Tag: Caleb Williams

Apr 25, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams poses with jersey after being chosen as the No. 1 pick in the first round during the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It’s official: Bears rookie Caleb Williams to start at QB

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams on Friday was named the team’s starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

The announcement comes as little surprise, given the Bears selected Williams with the top overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Southern California.

Tyson Bagent, 23, is expected to serve as the backup. He started four games as an undrafted rookie last season.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t mince words when announcing the decision on Williams.

“No conversation. He’s the starter,” Eberflus said.

Williams, 22, said he’s ready to take the steps to learn how to lead.

“To be a great leader, you have to learn how to follow first. So right now I’m following all the vets, I’m following all the coaches, I’m listening — having both ears open and my mouth shut — just kind of sitting back listening,” he said. “When I get to the point of when I learn everything, when I learn the ways of how we do it, the culture, the playbook and what the offensive line, wide receivers are all doing, running backs and tight ends, things like that, then you can start taking the lead, then you can start taking the helms of it and take the next steps.

“For right now though, I’m listening more than I’m speaking and talking and I’m taking it one step at a time and being in the moment.”

Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Trojans in 2023.

In three seasons at Oklahoma (2021) and USC combined, Williams put up prolific passing numbers: 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with 27 rushing TDs.

Bagent completed 94 of 143 passes for 859 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions in five games last season.

–Field Level Media

Apr 26, 2024; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears number one draft choice Caleb Williams at a press conference at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams’ OROY odds strengthen, Michael Penix’s plummet

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The NFL draft is when talent and opportunity combine to immediately change the short- and long-term opportunities presented to prospects.

That was at the forefront of this year’s first round, when Caleb Williams was selected No. 1 overall by Chicago. The former Southern California star is expected to walk in the door as the Bears’ starting quarterback.

Seven picks later, the biggest shock of the first round took place when the Atlanta Falcons selected their own quarterback in Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. That was despite having recently given Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million deal that includes $100 million guaranteed.

That was also despite Penix’s lengthy injury history and that he’s already an “older” rookie as he enters the league at 23 years old.

Oddsmakers quickly shortened Williams’ odds of winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. That includes at DraftKings, where he went from +250 pre-draft to +200 on Monday. By contrast, Penix’s OROY odds plummeted from +1800 to +6000 as he’s expected to spend at least the 2024 season mentoring behind Cousins.

Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. remained the second favorite behind Williams, but saw his odds lengthen slightly from +550 to +600 after going fourth overall to Arizona as many analysts projected.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was another player to see his odds impacted, shortening to +650 after going No. 2 overall to Washington. He separated from his former teammate, wide receiver Malik Nabers, after both entered the draft at +800.

Meanwhile, Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy saw his odds skyrocket from +3500 to +1600 after Kansas City traded up in the first round to grab the speedster at No. 28. Many view his pairing with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid as an ideal fit in the mold of Tyreek Hill.

OFFENSIVE ROY ODDS (Pre-Draft, Post-Draft)*
Caleb Williams, QB, Southern Cal (+250, +200)
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State (+550, +600)
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU (+800, +650)
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan (+1600, +800)
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU (+800, +1200)
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina (+1100, +1600)
Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas (+3500, +1600)
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon (+3500, +1600)
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington (+1100, +2200)
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU (+2500, +2500)
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia (+2200, +3500)
Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas (+3500, +3500)
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington (+1800, +6000)
*DraftKings

Alabama pass rusher Dallas Turner was the third defensive player off the board at No. 17 to Minnesota, but he leads the Defensive Rookie of the Year odds at +400. That’s ahead of UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu (+700), who went two picks ahead of Turner to Indianapolis.

The other top names on the defensive side are cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (Philadelphia, +1000) and pass rushers Jared Verse (Los Angeles Rams, +1100) and Chop Robinson (Miami, +1300).

–Field Level Media

NFL Draft prospect Caleb Williams walks the red carpet for NFL Draft day at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

Bears take QB Caleb Williams No. 1 in NFL draft

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams was selected No. 1 in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, as the expected became official when commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement on Thursday in Detroit.

“I’m ready,” Williams said Wednesday in a public appearance on the eve of the draft. “I did dream of this. I set my goals. I went after it. I got here.”

Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy and is the third quarterback drafted in the first round by the Bears since 2017, following Mitchell Trubisky (second overall, 2017) and Justin Fields (11th, 2021).

General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus arrived on the scene after those failed or incomplete QB experiments.

Their lack of success fed Poles’ plan to find his way to a franchise passer. Quarterbacks have been selected No. 1 overall in six of the past seven drafts.

The Bears received the No. 1 pick in this draft as a result of a March 2023 trade with the Carolina Panthers.

