The Chicago Bears selected Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday in Detroit. Eight selections later, they picked Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick of the draft.
The assumed top pick Caleb Williams is officially headed to the Windy City.
Williams owns keen pocket awareness as he knows how to make quick plays. The 6-foot-1 QB combines accuracy and velocity to reach any area of the field.
He can throw from an array of arm angles to create lanes and possesses the ability to make plays off-platform.
His ability to read pressure, get the ball out quickly, and threaten the defense with his mobility make him a top threat in the coming games.
Williams avoids initial pressure, buys time, and creates big plays on the ground. His athletic frame allows him to evade tacklers, run through smaller defenders, and make opponents lose their balance. However, Williams, like all rookie quarterbacks is still developing. He tends to lean on his rushing ability often instead of taking the easy check-down.
Like most rookies, he needs to avoid getting stuck on his No. 1 read, moving more swiftly through the progression.
It’s rare a No. 1 overall pick slides onto a seven-win team and they are ready to pick up the mantle.
The signing of D’Andre Swift also provides a reliable dual-threat veteran to the backfield. The offseason trade for Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen to pair with DJ Moore gives Williams a great veteran one-two combo to help the rookie transition, and the addition of Odunze gives Williams a third option that he knows.
Odunze arrives in the NFL after a great final season at Washington, where he caught 92 passes for an FBS-best 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns as the top target in an explosive Huskies attack that powered them to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
