The NFL Draft kicks off Thursday, and 11 Trojans have entered their names into the candidate pool.
Over the years USC has sent over 500 players to the NFL, with this year’s draft having the potential to make USC history. USC has had five players be the first pick in past drafts, and Caleb Williams is showing signs of being the sixth to do so.
Daniel Steiner, a sophomore majoring in business, expressed his excitement for Williams’ potential.
“I think he’s a great player, obviously. Coming to [USC] is fun, watching him play in person. I think he’s gonna be a great quarterback,” Steiner said.
Despite overall excitement for this year’s draft potential, some controversy surrounds Williams, ranging from character issues to his father’s management of his career. USC professor and Fox Sports radio host Rob Parker argued that a player’s ability to play on the field far outweighs what he does off the field.
“There has been too much over-analyzing of him,” Parker said. “You don’t have to like everything that he’s done. I just think sometimes people are looking for something, and they want to push a different narrative. It’s ultimately about your tape,” he said, referring to his ability on the field.
If Williams is drafted with the first overall pick on Thursday, USC would beat out Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Georgia for the most No. 1 draft selections by a school in NFL history. Williams would be the second former USC quarterback to be selected with the first pick after Palmer was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002.
“It is a rich draft class coming from USC,” Parker said. “Whenever you get the [potential] number one pick to lead the way, that speaks volumes for your program.”
Williams, as well as the other 10 Trojan prospects, will look to join 27 other Trojans who are currently on NFL rosters.
“I’m excited to see where they land and see how they perform in the NFL,” said Tristan Rinko, a sophomore majoring in biomedical engineering.
Some notable former Trojans who were picked number one in the draft include Keyshawn Johnson, Carson Palmer, and OJ Simpson.
“It will be interesting to see where everyone ends up,” said current USC linebacker and redshirt sophomore Roman Marchetti, who majors in journalism. “This year, there is still a lot of talent across the board, especially from USC. We got a lot of guys going [to the draft], and I am just pumped up to see where they end up.”
Marchetti said told Annenberg Media that he feels grateful for what he has learned from those who have declared the draft.
“Just great guys on and off the field,” Marchetti said. “It’s just fun being on the same field as them just because of how talented they are.”
Keep your eyes peeled for when these Trojans get their names called this week: quarterback Caleb Williams, running back MarShawn Lloyd, wide receiver Tahj Washington, wide receiver Brenden Rice, safety Calen Bullock, defensive end Solomon Byrd, running back Austin Jones, offensive tackle Jarrett Kingston, center Justin Dedich, linebacker Shane Lee and cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace.