After being important players in their universities, the rookies must once again earn their places in the pros. Who are they and what hopes do they arouse? Today, the number 1 of the draft Caleb Williams.
Caleb Williams
Born November 18, 2002 in Washington DC
1m86 for 97 kilos
Quarterback, Chicago Bears
Expected as the savior
After a fantastic 2022 season, Caleb Williams was voted the best college player. And despite a subpar 2023 season, he was chosen number 1 in the 2024 draft. He is used to the pressure inherent in players with superior talent.
With the University of USC in Los Angeles, he honed his game with offensive specialist Lincoln Riley. He also earned a lot of money there! Around ten million dollars with partners such as Nissan, Dr Pepper or Sony PlayStation.
While he still has a lot of work to do to decipher the complex NFL defenses, Caleb Williams is a rare spice: the one who makes an ordinary dish tasty. Capable of devastating improvisation, he knows how to cut up a defense that is otherwise well-established. This is why he has received some comparisons to Patrick Mahomes.
Prepared since childhood
In France, some parents like to put their children in an establishment for “high intellectual potential”. Caleb Williams' father immediately predestined him to become a football player.
If from six to nine years old he played runner and linebacker, he played quarterback at ten years old. It was at this time that his father set up ” The Plan” Carl Williams then hired private trainers, dieticians and sports psychologists. And from 5:30 every morning or almost, he accompanied his son to receive their teachings.
When he was old enough to go to high school, he was courted by the best in the region. And even at the national level with the prestigious IMG Academy: a sort of prep class for sports nuggets, based in Florida. He finally joined Gonzaga High School in the capital Washington DC and to put him in the best conditions, his parents stayed with him in an apartment next to the stadium.
There, he delighted all the spectators with three seasons in which he won all the honors: from a conference title that had eluded the high school for fifteen years, to the title of district player of the year. To give him time to make a difference, offensive tackle Olu Fashanu took care of his protection (1st round pick of the Jets in 2024).
A plan that works
Despite the pandemic that canceled his final high school season in 2020, Caleb Williams was spoiled for choice when it came to choosing his university. In his first year at Gonzaga, he was already receiving scholarship offers from Maryland locals, but also from universities with very renowned football programs: Florida, Michigan, Clemson and Georgia!
After his 3rd high school season, he was invited to the famous “Elite 11”. His performances during this high school All Star camp led to him being named best player of the class (MVP). It now seems obvious that his father's investment is paying off: Caleb Williams stands out in a country of 300 million inhabitants!
“Every good you have is a worry that holds you back.”
The Williams family thinks: nothing is done by chance. If Caleb joins the University of Oklahoma, it is to answer the call of offensive guru Lincoln Riley. Like a “Skippy” in the sketch of the Inconnus, this coach is known for knowing how to put offensive talents in the best conditions.
During the 2021 season, he replaced the renowned Spencer Rattler (Saints) and asserted his singularity with multiple touchdown games. When Lincoln Riley accepted the USC Golden Bridge the following year, he followed and honored him with 42 touchdowns for only 5 interceptions! Thus, he won the Heisman Trophy.
In 2023, he kept the ball in his hands too long, which led to multiple sacks and fumbles. But he also showed an eminently attractive ability for an NFL coach: knowing how to attack depth.
In the optimization phase
Even more than the $38M contract, the Bears are investing, at a minimum, their next four years on Caleb Williams. Logical then as they try to capitalize on this commitment. Because having the first choice of the 2024 draft, manager Ryan Poles was able to anticipate.
First, he brought in Shane Waldron to become the team's offensive coordinator. In charge of Sean McVay's Rams passing game from 2018 to 2020, he was then a major player in Geno Smith's rebounding in Seattle.
Ryan Poles then signed a receiver experienced in NFL games in Keenan Allen. A player who, with the precision of his routes, could only help a rookie quarterback. The management also recruited Coleman Shelton, to form the fundamental tandem between a quarterback and the player in the center of the offensive line.
Still anticipating the draft of a young pitcher, Chicago also signed runner D'Andre Swift. His addition to the strong Roschon Johnson and the reliable Khalil Herbert should relieve the quarterback of too much weight in the attack. Finally, during the 2024 draft, Chicago took advantage of having a second choice in the top 10 to add receiver Rome Odunze.
Everything is done with this new quarterback in mind: like a business leader, Ryan Poles is optimizing his chances that the investment in Caleb Williams will be profitable.
Hard work pays off
Since he was a child, Caleb Williams has known the value of work: the kind that makes you progress. Now facing the highest level in this sport, he is repeating this adage. Kerry Joseph is the Bears' quarterbacks coach. This former pitcher himself and arriving like Shane Waldron from Seattle, confirms the beginner's appetite in a press conference.
“He always wants to understand the why! Just last night, around 11pm, we exchanged messages. ‘Why this type of protection on this play?’ he asked me. He asks himself questions and above all he seeks to answer them. He wants to enter the field with the approach of a coach.”
Under the spotlight as the number 1 pick in the draft, will he be able to have a rookie season as brilliant as that of CJ Stroud (Texans) last year? The first meeting between Caleb Williams and CJ Stroud already brings its share of questions and answers.
