Paul Finebaum cites concerns over USC's defense, doubts Caleb Williams' Heisman chances: "He won’t win the Heisman"

Last season, USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams put up an impressive campaign. He made his name as one of the stars in the college football scene, going on to win the Heisman trophy after putting up 4,537 passing yards with 42 touchdowns in the 2022 campaign.

And according to reports, Williams is the favorite to win the Heisman this year as well, with 15-4 odds at Caesars Sportsbook.

But there is one person who believes it may not be the USC quarterback lifting the Heisman trophy this year. Sports author Paul Finebaum has expressed his doubts about Caleb Williams going on to win back-to-back Heisman trophies in the College football scene.

While speaking to Stephen A. Smith on 'First Take', Finebaum agreed to the fact that Williams is a quarterback star for the USC Trojans. But given the other areas of concern in the team, especially the defensive line, he believes it might be too tall of a task for the quarterback to replicate his outstanding performance from last year.

"He's a great player. We know that. He won't win the Heisman, because nobody has done it in nearly fifty years (back-to-back) and there's too many things that can go wrong", Finebaum said.

The last time we've seen a player clinch back-to-back Heisman trophies was Ohio State running back Archie Griffin in 1975. And ever since, there has been no other player to pull off a similar feat in the college football world. And to date, he remains the only player to be named as the winner of the Heisman trophy in consecutive seasons.

Caleb Williams has a lot of work cut out for him if he wants to be the next one after Griffin to win consecutive Heisman trophies. The team has a fairly easy schedule in the early days of the 2023 season, before facing Notre Dame and their quarterback Sam Hartman, who is also in the conversation as a possible contender for the 2023 Heisman trophy.

---

Caleb Williams is unsure about declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft

Caleb Williams is entering his third season on the college football scene. And many fans expect him to be the No.1 pick in the NFL draft next year.

But, during an interview with ESPN's Pete Thamel, the quarterback looked uncertain about declaring himself for the draft in 2024.

"That's for sure going to be an in-the-moment decision at the end of this year. It's my third year, and the dream and goal was to go three-and-out. Being around these guys and in college and enjoying it, we'll have to see at the end of this year", he said.

This opens up room for possible speculations that the quarterback might return to USC to play another season in 2024. If he is not interested in playing for the team that gets the No.1 overall pick next year, then Williams might just decide to pause his transition into the world of professional football.

While the actual reasons behind the possibility of his move remain a mystery, the quarterback is already making a fortune through NIL deals after the recent changes in the laws regarding them. So maybe there may be no reason for him to rush his dream of playing in the NFL.

Or maybe, Caleb Williams might just declare himself for the 2024 Draft and take his first steps into the world of professional football. Only time will tell how he decides to maneuver his life in the coming days ahead.