Lincoln Riley, Kliff Kingsbury, and Caleb Williams could all be part of an epic 2024 NFL draft story
Caleb Williams, likely to become the No. 1 pick at the 2024 NFL draft, will put USC football front and center no matter what else might happen 51 weeks from now. However, one particular NFL draft scenario would absolutely set the football community ablaze and lead to a media frenzy.
Let’s go to The Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, who lays out the scenario:
“The story of the 2024 NFL draft began with the trade that brought Alabama edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. to the Houston Texans with the third overall pick,” Farrar began. “To make that move with the Arizona Cardinals, the Texans gave up their 12th overall pick in 2023, as well as the 33rd overall pick this year (which the Cardinals flipped to the Tennessee Titans so the Titans could take Kentucky quarterback Will Levis), as well as a first- and third-rounder in the 2024 draft.
“That first-rounder in the 2024 draft, per Pro Football Focus’ 2023 season simulations, could leave the Cardinals in a spot usually never seen. The 1992 Indianapolis Colts are the only team in any major professional sport to ever have the first two picks in a draft (they took defensive lineman Steve Emtman and linebacker Quentin Coryatt), but that’s where PFF has the Cardinals in their 2024 Mock Draft Simulator.
“Were that to happen, the Cardinals would be in a position to take a near-generational quarterback and receiver, which is what we have them doing with the first two picks.”
Let’s walk through a scenario in which the Cardinals are picking first in the 2024 draft. What could that mean?
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon speaks during a news conference at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe on April 11, 2023.
The Arizona Cardinals, if they do get the top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, would have to choose between retaining Kyler Murray and picking Caleb Williams. Some might say that’s an easy choice, but would they want to give up on Kyler that quickly? They could also fetch a big haul if they traded the No. 1 pick to someone else.
KYLER MURRAY
Sep 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury talks with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) during the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
If the Cardinals do pick Caleb Williams at No. 1 next year, they would send Kyler Murray to another NFL team. This would significantly remake the NFL on multiple levels.
KLIFF KINGSBURY
Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury walks the sidelines as they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at State Farm Stadium.
What would Kliff Kingsbury think and feel upon seeing Kyler leave Arizona, and Caleb Williams replace him? Kliff is no longer the coach of the Cardinals, but he still worked with Murray for multiple seasons. Meanwhile, Kliff is working with Caleb for the 2023 season. Kingsbury would have a professional connection to each quarterback if this scenario — Caleb replacing Kyler with the Cardinals — comes to pass.
LINCOLN RILEY
Apr 15, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks to players at the conclusion of the Spring Game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
If Caleb Williams replaces Kyler Murray on the Arizona Cardinals, Lincoln Riley would watch one of his quarterbacks replace one of his other former quarterbacks. A Riley-coached Heisman winner at USC would replace a Riley-coached Heisman winner at Oklahoma. That’s crazy … but that would be the reality.
CALEB WILLIAMS
Apr 15, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) and head coach Lincoln Riley watch the game from the sideline during the Spring Game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
One can be reasonably sure that in the process of teaching him how to play quarterback, Lincoln Riley has told Caleb Williams some stories about Kyler Murray. Surely, at some point over the past two years, Riley has used Kyler as an example or teaching point for Caleb to illustrate a football concept. Caleb Williams, if he does go to the Cardinals, would be equipped with a lot of knowledge … including stories attached to the man he would replace in Glendale, Arizona. Wild.
