Bears select Caleb Williams with No. 1 pick of 2024 NFL Draft
As expected, the Chicago Bears used their first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on USC quarterback Caleb Williams, ushering in a new face of the franchise.
The Chicago Bears did what was expected of them, taking USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
For months, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has been pegged to the Bears. It moved to a mortal lock when Justin Fields, the team's previous first-round pick in 2021, was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers last month.
Now, with the pick officially in, a new face of the franchise enters the "Windy City," and Williams has the pedigree to turn the tides of the organization.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Coming out of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. as a five-star recruit, Williams college career began at Oklahoma in 2021, where he threw for 1,912 yards with 21 touchdowns to four interceptions over 11 games.
When Lincoln Riley took over as the Trojans’ head coach in 2022, Williams followed him out to Southern California and his production skyrocketed.
Williams would throw for 4,537 yards with 42 touchdowns to five interceptions and a 66.6% completion rate during his Heisman season. He capped his incredible campaign with a bowl win over Tulane, where he threw for 462 yards with five touchdowns.
The Trojans and Williams didn’t see the same success in 2023, as he threw for 3,633 yards with 30 touchdowns to five interceptions.
USC lost its final three games of the season, and Williams infamously cried with his mom in the stands on Nov. 4, 2023 following a loss to Washington, where he had three touchdowns and 312 yards passing.
Williams caught a ton of flak for that, but Williams didn’t believe it was a sign of weakness, but rather a testament to his want to win.
"I was sitting over there, beat up, I was defeated," he recalled in the moment. "But then I hopped up, and I touched my mom, and I just lost it."
Williams was projected to at least be a top three pick in the draft, and he declared following a loss to UCLA to end the Trojans’ season. Ca
Williams has everything he needs in Chicago, and fans are hoping there’s more wins in the future with him at quarterback.
The Bears have won just 16 games over the past three seasons.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.