Category: Trojans in NFL

Brenden Rice reflects on father Jerry Rice’s legacy and the possibility of playing for the 49ers

Brenden Rice has put in the work. Now he waits to see where he might land. Could the 49ers be in play?

Wouldn’t it be something if Brenden Rice was picked by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL draft? Brenden Rice recently talked about his father, Jerry Rice, arguably the greatest receiver of all time.

An NFL. com draft analyst said this about Brenden Rice:

The bloodlines don’t get much better than Jerry Rice, so Brenden Rice might have a head start on the rest of the field. He’s big and plays a physical brand of football when cornerbacks want to fight over space. He lacks sudden feet, so beating press cleanly and separating on short routes could be challenging as a pro. Rice possesses good build-up speed to create deep-ball opportunities once his ball skills are added to the equation. Rice catches with quick, strong hands and good extension to help with frequent contested catches. There are some limitations at play, but he has enough checkmarks to project as an early backup with some upward mobility.

The NFL draft is one month away. We will see what happens with Brenden Rice.

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Matt Leinart discusses Caleb Williams, USC pro day, and which NFL draft QB prospects will thrive

Matt Leinart evaluates the 2024 NFL draft quarterback class.

Colin Cowherd talks to USC’s legendary Heisman Trophy winner and two-time national champion Matt Leinart about Caleb Williams and other quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft.

It seems increasingly likely that Caleb Williams will indeed go to the Chicago Bears with the first pick in the draft. Players already on the Bears say Caleb will have to earn his place.

Bears Wire has more:

“Receiver DJ Moore recently spoke about what Williams needs to do to earn respect from the locker room, cornerback Jaylon Johnson is the latest Bears veteran chiming in on Williams’ impending arrival and how he needs to prove himself.

“’You just humble yourself coming into the building,’ Johnson said on Up & Adams. ‘You can’t bring that Hollywood stuff into the building, especially with guys who have played the game at a high level for consecutive years in the league. Guys like myself, Tremaine (Edmunds), T.J. (Edwards), now Keenan Allen. We’re going to see through that. What you did in college, the Hollywood, nah, you’ve gotta prove yourself. Stuff like that doesn’t matter.’”

Here’s Matt Leinart on Caleb and other 2024 NFL draft quarterback prospects:

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Former USC QB Mark Sanchez evaluates Caleb Williams, Drake Maye … and Sam Darnold

Mark Sanchez recently discussed Sam Darnold and what the future holds for him in Minnesota.

Mark Sanchez chatted with Colin Cowherd about Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Sam Darnold. We have talked a lot about Caleb. We have talked a little about Drake Maye. Let’s pull apart the Sam Darnold piece of Sanchez’s conversation.

Darnold has to know that the Vikings are going to draft a young quarterback. What will be interesting is if the Vikings trade into the top three for that quarterback, try to get a quarterback in the top 15, or just settle on the No. 23 pick they currently have.

Vikings Wire has more:

“The Minnesota Vikings are going to be trading up a lot in mock drafts over the next five weeks. This number was bound to spike up after they acquired the 23rd overall pick from the Houston Texans.

“NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah got the memo and provided some chaos in his latest mock draft. He had the Vikings trading up for the fourth overall pick with the Houston Texans to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.”

There is a wide range of opinion on McCarthy. Some think he’s a legitimate top-tier quarterback, while others think he is third-round material. Let’s play along with the hypothetical. If the Vikings do take McCarthy, Darnold would have to love his chances of being the Day 1 starter in 2024 for Minnesota. If the Vikings draft Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, it might be a different story.

Here’s Mark Sanchez on Darnold, Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye:

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One key point about Caleb Williams at USC pro day: Finger injury from 2023 was no longer apparent

Remember the finger injury Caleb Williams had last season? It didn’t seem to be in evidence at USC pro day.

