any quarterback prospect who has come into the NFL since 2014.

The key question that NFL teams will be trying to figure out is if that was happening because Williams was always trying to make a spectacular play instead of taking an easier play that was available, or did he feel pressure to keep up because he didn't trust his defense?

Patrick Mahomes, who Williams has been frequently compared to, also struggled at times with in-structure plays at Texas Tech when he had to make up for a defense that ranked in the bottom four in FBS in points allowed per game in each of his two full seasons as a starter.

If an NFL coaching staff can get Williams to table some of those bad habits he's developed and help develop the elite-level playmaking he's shown during his time at USC, it's hard to imagine him not becoming a superstar at the next level.