Chicago Bears fans are tired of waiting. They've heard all the scouting reports and draft debates. Caleb Williams is about to become their next quarterback. All they want to know is whether he can finally break the cycle of futility at the position. Many experts believe he has the talent to do so. The widespread belief is that he is one of the three or four best quarterback prospects to come out of college in the past two decades. That is nice to hear, but it doesn't help form a picture of what the Bears are getting.
In these situations, the best way to help casual fans is through pro comparisons. If this player reaches his ceiling, what kind of career could he achieve? ESPN decided to do this for every notable quarterback in the 2024 draft class. There were some interesting ones. Drake Maye is a mix of Josh Allen and Carson Wentz. J.J. McCarthy was Kirk Cousins. Michael Penix was Tua Tagovailoa and Bo Nix was Andy Dalton. When Williams came up, four names were actually mentioned.
Who is Caleb Williams referenced to the most? Let's rank them.
4. Kyler Murray
This shouldn't be a huge surprise. Lincoln Riley was the one who turned Murray into a superstar at Oklahoma, paving the way for him to become the #1 overall pick in 2019. He's since had a solid career in Arizona, making two Pro Bowls. Still, his lack of playoff success and limitations in the pocket make him the floor among these comparisons.
3. Russell Wilson
People seem to forget Wilson was one of the NFL's best for a period of time in the 2010s. He's a Super Bowl champion and seven-time Pro Bowler. Williams has a lot of the same traits, from a knack for making plays out of structure to his uncanny ability to strike deep. The knock on Wilson has been his tendency to lean too much on the big play, which hurts in the playoffs.
2. Patrick Mahomes
The reigning king himself. Caleb Williams has been compared to Mahomes for the past two years as people watched his scrambling wizardry unfold. The parallels are hard to ignore. That said, Mahomes had more of a gunslinger mentality and was less prone to taking off on actual runs. Williams seems more conscious of protecting the football, which would explain his most popular comp.
1. Aaron Rodgers
Most frequent scout/exec comp: Aaron Rodgers
The only quarterback to receive a Tier 1 grade on every ballot. "He's a star," an NFL coordinator said of Williams. Added an NFL personnel director: "From a talent standpoint, he's in his own class." Williams' "rare gifts" make him an exception to the rest of this year's group, a veteran AFC scout said, because of his high-level instincts, foot quickness and accuracy. He doesn't have one glaring weakness on which scouts harp. "He makes 'holy s---' throws on a regular basis," the scout said.
What stands out about Williams is his clean mechanics, tight delivery, and pinpoint accuracy. All of those were traits Rodgers boasted coming out of Cal. He also had understated scrambling ability and a knack for keeping the football out of harm's way. Their sizes are relatively similar. Rodgers was an inch taller and a few pounds heavier. Yet when you watch them side by side, it is hard to differentiate the two.
Obviously this doesn't mean Williams will have the same career Rodgers did. It is unfair to think that. Still, if this comp holds true, the Bears are on the cusp of fielding the best quarterback multiple generations of fans have ever seen in this city.
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