Jayden Maiava had a promising 2025 season as USC's quarterback, and there are aspects of his game reminiscent of a particular star who came before him. "He has the ability to be a better runner than [head coach Lincoln Riley's] had," a Big Ten coach told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. "He reminds me of Caleb [Williams] in some ways. Nobody expects Maiava to be the second coming of Williams, a top overall pick in the NFL draft who led the Chicago Bears to the playoffs last season. But Maiava had a strong 2025 season as the starter, throwing for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 65.8 percent of his passes and rushing for 157 yards and six scores.