Caleb Williams: A Preview
Former USC superstar Caleb Williams is the projected first overall pick in next Thursday’s NFL Draft. With the Bears trading away former first-round pick Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it pretty much solidifies the Chicago Bears drafting him. Williams, a 6’1 quarterback, won the 2022 Heisman, the 2022 PAC-12 Player of the Year, and was an All-American. He more than fulfilled expectations after transferring to USC from Oklahoma going into the 2022 season and has expectations to turn the Bears franchise around once he is drafted.
The Bears have not made the playoffs since the 2020 season when they lost to the New Orleans Saints. During Fields’ tenure in Chicago, the team went 16-35 with a last-place finish and two third-place finishes. During that time, Fields threw 40 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. It goes without saying that this is not the best ratio. Looking back on Williams’ college career, he threw 30 touchdowns compared with five last season as well as throwing for 3,336 yards. He had a 93-14 touchdown to interception ratio in his college career. He is the polar opposite of Fields. Fields tends to use his legs a lot more, while Williams has a cannon for an arm. This may be beneficial for Chicago, as they have a very good receiving core, led by newly acquired stud Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore.
After a moderately successful 2022 season going 7-10, the Bears are looking to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. The NFC North is headlined by the Detroit Lions who went 12-5 last season. However, the Packers and Vikings saw moderate success last season, with the Packers sneaking into a Wild Card spot. The Bears may have a legitimate shot at making the Wild Card this upcoming season, as it may be tough to catch up to Detroit. Their roster as it currently stands looks familiar to the Packers last season, who beat the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs. They are going to go as far as Williams can take them, and if he lives up to his superstar-like expectations, they are going to be scary for years to come.
