Jayden Maiava Gets Real About USC Freshman Quarterback Jonas Williams

Lincoln Riley’s resume when it comes to developing quarterbacks over the last decade between his time at Oklahoma and USC is well-documented. Three Heisman Trophy winners that became No. 1 overall picks in the NFL Draft in Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams and one former quarterback in Jalen Hurts that went on to win a Super Bowl.

Riley has always been very selective in the quarterbacks that he offers every recruiting cycle, never more than a few. And the signal-caller he and offensive coordinator Luke Huard locked in on during the 2026 cycle was freshman Jonas Williams.

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Recruiting Jonas Williama Jayden Maiava Transfer Portal Husan Longstreet Sam Huard Spring Practice — Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Jonas Williams Make Early Impression in Spring Practice

Playing quarterback at USC is one of the most glamorous positions in college football and playing for Riley adds another element. Redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava understands what it takes mentally and physically to play quarterback under Riley as he enters his third season with the program.

“Super talented, phenomenal," Maiava said about Williams during spring practice. "I think any quarterback in this system playing under coach Riley has a bright future.”

Williams is one of the youngest players on the team. He's still only 17 years old this spring but that part is nothing new to Williams. He was the youngest quarterback at the Elite 11 Finals last summer in Manhattan Beach. The Trojans freshman quarterback first started at the varsity level when he was 14 years old and had to mature quickly. It's a trait Huard quickly recognized when the Lincoln-Way East (Ill.) product arrived on campus.

“Very mature. I think that’s the first thing that sticks out,” Huard said during his spring press conference in February. “He’s done a great job attacking all of his responsibilities, whether it’s off the field stuff. Anytime you’re a 17-year-old kid coming to college for the first time, away from home, a lot of stuff to manage. Obviously, football is the fun part but there’s a lot of things they have to learn and responsibilities and time management.

That carried over into spring practice. Williams has made an impression on the veterans not just from a physical standpoint but also his mental makeup.

“He has a great grasp of the huddle,” said USC offensive tackle Elijah Vaikona. “I feel like he grabs your attention in the huddle. He's not shy to speak up, but he's also he's willing to listen. That's a big thing. You got to come in and you got to absorb everything. But then you also kind of show who you are, and feel like he's done a great job of just showing who he is. He's a leader. He can throw the ball really well.”

Backup Quarterback Competition and Learning From Veterans

Williams began competing with sixth-year senior Sam Huard for the backup job this spring. For what it's worth, Williams started taking reps after Maiava during the individual period of practice and players usually go in the order of where they stand on the depth chart.

It could be something or it could nothing, but Williams was the third quarterback in line until the final week of practice and will be something to monitor when fall camp rolls around.

Williams does have the luxury this season of learning from two veterans that have been around the college game for a long time in Maiava and Huard. Picking up on their study and practice habits and just how they operate on a day-to-day basis should pay dividends for his overall development.

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