CFB analyst draws bold comparisons between Shedeur Sanders and Caleb Williams’ pre-NFL draft process
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams left college football as the undisputed NIL king, earning up to $10 million during his last two seasons of college football while playing for the USC Trojans. Williams was selected No. 1 by the Bears, but not before his father, Carl Williams, had tried to circumvent the pick by the franchise, according to an ESPN report released on Friday.
During Saturday's segment of "Get Up," ESPN analyst Peter Schrager compared William's pre-draft process to that of Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders, who slid to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft.
"I think the Caleb Williams case is just gonna be the first of many quarterbacks," Schrager said. "He was the first NIL baby in the draft in which, from Oklahoma to USC he took a giant payday, went with Lincoln Riley and got there, talking to Kliff Kingsbury who was his QBs coach at USC, Caleb was living life at USC that even the most decorated quarterbacks had never lived before. High-rise apartment in downtown L.A., sports car, the money.
"Didn't need the NFL like some QBs in the past. We saw it this year with some of those coming out like Shedeur and how he was dictating things. This is going to be the case moving forward where a lot of these QBs coming into the NFL, they can stay in college if they don't wanna leave early because they're making enough money. In this case, Karl Williams was exploring all options."
Despite his draft night slide, Shedeur Sanders, like Caleb Williams, also left college football as the undisputed NIL king with a valuation of $6.5 million.
Caleb Williams tried to avoid Bears on draft night
As a Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams was the undisputed No. 1 pick in several mock drafts before the 2024 NFL draft, but according to a book titled "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback" by Seth Wickersham, his future was not cut and dried.
In the book, Carl Williams, the quarterback's father, tried to find a way around the NFL's collective bargaining agreement and even consulted Arch Manning's grandfather. Archie Manning helped his son, Eli Manning, to duck the San Diego Chargers, who picked him No. 1, and traded him to the New York Giants in 2004.
According to Wickersham, the elder Williams spoke to labor lawyers and even countenanced Caleb Williams signing with the United Football League for one season to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 to enable him to choose a team in the NFL.
"I don't want my son playing for the Bears," Carl told several agents. "The rookie cap is just unconstitutional.
"It's the worst in sports history. He's worried about me taking bullets. I don't care. I just don't agree with this s**t, you know? I'm more interested in making sure that he can do what he wants to do."
Caleb Williams endured a mixed season for the Bears who fired coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron after losing 10 consecutive games. The quarterback tallied 3,541 passing yards resulting in 20 touchdowns and six interceptions as a rookie.