Caleb Williams is not buckling under the pressure. Nobody would blame him if he did. Head coach Matt Eberflus has thrown down the gauntlet to start training camp, having the #1 overall pick practice against the starting defense every day. Nobody would be shocked to hear Williams throwing a lot of inaccurate passes and looking a little overwhelmed. Only that hasn’t been the case. Not even close. Williams has fought the defense on equal footing and has won his fair share of reps. In every practice, he seems to deliver a big play down the field and executes a strong drive. His surprising calm in the pocket stands out the most to onlookers.
His processing speed is no joke. Adam Jahns mentioned it on the Hoge & Jahns podcast, and Chris Emma of 670 The Score also mentioned it on Berstein & Holmes. He said Williams’ ability to navigate the pocket and find the open man is impressive for a rookie. Then, he took it a step further. Emma reached out to several people in the NFL about his observations. They all seemed to echo the same thing. It isn’t a mirage. That is who Williams is. He might be one of the best rookie processors at quarterback the NFL has seen in years.
They saw how he played last year for USC, with all the running around and making plays out of structure, and assumed that is the only way he knows how to play. In reality, Williams always showed the capability to play from the pocket. The difference last year was he didn’t have the offensive line or wide receivers to make such a playing style possible. He had to do what was best for his team and himself to make the offense go. That meant pulling out the Superman cape. His own quarterback instructor said he’s eager to play a more traditional role.
Keep in mind the defense has had the advantage through the first week of camp. Not being in pads gives them an edge in pass rush situations. The offense is also starting over in a new system under Shane Waldron. While they’ve been getting their share of victories, it’s nothing compared to the domination they often enjoyed against Justin Fields. This is a different animal. Caleb Williams may be a rookie, but he doesn’t carry himself like one. He has greatness on his agenda, and they’re in his way.
