Caleb Williams buying own hype with Patrick Mahomes comparisons

Some have compared USC quarterback Caleb Williams to Patrick Mahomes and the likely Heisman winner is buying the hype on those lofty comps. 

There isn’t a Sunday that passes during which Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes isn’t wowing fans with some ridiculous feat. Whether it’s his insane arm talent, his creativity or his mobility, he’s electric every single time the ball is in his hands. And that’s the same feeling USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams has given people.

In his first season with the Trojans after following head coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC, Williams led his team to a Pac-12 Championship Game berth and nearly to the College Football Playoff. And on Saturday night, it’s expected he’ll hoist the Heisman Trophy.

But what does he think about people comparing him and his ability to Mahomes, arguably the best and most talented quarterback in the NFL? He’s not hiding from the hype train and, in fact, it seems like he’s buying it.

Caleb Williams on Patrick Mahomes comparison: ‘I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do that he’s doing’

Speaking with Zach Gelb of CBS Sports Radio (h/t ProFootballTalk), Williams seemed to agree with the comparisons.

“It’s pretty cool, I’d say, just because everybody watches Patrick and sees all the cool things he can do,” Williams said. “I always said even in high school that I don’t think there’s anything — obviously, he’s special, but I don’t think there’s anything that I can’t do that he’s doing out there.”

That certainly sounds like a quarterback who sees Mahomes in himself as well.

For NFL teams wanting to get “the next Mahomes” on their roster, though, they’re going to have to wait. Williams’ first year with the Trojans was only his true sophomore campaign and he still has one year left before he’ll be eligible for the NFL Draft, the 2024 draft to be specific.

As for the comparisons themselves, it’s easy to see where they come from. Williams has the same rare blend of traits that Mahomes does, perhaps with even more natural athleticism, which is truly frightening. But to live up to what Mahomes has already accomplished in his still-young NFL career, Williams will have to prove that and not just believe the hype about himself.

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