Chicago traded the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft for Carolina’s original selection in 2023 and more, including the Panthers’ first-rounder in 2024. After plummeting to the bottom of the NFL standings last season, it was Carolina that landed the No. 1 pick, which was relayed to the Bears to complete the trade.

With the stage set, Poles slow-played a decision on Fields’ future but ultimately opted for a reset to execute his vision of finding the franchise a long-term answer at quarterback.

Chicago also started Thursday night with its own 2024 first-round pick, No. 9 overall.

Williams passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Trojans in 2023. He passed for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns with five interceptions in 2022.

Expectations are sky-high for Williams, who arrives anointed the QB1 following the March trade of Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Williams took only one pre-draft visit to an NFL team — the Bears — and met with the team on three occasions in the pre-draft buildup to Thursday night.

The Bears offer a stellar supporting cast for an incoming rookie. DJ Moore had a team-best 96 receptions for 1,364 yards with eight touchdowns in 2023 in his first season in Chicago. He was acquired in the 2023 trade with the Panthers.

Chicago also added Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen in a trade this offseason and signed free agent running back D’Andre Swift from the Eagles.

Opinions on Williams vary, and many draft analysts questioned his personality when raising doubts about the live-armed athlete who has drawn comparisons to Chiefs All-Pro Patrick Mahomes.

Williams’ blue-chip talent appears to be universally appreciated. Former Colts general manager Bill Polian, who selected Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf in 1998, summarized the polarizing debate around Williams, noting, “The better the arm, the harder the lessons.”

The Bears drafted No. 1 overall for the third time in team history and first since selecting Oklahoma A&M running back Bob Fenimore in 1947. With the top pick in 1941, Chicago drafted Michigan running back Tom Harmon. Harmon instead opted to play in the American Football League with the New York Americans. He’s the father of actor and former UCLA quarterback Mark Harmon.

Williams becomes the sixth USC player selected No. 1 overall, joining offensive tackle Ron Yary (1968, Minnesota Vikings), running back O.J. Simpson (1969, Buffalo Bills), running back Ricky Bell (1977, Tampa Bay Buccaneers), wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson (1996, New York Jets) and Carson Palmer (2003, Cincinnati Bengals).

–Field Level Media

Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams (QB14) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

QBs Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels headline NFL draft attendees

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are among the 13 prospects who have accepted an invitation to attend the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit.

Completing the quarterback contingent at the draft, set for April 25-27, is Drake Maye of North Carolina. Williams (Southern California), Daniels (LSU) and Maye should have a short wait to hear their names called, with all three expected to be taken within the first handful of picks.

Quarterback JJ McCarthy (Michigan), who has risen up the draft boards this spring and is in the running for a top-10 pick, won’t be on hand.

Four wide receivers also will be present in Detroit. Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State), Malik Nabers (LSU) and Rome Odunze (Washington) all likely will be selected in the top half of the first round, with Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU) also in the mix.

The other offensive player confirmed for Detroit is offensive tackle J.C. Latham (Alabama).

On the defensive side of the ball, edge rushers Darius Robinson (Missouri), Laiatu Latu (UCLA) and Dallas Turner (Alabama) have said they will be there. Robinson grew up in suburban Detroit.

Cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (Alabama) and Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo) also accepted the NFL’s invitations.

The Chicago Bears have the No. 1 pick in the draft and are expected to select Williams, likely beginning a run on quarterbacks with the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots scheduled to follow the Bears.

–Field Level Media

Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph talks to Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams (QB14) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Likely No. 1 pick Caleb Williams visited Bears on Wednesday

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Courtship of quarterback Caleb Williams by the Chicago Bears advanced to the next step on Wednesday with the USC product visiting Halas Hall three weeks before the 2024 NFL Draft.

Williams widely is expected to be the No. 1 pick by the Bears, who traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers last month.

This is at least the third meeting between team officials and Williams, who underwent medical testing he had resisted at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, according to multiple reports.

Prior to Williams’ pro day at USC, the Bears spent parts of three days with Williams in a contingent that included general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, among others.

Williams is expected to visit the Washington Commanders, his hometown team, before the draft and met with head coach Dan Quinn around his pro day.

Williams shared part of his visit with Alabama outside linebacker Dallas Turner. Turner is an option for the Bears in the first-round, too. Chicago holds the No. 1 and No. 9 overall picks.

Poles said last week the Bears would welcome Williams to the Chicagoland area and introduce him to the surroundings that could be his next home during the team visit.

The GM is also hands-on with prospects and took a trip to personally test the stamina and competitive endurance of Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright before selecting him in the first round last year.

Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Trojans in 2023.

In three seasons at Oklahoma (2021) and USC combine, Williams put up prolific passing numbers: 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with 27 rushing TDs.

