Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy Metropolis, aiming to turn into the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for many years.
The Bears chosen Williams with the No. 1 general decide within the NFL draft on Thursday evening after deciding weeks in the past to financial institution on the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from USC.
Williams is the third quarterback Chicago has chosen within the first spherical up to now eight years. Mitch Trubisky, the No. 2 general decide in 2017, lasted 4 seasons. Justin Fields, the eleventh decide in 2021, was traded away for a conditional sixth-round decide after three seasons.
The 22-year-old Williams is tasked with turning the Bears right into a winner after years of futility. Chicago has had simply two profitable seasons since its most up-to-date playoff victory within the 2010 season.
Williams was the clear front-runner in a quarterback-rich draft that features 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy. The Bears didn’t meet with some other QBs and Williams didn’t go to some other groups.
He impressed his future crew over dinner with a number of Bears gamers final month, exhibiting them he’s extra substance than Hollywood model.
“It was good for them to have the ability to return to the (entrance workplace) and converse on how I’m as an alternative of all of the stuff that everyone sees on daily basis on me,” Williams stated Wednesday.
Bears normal supervisor Ryan Poles was satisfied Williams was the suitable alternative after receiving optimistic suggestions from the veterans.
“He got here throughout as a very good teammate, straightforward to speak to, right down to earth,” Poles stated this week. “We’ve talked by means of this course of about the entire Hollywood factor. He’s all ball, needs to work, needs to get higher, needs to win as a crew. That’s the No. 1 factor for him on prime of being profitable. So I believe the largest factor is: Does he match with our tradition and what we’re attempting to do? And all indicators have been that he does, in order that’s a optimistic.”
Williams has lofty objectives. He’s talked about taking part in 20 years for one crew and chasing Tom Brady’s document of seven Tremendous Bowl titles. The Bears solely have received it as soon as following the 1985 season.
A dual-threat participant with a robust arm and talent to improvise, Williams threw 93 landing passes and ran for 27 scores in three seasons at Oklahoma and USC.
The Bears are the one NFL franchise that hasn’t had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season. They handed up on Bryce Younger and C.J. Stroud final 12 months and traded the No. 1 decide to Carolina in a blockbuster deal solely to get the best choice this 12 months after the Panthers went 2-15.
