Caleb Williams went #1 overall to the Chicago Bears on April 25th. Nobody was shocked. He had been the heavy favorite pretty much since the scouting combine. Most draft experts felt he was the best of the quarterback prospects, and it wasn't all that close. Yet, not enough people have discussed this fact. They have not acknowledged an incredible fact about how the 2024 draft unfolded that made what Williams accomplished even more impressive.
Think about this. Each of the six quarterbacks selected in the 1st round this year had a wide receiver join them. Five of those six saw at least one of those receivers go in the 4th round or higher. The only one who didn't. That's right. It was Williams.
Caleb Williams
- WR Brendan Rice - 7th round
- WR Tajh Washington - 7th round
Jayden Daniels
- WR Malik Nabers - 1st round
- WR - Brian Thomas Jr. - 1st round
Drake Maye
- WR Devontez Walker - 4th round
Michael Penix
- WR Rome Odunze - 1st round
- WR Ja'Lynn Polk - 2nd round
- WR Jalen McMillan - 3rd round
Bo Nix
- WR Troy Franklin - 4th round
Think about that. Williams had two 7th round wide receivers and no offensive linemen even drafted and still managed to throw 30 touchdowns last season for USC.
Caleb Williams earned the respect and admiration he received.
This isn't a misbegotten hype job. The kid carried a frankly bad USC roster to a 7-5 record. They had no weapons in the passing game, no protection, and no defense. Yet they still had a winning record and lost two games despite putting up 30+ points. Anybody with common sense should see how much of a difference-maker Williams was. He didn't play "hero ball" so often because he felt like it. He did it because the guys around him made it necessary. That is about to change in Chicago.
He already had two Pro Bowlers waiting for him in D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. Chicago quickly added to the fun by grabbing Rome Odunze 9th overall. This is easily the deepest group of receivers the Bears have had in modern franchise history. It is unquestionably the best group Caleb Williams will have ever thrown to. If he could do what he did last year with future NFL backups, there is no telling how much fun it could get with a trio of studs out there running routes.
