For those dreaming of "what-ifs", Caleb Williams apparently has a destination list...would return to school otherwise

[CamWhoaaCam]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

It's gonna be really tough with that D.

Yeah that defense is real bad, but USC can outscore teams.

 

I think we will know their fate once they play Oregon.

 

Texas is my pick to win the Nat'l championship. They look like the best overall team imo.

 

 

[Mage]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

It's gonna be really tough with that D.

Yeah, I feel comfortable saying USC will definitely not be winning a national championship.  There is 0 reason to think Lincoln Riley is either A) capable of fixing the defense or B) has any intentions of fixing the defense.

CJ Stroud you could kind of see because Ohio State could absolutely win a natty with him.  It ain't happening with USC.  I mean maybe I guess but they would have to get lucky.

[Varking]

3 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

I rather stay in LA for the next 2 years then go play in cold Chicago.

 

Also you do realize USC has a realistic shot at winning a Natty with Caleb. Not sure why you think he has no shot at a Nat'l championship.

Oh because they play zero defense. They have no shot. Almost let Colorado come back on them. Oklahoma finished 10th two years ago after, USC finished 12th last year…

94th in defense last year. 60th the year before. Two years ago offense was 8ths last year offense was 3rd. 
 

Right now they are first in points per game and 63rd in defense. It’s the same story every year. This year they have one of the easiest schedules in college 119 of 133 in strength of schedule. 
 

Until they play defense they won’t be a real threat. 

[LinvilleGorge]

7 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

Yeah that defense is real bad, but USC can outscore teams.

 

I think we will know their fate once they play Oregon.

 

Texas is my pick to win the Nat'l championship. They look like the best overall team imo.

 

 

I just can't see them getting through their schedule and two playoff games with that D. At some point they're going to fail to outscore someone. Their margin of error on offense against elite teams is going to be nil because their D is definitely giving up a basketball score.

[NCBlu]

Diva, dude already wears finger nail polish so I guess it fits ... 

Wouldn't want a rookie that has proved nothing walking thru the door making demands...

[SCO96]

32 minutes ago, Mage said:

So what does he do if an equally bad organization is picking #1 next year?

This topic came up awhile ago on a forum. It could have even been this one. The poster said that there is a difference between and bad team and a bad franchise.  For QB's, the Bears are just a bad franchise. It's not a much better destination for WR's. What is going to happen between now and next season to make Chicago a prime destination for a rookie QB? As I said in the last post, the team appears to want to cut bait with Fields less than 3 full seasons in the league. Trubinsky was let go after his 4th season. Both guys were top 10 picks within the last decade.

You're right about 2024. Another bad organization could pick him after the completion of his senior year. That would be outside of his control. For now, Caleb has the leverage. There's nothing wrong with him and his management team trying to put him in a situation to enhance his chance for success. With NIL, he is making money right now. It's not like he has to leave after the season in order to feed the family.

 

[LinvilleGorge]

The reality is that if you're going to be taken high in the draft you're going to a really bad team outside of a trade up scenario. What really sucks is going to one of those really bad teams as a non-1st rounder.

[SCO96]

1 hour ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

I rather stay in LA for the next 2 years then go play in cold Chicago.

 

Also you do realize USC has a realistic shot at winning a Natty with Caleb. Not sure why you think he has no shot at a Nat'l championship.

 

1 hour ago, LinvilleGorge said:

It's gonna be really tough with that D.

How many people on this board believe that if Caleb comes out of college early he'll win a Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears? 

[LinvilleGorge]

5 minutes ago, SCO96 said:

 

How many people on this board believe that if Caleb comes out of college early he'll win a Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears? 

I think any QB that goes to the Bears is screwed. History dictates it.

[SmokinwithWilly]

It's going to end up being what Kobe did to the NBA just before he was drafted. Charlotte just happened to be the ones to go through with the worst trade in NBA history. 

[Jay Roosevelt]

I can certainly understand him not wanting to play in Chicago.

[carpanfan96]

2 hours ago, Mage said:

No it isn't.  Caleb Williams is making an estimate of $2.6m in NIL this year.

People just keep looking at base salary.  It doesn't account for the guaranteed money / signing bonus that you get when you sign your rookie contract as a top-5 draft pick.  Like do people really think Caleb Williams would make more in NIL than what, for example, Trevor Lawrence has already made? 

NIL money means more for guys who don't have great NFL aspirations.  If you are going to be the No. 1 overall pick, then no, NIL money does not trump the money you get when you sign your rookie contract. For example, Bryce Young's signing bonus was $26 million.  Even if Caleb Williams got another $2.5 next year, it would still take him 5 more college seasons to make what Bryce Young just made by signing a contract.  On top of all the money you can still get from sponsors post-NFL.  AND on top of that, your rookie contract is basically guaranteed unless you suck and your team releases you, and that isn't happening to the No. 1 Overall Pick.  Whereas you are jeopardizing yourself with a potential injury if you return to college.

Again NIL makes more sense for someone like Stetson Bennett.  Someone who went late in the draft and won't have a huge signing bonus.  He could conceivably make more from NIL than his rookie contract.  But Caleb Williams?  He absolutely would be sacrificing money next year by returning to USC and making himself susceptible to injury or worse, regression in performance.  AND be setting himself a year back from signing the lucrative NFL QB extension. 

If you think it's just 2.6m, lol. 

The brands I listed plus a few more including his own clothing line. 

Next years #1 overall rookie contract is going to be 38-39m over 4 years total. 

His family doesn't care about getting to the NFL just to be in the NFL.

He wants to be in a good situation with a good team. 

 

He's probably going to force the leagues hand so he can go where he wants if he doesnt return to school. 

[Mage]

1 hour ago, carpanfan96 said:

If you think it's just 2.6m, lol. 

The brands I listed plus a few more including his own clothing line. 

Next years #1 overall rookie contract is going to be 38-39m over 4 years total. 

His family doesn't care about getting to the NFL just to be in the NFL.

He wants to be in a good situation with a good team. 

 

He's probably going to force the leagues hand so he can go where he wants if he doesnt return to school. 

You're just guessing then.  Every online source estimates him at somewhere around $2.5m.  If you want to suggest otherwise, then find a source.  

Otherwise no, I'm not going to assume he's going to be making more in NIL than he would from his rookie signing bonus.  I seriously doubt estimates are so far off that it would have him close to the 26m+ he would get as soon as he signs.

[BrisbanePanther]

One other potential pot 'o NIL gold for him and others: NCAA FB should still be coming back as a video game next year. I don't know what that game made in the past, but it surely wasn't chump change. I also don't know how the players will get paid from the revenues, but Caleb will easily be a top earner...maybe the highest depending on how they divide the money.