It is easy for fans and media to get carried away when watching exciting college players. They put up ridiculous highlights, win awards, and establish themselves as unforgettable stars. Sometimes, this leads to the inevitable labeling of one player or another as a “generational” prospect. That means they are a caliber of talent that has only been seen once or twice in the past twenty years. So when Caleb Williams entered the draft carrying that same label, a lot of people were reluctant to buy in.
Sure, the USC star has talent—a lot of it. His arm strength, accuracy, and improvisational instincts are rare combinations. For the better part of two years, he was the heavy favorite to go #1 overall. That doesn’t happen unless you are a pretty special prospect. Still, coaches who first entered his orbit were reluctant to buy into the hype. However, things changed almost immediately when they heard Williams’ teammates use the “generational” label as well. Soon, it became impossible not to accord to Tyler Dunne of Go Long.
One scout who’s tracked Williams closely describes the quarterback as a supercharged Donovan McNabb. He believes. He sees Williams as the face of the Bears for years.
One coach who’s been with Williams the last three years — USC’s Dennis Simmons, the team’s assistant head coach and passing game coordinator — heard other players on the roster call the QB “generational.” At first, he was dubious. That’s a bold statement spewed far too liberally in today’s sports lexicon. The more he worked with Williams, the more he agreed.
“If there is someone that is transcendent or generational,” Simmons says, “he would fit in that category.”
People may not like the McNabb comparison until you remember he was a six-time Pro Bowler who reached five NFC championship games and played in a Super Bowl. Saying Williams is an upgraded version of that should excite everybody. He already seems to have settled into his job. Early signs from practice show a young man who knows his place in the locker room, letting the veterans take the lead while he learns. Meanwhile, he continues to showcase his natural passing prowess, which already has people buzzing.
It will take time before Caleb Williams either confirms or kills the “generational” prospect label. Nobody can dispute the talent. It comes down to whether he has the mental fortitude to handle the speed and pressure of the NFL level. Those close to him believe he does. The Bears do as well; otherwise, they wouldn’t have brought him to a city like Chicago. Thankfully, he has plenty of help around him with studs like D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet. He doesn’t have to carry the load himself.
That should help his development far better than anything else.