When we consider the point that Caleb Williams was very impressive at his USC pro day demonstration for NFL scouts, coaches and executives, one detail needs to be noted. Caleb Williams, who had a finger injury during the 2023 USC football season which at times seemed to be reducing his overall accuracy and precision, did not seem to be carrying the effects of that injury on Wednesday. It’s an underrated and overlooked point about Caleb that his finger injury coincided with some of his less-than-great moments at USC in 2023. It raises the question of whether Caleb was in some ways trying to compensate for that finger injury. In the process, decisions and the level of confidence attached to those decisions might not have been as good as he or USC would have hoped.

Caleb was throwing a bigger, sharper ball at pro day, a lot more like the 2022 Heisman Trophy-winning version of Caleb than the 2023 version which was certainly good, but not as good as the year before. When looking at Caleb Williams as an NFL draft prospect, that one detail — the reduced negative effect on the finger and the overall throwing motion — could be more significant than a lot of people might be willing to admit.

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Caleb Williams reflects on USC pro day, talks about Keenan Allen, the Bears, Patrick Mahomes, and more

Caleb Williams fielded a lot of questions from national, Los Angeles, and Chicago reporters at USC pro day.

Several Chicago Bear executives, coaches and staffers came to the USC pro day to watch Caleb Williams and other Trojan NFL draft prospects. Chicago Tribune reporters and other members of the Chicago media community went to Los Angeles to get an up-close look at the man who will likely play in the Windy City as a future No. 1 draft choice. With Keenan Allen recently being drafted by the Bears, and with Allen showing up at USC pro day to greet Caleb, the pieces certainly seem to be falling into place for a union of Chicago and Caleb Williams. The Bears seem ready to take the USC Heisman Trophy winner as their franchise quarterback of the future.

With all of this in mind, Caleb Williams was interviewed by several outlets at USC pro day. He talked to a lot of people and was asked about a lot of subjects. He was asked about Keenan Allen and his relationship with the receiver. He was given questions about the Chicago Bears. He wound up talking about Patrick Mahomes in the course of his various answers to a lot of questions from a lot of curious reporters. There is a lot to digest from Caleb Williams’ media availabilities at USC pro day. Here is a look at some of the main stories from Williams’ big day:

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Tahj Washington — not just Caleb Williams — had a very good USC pro day, likely boosted NFL draft stock

Tahj Washington made a great catch on USC pro day, and Caleb Williams might have set it up.

The USC pro day spotlight fell on Caleb Williams, but Tahj Washington owned a small piece of attention on one specific play. The sequence of events impressed NFL scouts and executives who were watching USC football players five weeks before the 2024 NFL draft. Tahj Washington very possibly made himself some money and boosted his overall draft stock.

Washington does not have elite size or physicality, and that’s why he won’t be picked in — one would think — the first two rounds of the draft. However, USC receivers have been underestimated in the NFL draft before. Amon-Ra St. Brown fell to pick No. 112 as a Day 3 selection in the fourth round. The Detroit Lions scooped him up and got one of the big steals in recent NFL draft history. It wasn’t a Brock Purdy-level steal, but it was still a high-impact move for the Lions, who reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 32 years thanks in part to St. Brown’s clutch third-down pass-catching.

Tahj Washington would love to author a story similar to St. Brown’s in the NFL, but if he improves his draft position to the extent that he could get picked late on Day 2 — in the third round — he wouldn’t be as underestimated as St. Brown was a few years ago.

Washington’s big play on USC pro day was a toe-tap catch near the sideline. The really cool part of all this is that Washington seemed to convey the idea that yes, Caleb Williams threw the ball to make the play more difficult and give Washington a chance to impress the NFL observers on hand for this USC football showcase:

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Former USC star Amon-Ra St. Brown featured in new Netflix Receiver series

Amon-Ra St. Brown gets a moment in the Netflix spotlight.

Former USC Trojan and current Detroit Lion receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown will be among the featured NFL players in the new Netflix Receiver series.