–Field Level Media

Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams (QB14) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams greeted by Bears WR Keenan Allen at pro day

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Quarterback Caleb Williams had a lot of eyes on him during Southern California’s pro day on Wednesday in Los Angeles, including those of new Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen.

Allen’s attendance is noteworthy considering Williams is the presumptive favorite to be selected by the Bears with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft next month.

The two shared a quick embrace on the sideline Wednesday. If the Bears select Williams with the top overall pick on April 25 in Detroit, well, they’ll be spending even more time together.

“Hell of an athlete,” Allen said of Williams earlier this week. “Obviously, he can make tremendous plays with his feet, with his arm. Looks like he knows the game really well. Really good.”

Williams was quick to return the compliment on Wednesday.

“I’ve known Keenan for a little bit now, hung out,” Williams said, per NBC Sports Chicago. “He was at the Chargers. Now he’s at the Bears, he’s here for a fourth-round pick, which is crazy. He’s a beast, a good guy, and he can give you a lot of knowledge.”

Speaking of conversations, Bears general manager Ryan Poles was spotted talking with Caleb’s father, Carl, at the pro day, per the Chicago Tribune. Assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, head coach Matt Eberflus, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph also were in attendance on behalf of the Bears.

The Bears are in need of a starting quarterback after trading 2021 first-round selection Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick. That pick could become a fourth-rounder if Fields plays at least 50 percent of the snaps for Pittsburgh.

Williams, 22, passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions in 12 games last season. Those statistics are one year removed from his Heisman Trophy-winning season in 2022, when he threw for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five picks. He also rushed for 21 scores in his two seasons with the Trojans after transferring from Oklahoma.

Allen, who turns 32 on April 27, was selected to his sixth Pro Bowl in 2023 when he had a career-high 108 receptions for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games.

–Field Level Media

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams talks with USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the first half of the game against No. 6 Oregon Ducks on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

USC QB Caleb Williams opts out of medical testing

Posted on | by Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS — Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams continues to make waves with contrarian decisions at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he made the call to opt out of standard medical testing.

“I’m doing the medical stuff,” Williams said in a packed media session at the combine on Friday morning. “Just not here in Indy. Not 32 teams can draft me. There’s only one of me. So the team that I go to for my visits, those teams will have the medical and that’ll be it.”

Williams is the top player on the draft board for many teams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who starred at Oklahoma as a freshman before following Lincoln Riley to USC. But rejecting the protocol of the pre-draft process will raise red flags for some of the other teams.

National Football Scouting oversees most elements of the annual combine in Indianapolis, and the goal of being a one-stop shop for scouts and general managers includes a routine physical and medical testing to give every team access to a universal medical evaluation of each player. All 321 prospects invited to the combine are informed of the schedule of events directly and through their certified player representatives.

But Williams doesn’t have an agent and instead will be communicating with prospective employers through his father and a hand-selected support staff.

Williams said declining the medical testing was a personal decision. For reference, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was still tied up with doctors on Friday morning when his required interview with media was scheduled. Players who undergo extensive MRI exams and X-rays because of past injuries have spent more than eight hours at the hospital in Indianapolis where prospects are poked and prodded.

There are no known significant or long-term injury concerns with Williams. He played with a hamstring strain in 2022 and injured the pinky finger on his right (throwing) hand last season.

After meeting with the Chicago Bears for a formal interview, Williams said not to read into the decision as an indication he knows where he’ll be drafted, but “I don’t think that I’m not going to be No. 1,” he said.

“They were awesome,” Williams said of his first in-person talks with the Bears. “I spoke more about ball and things like that because the interviews are so short. It was more about them getting to know me.”

Williams is one of four quarterback prospects with firm first-round grades from Field Level Media. From that group, only Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy will participate in Saturday’s on-field throwing session.

It’s common for top quarterbacks to delay at least the throwing portion of their workouts to the more-comfortable, well-scripted pro day setting on their college campuses. Williams, who passed for 10,082 yards and 93 touchdowns in three college seasons, is scheduled to be the featured attraction at the USC pro day on March 20.

LSU’s Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are considered likely top-10 picks and could compete with Williams to go No. 1 overall. Neither quarterback plans to participate in on-field testing or throwing at the combine.

Speculation the Washington Commanders are considering moving up in a trade to get Williams, who grew up in the D.C. region, continues percolating after owner Josh Harris sat in on interviews with multiple prospects in Indianapolis this week.

Daniels said he met with Washington in a meeting that included head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and Harris.

–Field Level Media

Oct 15, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A detailed view of the Chicago Bears helmet before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Bears want ‘historic haul’ for No. 1 draft pick

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Carolina Panthers paid dearly to land the No. 1 overall selection from the Chicago Bears in the 2023 NFL Draft — they used it on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young — and the price wound up including the No. 1 pick in April’s 2024 draft.

