National Football League

Caleb Williams reportedly to bypass hiring an agent ahead of 2024 NFL Draft

Published Feb. 22, 2024 1:41 p.m. ET

Caleb Williams apparently won't have agent representation in the lead-up to the NFL Draft.

The likely No. 1 pick wasn't included in an NFL Players' Association list showing each draft-eligible prospect's agent, according to Pro Football Talk. Williams doesn't plan to hire an agent ahead of the draft, Pro Football Talk reported.

It isn't unprecedented for a prospect to go through the draft process without an agent, but it is uncommon. Lamar Jackson was the most notable player in recent history to bypass hiring an agent, instead having his mother, Felicia Jones, as his representation. While Jackson was picked in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, some have speculated that his decision not to have an agent may have caused him to go later than he might have with an agent. The Baltimore Ravens selected Jackson with the last pick of the first round. Four quarterbacks were picked ahead of the two-time MVP winner, all in the top 10.

Jackson has continued to have his mother represent him during his NFL career, with the unusual situation making headlines again last offseason as he sought a record-setting contract. After getting franchise tagged and enduring a contentious period of negotiations, Jackson eventually received a five-year, $260 million deal with $185 million guaranteed from the Ravens, which was the largest contract in NFL history at the time.

The impact of Williams' decision to not have an agent remains to be seen, but he has been the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft since well before the 2023 season. The USC product won the Heisman Trophy in 2022, showcasing his ability to be a top-end passer (4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions) and runner (382 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns), earning him comparisons to Patrick Mahomes.

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Not long after Williams' Heisman-winning season, he became one of the first athletes to bring in major profits in the NIL era (name, image and likeness), securing deals with Beats by Dre, Wendy's, Nissan, Dr. Pepper and more. It's unclear if Williams ever had an agent in college, but real estate mogul and former Oakland Athletics managing partner Lew Wolff has served as a mentor to Williams, according to a GQ profile on the quarterback last September. Williams' father, Carl, has also been involved in securing NIL deals for the quarterback, telling the Los Angeles Times in 2022 that he and his business partners in the Washington D.C., area started creating business plans for Caleb when he was still in high school.

Despite his numbers taking a dip in 2023 (3,333 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, five interceptions, 142 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns), Williams is still regarded by draft evaluators as one of the best prospects in the past two decades.

The biggest debate seems to be which team will select him. The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight season due to a trade last year with the Carolina Panthers. The Bears have to decide whether to stick with incumbent QB Justin Fields and again trade the No. 1 pick or potentially trade Fields and select Williams.

Fields said Wednesday that he hopes to remain in Chicago but wants the process to be resolved soon.