Elite11 Day 1 Recap: Caleb Williams Is On Another Level
After a rain-soaked opening day at the Elite11 finals, Caleb Williams left no doubt that he's head and shoulders above the competition.
Though Miller Moss, Garrett Nussmeier and others turned in strong performances, Williams absolutely blew the competition away with his arm strength and superb ball placement. When the participants walked off the field at nearly 10 p.m. local time, all in attendance were in collective awe over Williams' display.
Several collegiate quarterbacks attended the competition to lend a hand, including Mississippi State's K.J. Costello, Georgia's Jamie Newman and Ohio State's Justin Fields. They all took reps alongside the prepsters... and Williams arguably outperformed them as well.
He hit receivers on 10-yard outs, dig routes, seams - all with equal aplomb. He didn't miss on a single throw until deep into the night, when he miscommunicated with his receiver in a red-zone drill. Williams went toe-to-toe with Maddox Kopp in the final drill, an elimination-style competition that showcased the quarterbacks' accuracy on a sideline fade route. Eventually, Kopp edged Williams by the slimmest of margins, but that did little to downplay Williams' brilliance on the evening.
As five-star prospects Kyle McCord and Tyler Buchner fizzled, Florida State commit Luke Altmyer and Penn State pledge Christian Veilleux emerged as the two most consistent passers save for Williams. But it was very clear after Day 1 at the Elite11 that there's a wide gap between Williams and the rest of the field.
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