The Chicago Bears appear set on their path to drafting a quarterback at #1 overall this April. GM Ryan Poles saw two years of Justin Fields and seems to have reached the conclusion he isn't what the team needs to challenge in the NFC. The heavy favorite to replace him is USC star Caleb Williams. Many view him as one of the best prospects to come out of college in the past decade, rivaling Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, and even Andrew Luck. Yet, everybody seems to mention the same name when it comes to pro comparisons.
Patrick Mahomes.
It isn't a huge surprise. The Kansas City Chiefs superstar was known for his uncanny improvisational skills coming out of Texas Tech, creating some jaw-dropping moments almost every week. Williams does many of the same things. However, one top draft analyst isn't satisfied with that comparison. He feels it's too basic. Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports spent a long time studying Williams. It was then he reached a realization. He isn't like Mahomes. Williams is remarkably similar to a young Drew Brees coming out of Purdue.
Caleb Williams and Drew Brees do share a lot in common.
Both were born in big cities: Brees in Dallas and Williams in Washington D.C. They have almost identical physical profiles. Each also has fathers with deep backgrounds in athletics. Eugene Brees played basketball for Texas A&M. Carl Williams runs a sports performance center called Athletic Republic Capitol Region. Then, when you get into their college careers, the similarities don't stop. Brees started three seasons at Purdue. Each year, the team always had a winning record but wasn't quite good enough to contend for a national championship. Much of this was due to not having a strong supporting cast, particularly on defense.
Caleb Williams suffered the same issues at USC. The two even have similar stat lines. In 37 games, Williams threw for over 10,000 yards and 93 touchdowns. Brees threw for over 10,000 yards and 81 touchdowns in 34 games. The key difference between the two is interceptions. Brees had 40 and Williams had 14. It's important to note defenses could get away with a lot more back in the late 1990s and early 2000s than they can today.
The point remains the same. If we're talking about pure prospect comparisons, what Tice says is true. Williams and Brees are remarkably similar. As we all know, Brees overcame a slow career start to become a Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion. Williams hopes to build a legacy of his own.
