The Chicago Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft in Detroit on Thursday evening.
Williams (6-1, 214 pounds) was widely considered the top quarterback prospect in this year’s class. He spent one year at Oklahoma, completing 64.5% of his passes for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns, before transferring to USC ahead of the 2022 season.
Williams had a breakout year in his first season with the Trojans, completing 66.6% of his passes for 4,537 yards with 42 touchdowns against five interceptions. He then threw for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns last fall while adding 11 scores on the ground.
In 37 college games, Williams totaled 11,061 all-purpose yards and scored 120 touchdowns.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has compared Williams to Kyler Murray, who was the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. Murray has earned two Pro Bowl nods since winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in his first season.
As the top QB in this year’s class, Williams will be the early favorite to win the OROY award in 2024.
