Even though Caleb Williams stands as a No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, he has kept himself open to draw inspiration from players below him. Now that the USC Trojans’ quarterback is about to land in a new destination, responsibilities will be immense. 

At such a crucial time, he resorted to Michael Penix Jr.’s quote to seek affirmation. Penix Jr.’s perspective has inspired Williams so much that he even shared the quote in his Instagram story. Meanwhile, the Washington Huskies quarterback’s potential has been tested against that of Williams’.   

Penix Jr. inspires Williams through his quote

Ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, Williams seems to be running low on motivation. However, social media came to his rescue as he came across the right post at the right time. The Trojans’ quarterback has been so impressed by Penix Jr.’s words that he shared it on his Instagram story. The quote read, “As a QB, my job is to be an elevator. I need to uplift all those around me so that they too can be at their best. So just know if you put that same belief in me, history shows I hold up my end of the bargain.”

This quote was from an open letter that Washington’s quarterback wrote to NFL GMs. Even though Penix Jr. possessed first-round talent, he sat in the background. However, this year, the NFL draft seems positive for him since he is about to be a franchise quarterback for an NFL team. Before taking up the big role, he was all clear about his philosophy that reigns supreme in uplifting the entire team through his role as quarterback. Even though Williams shared Penix Jr.’s quotes, there has been much controversy about the Huskies quarterback taking a lead over him.   

Penix Jr. will give Williams a tough fight

Earlier in January this year, much ahead of the NFL draft, the former NFL receiver, Michael Bumpus, expressed his confidence about Penix Jr. having an edge over Williams. He claimed, “Michael Penix is going to have a better NFL career than Caleb Williams. I honestly think that…When you think of all his plays, they’re off schedule, he’s running across the yard, I hardly see him just operate from the pocket on time consistently. And that’s what Michael Penix does.”

Despite his injury history, the Washington quarterback finished the year with 4,903 yards, recording 36 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. Though Penix Jr. will likely give Williams a tough fight for the No. 1 spot in the upcoming draft, certain factors will be considered. One is the length of his college career and his history in Indiana. 

Despite being the projected first name, Penix Jr. is one name that could supplant Williams. However, the Trojans quarterback refuses to let the competition impact him. Instead, he finds inspiration in his competitor’s word of wisdom.