In a 2024 NFL Draft full of surprising moments, the Chicago Bears taking Caleb Williams first overall was not one of them. The USC alum was the consensus best player available by most of the football world, and the writing was on the wall back when the Bears dealt Justin Fields to the Steelers.
Williams joins Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet and fellow rookie Rome Odunze in the team’s new-look offense. Will the former Heisman winner finally give Chicago’s fanbase a signal-caller to be proud of?
Why was Williams such a hyped prospect before being taken by the Chicago Bears?
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Williams is the type of quarterback prospect that NFL GMs dream of. The Washington, D.C. native is essentially capable of anything on the football field. He’s accurate, has a cannon arm, can make off-schedule plays, and is a more than capable rusher.
However, the 22-year-old is not just a project player with physical traits. Williams is as pro-ready as a rookie can be, as he’s proven himself at the highest level in the college game. He won the Heisman in 2022 after tossing 4,537 yards with 42 touchdowns and just five picks, to go with 10 rushing scores. On top of that, he became the first FBS quarterback since Patrick Mahomes to record 30 passing and 10 rushing touchdowns in back-to-back seasons.
However, numbers don’t tell the whole story. Williams’ arm strength and willingness to challenge defenses over the top help open up running lanes and short passing routes underneath. This will serve him well at the NFL level, as defenses won’t be able to crowd the line of scrimmage and blitz constantly.
What are Williams’ weaknesses that could hold him back on the Chicago Bears?
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Williams sometimes relied too heavily on his improvisational abilities as a Trojan. He wasn’t typically forced out of the pocket, either. The former PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year had an NCAA-high 50 dropbacks with six or more seconds to throw last year, via Nick Akridge of Pro Football Focus (PFF). However, he still tried to play “hero ball” instead of making the simple play far too often. This is a bad habit that Williams will ideally grow out of as he matures over the years.
“Don’t get bored with making the easy throws.”
It’s something that Caleb Williams will have to learn. On the fumble, it’s 1st-and-10 and he has an easy throw in the slot.
Has to resist the urge of making the heroic play. pic.twitter.com/1DjDibSlpU
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) November 6, 2023
How will Williams fit in with the Chicago Bears?
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Williams is walking into one of the best situations for a rookie quarterback in recent memory. In addition to the aforementioned skill-position talent, the Chicago Bears have a solid offensive line, coming in 11th on Pro Football Network’s (PFN’s) rankings. The former Sporting News College Football Player of the Year won’t be at a loss for talent around him, so expectations will be high out of the gate.
However, if Williams is truly the real deal, then the pressure won’t be too much to handle. After all, franchise quarterbacks achieve greatness not just with their talent but with their mental fortitude as well.
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Joshua is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. He started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper. When he’s not watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or writing a screenplay.
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