Was Caleb Williams close to choosing Auburn football as transfer portal spot?

Was Auburn football almost an option for current USC QB Caleb Williams after leaving Oklahoma and hitting the transfer portal?

Apparently, yes.

One Twitter user from Los Angeles sent a message to recruiting insider Caleb Benson indicating as such.

Hayden May (@hayden1113) indicated that Benson’s prediction of Williams joining AU via the portal in a direct message to, and shared by, Benson:

The Caleb Williams transfer saga had a few suitors looking to bring on the former 5-star D.C. area QB. Georgia was looking like a legitimate landing spot after winning the National Championship in January, and even Wisconsin broke into the mix somehow. Then, of course, there was the idea that the Plains can land the biggest transfer portal ‘free agent’ to turn things around after a heartbreaking collapse to end last season.

Ultimately, though, it wasn’t Auburn football that was able to corral Williams, who broke out in 2021 after replacing Spencer Rattler as the starting QB in Norman. But there was plenty of smoke pertaining to the Williams-Auburn union back before Lincoln Riley was able to convince him to lead Riley’s offense once more across the country.

Auburn football is not as far from the top as some may seem

Bryan Harsin and co. haven’t had the most success competing for the top 5-star recruits in-state, but the transfer portal has always been good to them…even if Williams didn’t commit.

AU landed two QBs (Zach Calzada, Robby Ashford) in the portal anyway, and also added talent on the DL, and in the LB/CB rooms. Even though the ceiling and expectations aren’t as high as they would have been had Williams chosen Auburn, there’s a chance East Central Alabama still sees more Power Five success on the gridiron this coming year than in Southern California.