NFL Scout Hails 'Special' Caleb Williams as 'Franchise-Altering' QB amid Criticism

One NFL scout offered high praise of USC quarterback Caleb Williams with less than a month to go before the 2024 NFL draft.

"He's special and whoever gets him will have a franchise-altering type of talent," said the scout, who works for an NFC team, to ESPN's Jordan Reid.

Williams has been positioned as the top quarterback in the 2024 class for at least the last year. Being the consensus No. 1 pick for so long has a downside because it inevitably leads to a level of nitpicking that's uncommon for a typical draft prospect.

In the case of Williams, the criticism is even extending beyond his skills and focusing on irrelevant matters such as what color his cell phone is.

The on-field potential with the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is readily apparent.

In his two years at USC, he threw for 8,170 yards and 72 touchdowns with a 169.2 passer rating, and his 524 rushing yards underline how — while not a true dual-threat QB — he can be an effective threat on the ground.

Bleacher Report NFL scout Derrik Klassen compared Williams to Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray.

"Overall, Williams is a fascinating prospect," Klassen wrote. "The arm talent oozes off the film, and he is a special playmaker when things break down. Williams is also more put together as a processor than his playing style suggests, even if he still needs work.

In the NFL, Williams would fit best in a spread-out passing offense that gives him space and enables his playmaking ability, similar to [Murray] or the aforementioned Josh Allen."

There's little doubt as to which position the Chicago Bears will prioritize after they traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. You feel equally as certain that Williams is the quarterback on whom the franchise will bet its future.