If someone is going to wrestle the No. 1 overall selection from the Bears this time around, the cost will be a “historic haul of draft picks and overall compensation,” NFL.com reported Saturday.

Should they keep the pick, the Bears could choose a quarterback, just three years after using the No. 11 overall selection of the 2021 draft on Justin Fields.

The Bears would have options at QB should they choose to trade Fields, who is 10-28 as a starter but showed improvement in 2023, and start fresh at the position. Choices include 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams of Southern California, 2023 winner Jayden Daniels of LSU and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.

The Bears also own the No. 9 pick in the draft.

“We are going to turn every stone to make sure that we are going to make a sound decision for our organization,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles told reporters in January. “I did think Justin got better. I think he can lead this team. But at the same time, there is a unique situation.”

Poles and the Bears’ evaluators will get a look at the quarterbacks at the NFL Scouting Combine, which begins late this month in Indianapolis, and at on-campus pro days.

In the meantime, Fields, 24, is expected to draw trade interest.

Fields missed four games last season due to injury and had a 5-8 record. Still, he threw for career highs in completion percentage (61.4) and yards (2,562) and added 16 touchdowns and a career-low nine interceptions. He engineered three game-winning drives.

He added 657 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 2023, a season after gaining 1,143 rushing yards and scoring eight times.

The draft is scheduled for April 25-27 in Detroit.

–Field Level Media

Nov 18, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) scrambles during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

USC QB Caleb Williams, potential No. 1 pick, enters NFL draft

Posted on | by Field Level Media

USC quarterback Caleb Williams entered the 2024 NFL Draft and is projected to be in the running for the No. 1 overall pick.

“Since I was 10, all I ever wanted to do was to play football,” Williams wrote on X. “The journey would be empty without the people who have supported and loved me. I will Fight On forever and rep Hornsdown4Life. I’m ready to do whatever it takes. I am officially declaring for the NFL Draft.”

Considered the likely No. 1 overall selection in the draft, Williams passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions in 12 games this season. Though Williams’ numbers were strong, the Trojans finished with a disappointing 8-5 record (5-4 Pac-12). They won the Dec. 17 Holiday Bowl over Louisville, 48-28, but Williams decided to sit out the game.

The first pick in the draft is currently held by the Chicago Bears, who are weighing whether to keep the selection after trading the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers last year. Under consideration for the Bears is whether Williams could be a better fit, a matter that involves the financial commitment pending from the franchise to 2021 first-rounder Justin Fields.

Williams isn’t the only candidate for the top pick in a class with strong talent at the position. North Carolina’s Drake Maye, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix are part of the deep pool of quarterbacks.

In 2022, his first season with the Trojans, Williams had 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions in 14 games on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy. USC started 11-1 that season before losing to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game and to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.

As a freshman in 2021 at Oklahoma, Williams passed for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions before making the jump to USC.

–Field Level Media

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams talks with USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the first half of the game against No. 6 Oregon Ducks on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

USC QB Caleb Williams will not play in Holiday Bowl

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The college career of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams is now complete after three seasons, with head coach Lincoln Riley announcing Monday that the former Heisman Trophy winner will not play in this month’s Holiday Bowl.

After winning the Heisman for his exploits at USC during the 2022 season, Williams’ 2023 campaign fell far below expectations, with the Trojans going 7-5 so far and 5-4 in the final season of Pac-12 Conference play, including a 38-20 defeat to rival UCLA.

In what is now his final college game, Williams was 31-of-42 passing for 384 yards against UCLA with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked four times.

A potential No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions this season, compared to 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2022, his first season with the Trojans.

As a freshman in 2021 at Oklahoma, Williams passed for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions before making the jump to USC along with Riley.

Williams had said that playing in the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl against Louisville at San Diego would be a game-time decision, but the plan not to play comes a full three weeks early.

Although Williams’ individual numbers were strong, the Trojans took a step back primarily due to a porous defense.

“I’ve never been in this situation, where I’m 7-5 and there are no playoff hopes at the end of the season,” Williams said last week, according to the Los Angeles Times. “I’m dealing with it emotionally, dealing with it spiritually and physically. It’s been one of the most important years I think I’ve had. It’s tricky.

“… It was different. It was a learning process.”

USC started 11-1 in 2022 with Williams at the helm before losing to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game and to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl. The Trojans have now gone 7-7 since earning their spot in last year’s Pac-12 title game.

USC is expected to use either Miller Moss or Malachi Nelson at quarterback in the Holiday Bowl. Both are candidates to be the starting quarterback next season when USC moves into the Big Ten Conference.

–Field Level Media