It's a decision that has been widely projected as a virtual lock for this NFL Draft, especially after the Bears traded away Justin Fields to the Steelers.
DETROIT (CBS) -- The Chicago Bears made it official and drafted USC's Caleb Williams first overall on Thursday night in the opening round of the NFL Draft, a move that many hope will finally deliver the team's quarterback of the future.
It's a decision that has been widely seen as a virtual lock, especially after the Bears traded away Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a sixth-round pick after three frustrating years in Chicago. It's just the fourth time the Bears have drafted a Heisman Trophy winner.
Williams has drawn comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes due to his ability to make all sorts of throws at a myriad of angles.
"He's a good decisionmaker overall," said Charles Davis, a CBS NFL Analyst. "That Notre Dame game, I think, was an aberration this year, but boy, accurate with the football, goes in the right places. There's just a maturity about him on the field."
Williams said he has been working to this moment, and waiting on this moment for a dozen years. CBS 2 asked an emotional Williams if this night could have gone any better for him.
"I didn't think that I was going to drop any tears, and I definitely didn't think that I was going to be roaring and yelling. Unless it's game day, I tend to keep it very mellow; very chill, and so all of that came out of nowhere – pure raw emotion about the moment," he said.
Williams is well aware of the significance of being the first No. 1 Bears draft pick fan in 77 years, and what the Bears fan base been through. But he is not consumed by pressure.
"I'm ready. I don't think the pressure's a thing as long as I prepare the way that I need to - you know, mentally, physically and spiritually preparing the way that I need to on and off the field," he said. "I've been the same guy every day when I walk into the facility, or I walk out. And so if I control the controllables, and do my job, we're going to go out there and win a lot of games and have a lot of fun."
Williams won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore at USC in 2022 when he passed for more than 4,500 yards and 42 touchdowns, rushing for another 10 touchdowns. While the 6-foot-1, 216-pound Williams had what many considered a down year in 2023, he still finished his career with a 66.9% completion percentage.
The last time the Bears chose a player first overall in the college player draft was 1947, when the team took Oklahoma A&M halfback Bob Fenimore. He played just one NFL season, appearing in 10 games for the Bears, before returning to Oklahoma to work for an insurance company.
Just a few picks later, the Bears added to the offense around Williams by picking Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9 overall.
Several mock drafts predicted the Bears would pick Odunze to add to the receiving group that includes DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
At Washington, Odunze earned First-Team AP All-American and First-Team All-PAC 12 honors and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation's top wide receiver. In 2023, he led the nation with 1,640 receiving yards, a school record.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound wideout ran a 4.45 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Scouts have pegged him as flashing superior ball skills and body control in the air. He's even drawn comparisons, especially with his large frame and catching ability, to NFL legend Larry Fitzgerald and former Bears wideout Allen Robinson.
After the first round, the Bears won't be picking again until the third round at pick No. 75 and then pick No. 122 in the fourth round. General manager Ryan Poles said he's OK with only having four picks entering this draft because he feels the Bears have a roster that doesn't have a lot of holes.
Michigan quarterback and Nazareth Academy alum J.J. McCarthy was taken 10th overall by the Minnesota Vikings.
McCarthy led the Wolverines to an undefeated season that ended with a national championship with a 34-13 win over the Washington Huskies. He finished his career in Ann Arbor with a 27-1 record as a starter.
McCarthy's championship experience didn't start at Michigan. He made three state championship appearances at Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park and won the IHSA Class 7A title as a sophomore in 2018. He finished up his high school career in Florida at IMG Academy.
His former coaches have praised his abilities and potential to succeed at the next level.
"He's just so mature – I mean, you saw like, he does his mental focus and all the things that he does before the game. I mean, he reads books on Navy SEALs and meditation," said Greg Holcomb, McCarthy's longtime personal quarterbacks coach. "I think he is the best quarterback to come through Michigan, and I think you know, he's got a ton of potential in front of him."
