Caleb Williams goes to the Bears with the No. 1 general choose within the NFL draft

DETROIT — Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy Metropolis, aiming to grow to be the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for many years.

The Bears chosen Williams with the No. 1 general choose within the NFL draft on Thursday evening after deciding weeks in the past to financial institution on the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from USC.

Williams is the third quarterback Chicago has chosen within the first spherical prior to now eight years. Mitch Trubisky, the No. 2 general choose in 2017, lasted 4 seasons. Justin Fields, the eleventh choose in 2021, was traded away for a conditional sixth-round choose after three seasons.

The 22-year-old Williams is tasked with turning the Bears right into a winner after years of futility. Chicago has had simply two successful seasons since its most up-to-date playoff victory within the 2010 season.

Williams was the clear front-runner in a quarterback-rich draft that features 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy. The Bears did not meet with every other QBs and Williams did not go to every other groups.

He impressed his future staff over dinner with a number of Bears gamers final month, exhibiting them he is extra substance than Hollywood type.

“It was good for them to have the ability to return to the (entrance workplace) and communicate on how I’m as a substitute of all of the stuff that everyone sees on daily basis on me,” Williams stated Wednesday.

Bears normal supervisor Ryan Poles was satisfied Williams was the proper alternative after receiving optimistic suggestions from the veterans.

“He got here throughout as a extremely good teammate, straightforward to speak to, all the way down to earth,” Poles stated this week. “We have talked by way of this course of about the entire Hollywood factor. He is all ball, desires to work, desires to get higher, desires to win as a staff. That is the No. 1 factor for him on high of being profitable. So I believe the largest factor is: Does he match with our tradition and what we’re attempting to do? And all indicators have been that he does, in order that’s a optimistic.”

Williams has lofty objectives. He is talked about enjoying 20 years for one staff and chasing Tom Brady’s file of seven Tremendous Bowl titles. The Bears solely have gained it as soon as following the 1985 season.

A dual-threat participant with a powerful arm and skill to improvise, Williams threw 93 landing passes and ran for 27 scores in three seasons at Oklahoma and USC.

The Bears are the one NFL franchise that hasn’t had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season. They handed up on Bryce Younger and C.J. Stroud final yr and traded the No. 1 choose to Carolina in a blockbuster deal solely to get the best choice this yr after the Panthers went 2-15.

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