Caleb Williams is nailed on to be the first-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, and to his high school classmates, it will come as no surprise.

The well-tempered, down-to-earth quarterback carried an infectious aura, and his footwork has come on in leaps and bounds since tripping over my backpack in junior year ethics class.

After a sensational college career that saw him win the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore, Williams is among the highest-rated draft prospects in NFL history. As he prepares to take his career to its highest level yet, his storied high school career continues to make headlines.

Two high school teammates have never been drafted together in the first round, but that could be set to change this year. Williams graduated from Washington DC’s Gonzaga College High School in 2021, where he first caught the nation’s attention with a dramatic final-play championship win, secured by a 53-yard Hail Mary pass.

Also starring in that game was Olu Fashanu, a formidable left tackle who had never played football before arriving at the school. He quickly ascended to varsity, and after impressing at Penn State University, he is a top draft prospect and expected to be a first-round pick also.

With the draft less than a week away, Gonzaga’s campus is buzzing, even though most of the school’s student body never shared its hallways with Williams or Fashanu.

Gonzaga senior Finn Rezendes feels that “the morale on campus is really high, people are posting pictures of Caleb and Olu in Gonzaga outfits all over Instagram. More than anything we’re just proud that they have accomplished what they have and that they are taking their careers to the next level, especially as first-round picks.”

Students at Gonzaga College High School are buzzing over Williams’ pending first pick ( 
Image:
Gonzaga College High School)
Rezendes’ classmate Kyan Pires added that “as an athlete and in the classroom, he has a reputation of being very respectful… he always carried himself well on the field when games got scrappy.”

Randy Trivers, Head Coach of Gonzaga’s football program since 2012, still holds his players to Williams’ standard, both on and off the field. He likens the pride he feels watching his alumni approach the draft to that which a parent might feel for their child.

“Any parent will know how good it feels when their kid accomplishes something, like walking or talking for the first time,” he said. “That is the only feeling I can equate it to. It is such a unique accomplishment.”

Williams donning an LSU jacket during his High School days before heading to USC ( 
Image:
Gonzaga College High School)

Williams’ high school coach knew he had a special talent on his hands ( 
Image:
Gonzaga College High School)

Even as teenagers, Trivers knew that both players had the potential to be special. “I’d be lying if I said I knew they would go pro that early,” he admits. “I’ve coached a lot of really talented high school players, it’s impossible to tell.

“I will say I’m not surprised, they both have great intangible qualities… They were ultra-talented, but there are so many things that have to happen for a young man to ascend from being a great high school player to an NFL first-round draft pick.”

Trivers, who will attend the draft in Detroit, will remember Williams and Fashanu above all for their personalities. “They’re both just awesome guys,” he happily reminisced. “There were so many opportunities off the field to laugh, to smile, to love with them, not to mention the great moments on the field. Having the opportunity to watch them grow as people was really special.”

Olu Fashanu played in the same high school team as Caleb Williams and will also be picked in the first round of this month’s draft ( 
Image:
Gonzaga College High School)

Fashanu, an offensive tackle, carved out a stellar college career at Penn State ( 
Image:
Gonzaga College High School)
Speaking on the mood in Gonzaga’s football team, Trivers said: “The guys are pretty juiced for it, they are excited to be a part of that legacy, part of a historic moment.”

Operated by Jesuit priests since opening in 1821, Gonzaga’s academics place great emphasis on the content of its students’ characters, something which is plainly evident in Williams and Fashanu. Long-serving math teacher Paul Buckley taught Williams geometry in his sophomore year and likes to remind his students of the quarterback’s work ethic.

“The kids are starstruck… They all want to know how he’s going to dress, how he will do his hair, but we know Caleb is not in this position by accident, he knew what his goal was and he worked really hard to make it happen,” he said. “Caleb used to come in on Sundays to work with a tutor, that shows his dedication. Combine unbelievable talent with absolute dedication to his craft, he deserves every accolade that comes to him.”

Williams was a popular figure at the school ( 
Image:
Gonzaga College High School)

Director of Athletics Terry Kernan has similar memories of Fashanu, who he coached as a freshman in both basketball and football. “Olu is just a great human being, great personality, really hard-working,” he recalls. “He came out to football having never played before… he just blossomed and got better every year.”

“Caleb was so mature and so hardworking,” he continues. “I taught him in his senior year when he left Gonzaga early to train in Oklahoma. He joined class on Zoom and never missed a class, it was incredible to see that dedication. Everyone on campus is pretty fired up, the energy around campus is great, not just with students but alumni too, the alumni association is holding a watch party.”

A devout supporter of the Washington Commanders, Kernan would love to see either player return to the District. “No matter what teams they go to I’ll be rooting for them, but it would be amazing to have them back in their hometown,” he says. “Whatever team they end up at, I’m sure we’ll see a lot of those jerseys around campus!”