Former USC quarterback Caleb Williams won’t keep his medical information from all 32 NFL teams.
The presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft explained in a press conference at the NFL scouting combine Friday that he will undergo medical evaluations during team visits, instead of in Indianapolis.
Williams, who met with a total nine teams on Friday, declined to throw and do medical testing at the combine and was asked about it by reporters.
“Not doing things, it was a decision by me and my team and my family and it comes down to that,” the 22-year-old Williams said.
“For the medical stuff, I’ll be doing the medical stuff — just not here in Indy. I’ll be doing it at the team interviews. You know, not 32 teams can draft me. There’s only one of me. And so, the teams that I go to for my visit, those teams will have the medical [information], and that’ll be it.”
Williams is the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the draft, however, the Bears could trade that pick and stick with incumbent starter Justin Fields.
Williams explained that he plans on visiting “a good number” of teams.
“I don’t exactly know what the plan is with that just because I’ve met with teams I didn’t know I was going to meet with when I got here,” he said.
Williams also emphasized the importance of wanting to be in an environment that encompasses a winning culture.
“I want to go to a place that wants to win, a whole 360, so meaning from the top… down to the janitors that make everything run. Everybody wants to win and everyone is a part of that and we all take care of each other,” Williams said.
Williams was also asked about his height, which took him by surprise.
“This is the first time I’m hearing about my height and size,” he said. “I’m around [Jets quarterback] Aaron Rodgers’ size, and maybe weight too — 215, 220 pounds and 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2.”
As for why he opted out of throwing, Williams explained that he “didn’t feel the need” to throw at the combine.
“I’ve played around 30 some games I believe, go ahead and watch a live game of me and see how I am as a competitor,” he said.
Williams shared that his visits with the Bears and the Patriots, who sit at No. 3, went well — but things were surface level due to the combine interviews being short.
Elsewhere, Williams crashed a scrum and asked his former USC teammate, receiver Brenden Rice, “How does it feel to be Jerry Rice’s son?” — to which he said, “Man, it feels even better to be a teammate of Caleb Williams.”
In 2023, Williams threw for 3,633 yards with 30 touchdowns and five picks for the Trojans — and rushed for 11 touchdowns as well.
The 2024 NFL Draft will take place in Detroit from April 25 to April 27.