St. Brown helped the Detroit Lions reach the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 32 years. His ability to get open on third-down passing plays and make crucial catches gave quarterback Jared Goff a safety blanket in Detroit. The Lions evolved far more quickly than a lot of people anticipated. That they won the NFC North in 2023 with Aaron Rodgers no longer in the division was not that much of a surprise, especially since Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings suffered an injury early in the season which paved the way for the Lions to rise to the top of the North. However, what was surprising was that the Lions hosted two playoff games, not just one, and came very close to making the team’s first Super Bowl. The Lions came closer to the Super Bowl than the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and a number of other teams which entered the 2023 NFL season with more buzz as genuine championship contenders.

St. Brown will be joined by Justin Jefferson and Deebo Samuel, among others, in the Netflix “Receiver” series.

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Caleb Williams has Josh Allen potential with the Bears

If Caleb Williams has a Josh Allen-level career, that’s not a bad outcome.

On one of his recent broadcasts, sports commentator Colin Cowherd introduced the idea that Caleb Williams has Josh Allen potential. This is noteworthy if only because the quarterback Caleb Williams is more commonly compared to is Patrick Mahomes, not Allen. Mahomes and Williams are more similar in body type and playing style. Allen really is one of a kind in terms of upper-body strength and being able to become a power runner, not just a fast runner. This doesn’t mean an Allen-Caleb comparison is somehow erroneous, only that it is less common than Mahomes-Caleb comparisons.

Mahomes is the gold standard for NFL quarterbacks right now. He sat and learned for one season in Kansas City before being given the keys to Andy Reid’s offense. He has played like a superstar on a consistent basis since he became a full-time starter. Mahomes has led the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowl championships, making the Chiefs the first team to win consecutive Super Bowls since the 2003 and 2004 New England Patriots. The Chiefs have reached four of the past five Super Bowls, winning three, stamping themselves as a true NFL dynasty. Josh Allen is still looking for his first Super Bowl, but he has led the Buffalo Bills to the AFC Championship Game and made them a regular contender in the AFC. The Bills have hosted a divisional round playoff game in each of the past two seasons.

It’s safe to say that if Caleb Williams can’t match the Mahomes career arc, having a Josh Allen career is still really, really good.

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Taylor Lewan wonders if Caleb Williams is ‘the guy’ in the NFL

A veteran NFL offensive lineman discusses Caleb Williams as an NFL prospect.

Veteran NFL offensive lineman Taylor Lewan talked about Caleb Williams as an NFL prospect. You can listen to Lewan in the embedded video below.

Taylor Lewan has had an injury-riddled NFL career, and one wonders where his next stop will be. Titans Wire recalled what Lewan said a few years ago when he was coming back from an ACL injury:

“Football is now fun for me again,” Lewan said. “If there’s any difference between last year and this year, I’m enjoying the hell out of myself now. Last year, let’s not get it twisted, that (expletive) was (expletive) miserable… The first game was terrible, to the middle of the season. Yeah, at the end of the year things started going well, but damn, it was just not fun. Every week it was like, you don’t feel your best, you’re making one hundred excuses in your head. And then you get done, you’ve got to go unpack all those things, you can’t just pretend like it didn’t happen. I had to go and talk to a lot of people and figure that stuff out and unpack that stuff, and once we did, I feel a whole lot better. I feel more like myself than I ever have.”

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USC’s Keyshawn Johnson recalls his celebrity-filled NFL draft night party

Keyshawn Johnson can tell some stories. This is one.

Former No. 1 NFL draft pick and USC Trojan legend Keyshawn Johnson gave a behind-the-scenes look into his wild draft night party. The big bash included some of the biggest names in popular culture from eras past and present: 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and Coach Prime, Deion Sanders.

Keyshawn Johnson won the Cotton Bowl and the Rose Bowl at USC. He then went to the NFL and helped the New York Jets succeed.

“With an aging Vinny Testaverde at quarterback, Johnson needed to be his best self for the offense to function well. He was.

“Johnson made his first Pro Bowl in that 1998 season, catching 83 passes for 1,131 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Jets won the AFC East, got a wild-card bye, and hosted a divisional playoff game for the first time since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

“Guess what? That 1998 season remains the only time the Jets got a wild-card bye and a home game in the divisional round since the franchise joined the NFL from the old AFL.”

Here is Keyshawn on his unforgettable NFL draft night party:

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