Re-Ranking the Contenders: No. 1 QB Caleb Williams
The recruiting world has been fixated on Caleb Williams and what the five-star quarterback is going to do with the rest of the recruiting process. Oklahoma, Maryland, and LSU are still in the running for the five-star prospect out of Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga, but many people have already penciled him into the Sooners’ 2021 recruiting class. Penn State and Clemson have fallen out of the race.
No decision date has been set but a summer announcement is expected. Take a look at how these contenders rank as the summer gets closer.
*****
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
MORE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
*****
1. OKLAHOMA
The Sooners are the favorite and it has been that way since early February. Williams has a very strong bond with Lincoln Riley and trusts in his ability to direct a potent college offense while developing quarterbacks for the NFL. Williams has also been building relationships with the current Oklahoma commit Mario Williams. Don’t expect Oklahoma to miss on landing Williams’ commitment unless something drastic happens.
2. MARYLAND
Mike Locksley would rock the recruiting world again (see Rakim Jarrett) if he were able to get a commitment from Williams. The relationships Williams has at Maryland with the players and coaches are strong and he believes in Locksley and offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery.
Williams has wondered if Maryland would have enough talent around him to compete for championships. That could be remedied by Williams helping to recruit top talent to College Park, but this sticking point is a hurdle the Terps will need to overcome.
*****
3. LSU
The Tigers were at one point the favorite to land a commitment from Williams, but that was months ago. The departure of Joe Brady for the NFL was a major setback for LSU and now it has taken a commitment from four-star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. The fact that LSU does have another quarterback on board doesn’t eliminate the Tigers as an option for Williams, but it does appear LSU may be directing its recruiting efforts elsewhere.