Caleb Williams

The Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears acquired the first overall selection after completing a trade with the Carolina Panthers in 2023. In exchange for Chicago's 2023 first-round pick, the Bears received Carolina's 2023 first- and second-round picks, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver DJ Moore.

A 6-1, 215 pounder, Williams comes to Chicago following a two-year stay in Los Angeles after transferring from Oklahoma. He compiled an 18-8 record as a starter at USC while completing 599-of-888 (67.5%) passes for 8,170 yards with 72 touchdowns. He also rushed 212 times for 503 yards with 21 touchdowns. The Washington, D.C. native won the 2022 Heisman Trophy after setting multiple single-season school records, becoming USC's eighth winner of college football's most prestigious award. Over his three years at USC and Oklahoma, Williams was responsible for 11,042 yards and an FBS-high 120 touchdowns. He is one of 87 players in FBS history with 10,000 yards of offense and 100 touchdowns, but the only one to commit fewer than 20 turnovers (19). Williams leaves college with a career 6.6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, the second-best mark in the FBS in 25 years (min. 1,000 attempts).

The Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Bears acquired the first overall selection after completing a trade with the Carolina Panthers in 2023. In exchange for Chicago's 2023 first-round pick, the Bears received Carolina's 2023 first- and second-round picks, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver DJ Moore.

A 6-1, 215 pounder, Williams comes to Chicago following a two-year stay in Los Angeles after transferring from Oklahoma. He compiled an 18-8 record as a starter at USC while completing 599-of-888 (67.5%) passes for 8,170 yards with 72 touchdowns. He also rushed 212 times for 503 yards with 21 touchdowns. The Washington, D.C. native won the 2022 Heisman Trophy after setting multiple single-season school records, becoming USC's eighth winner of college football's most prestigious award. Over his three years at USC and Oklahoma, Williams was responsible for 11,042 yards and an FBS-high 120 touchdowns. He is one of 87 players in FBS history with 10,000 yards of offense and 100 touchdowns, but the only one to commit fewer than 20 turnovers (19). Williams leaves college with a career 6.6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, the second-best mark in the FBS in 25 years (min. 1,000 attempts).

DRAFT NOTES

• Williams is the 18th player from USC to be drafted by the Bears in the first round and the first since defensive back Rashard Cook in 1999.

• He becomes just the second USC quarterback drafted first overall and the sixth USC quarterback in the Common Draft Era (since 1967) to be selected in the first round. He joins Carson Palmer (No. 1 overall pick in 2003), Sam Darnold (No. 3 overall pick in 2018), Mark Sanchez (No. 5 overall pick in 2009), Matt Leinart (No. 10 overall pick in 2006) and Todd Marinovich (No. 24 overall pick in 1991).

• Williams is the 28th quarterback taken with the first overall pick in the Common Draft Era and 40th since 1936.

• This marks the first time in the Common Draft Era that the Bears selected a player with the first overall pick and third since 1936 (halfback Tom Harmon-1941; halfback Bob Fenimore-1947).

CALEB WILLIAMS USC OVERVIEW (courtesy of USC media relations):

• Williams leaves USC ranking fifth in school history in total offense (8,688 yards) and eighth in completions (599).
• As a junior in 2023, Williams completed 266-of-388 passes (68.6%) for 3,633 yards with 30 touchdowns. He also rushed 97 times for 136 yards with 11 touchdowns. As a result, the Trojans ranked third in the nation in scoring offense (41.8 points per game), third in team passing efficiency (170.88), fifth in passing offense (333.0 yards per game), and tenth in total offense (467.6 yards per game).
• He ranked in the national Top 20 in points responsible per game, total points responsible for, passing efficiency, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, yards per pass attempt, total offense, passing yards, completion percentage, passing yards per completion and completions per game. Williams was also a finalist for the Manning Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
• In his first year at USC, Williams completed 333-of-500 passes (66.6%) for 4,537 yards with 42 touchdowns. He also rushed 113 times for 382 yards with 10 touchdowns. Williams set USC single-season records for total offense (4,919 yards), total touchdowns scored (52), completions, pass attempts, passing yards, passing touchdowns, most rushing and passing plays (613), lowest interception rate (1%, five in 500 attempts) and highest passing efficiency rating (168.5) on his way to winning the 2022 Heisman Trophy.
• Williams ranked fifth nationally in passing efficiency (168.5, first in Pac-12) and total offense (351.4), and seventh in yards per pass attempt (9.07, first in Pac-12). His 382 rushing yards were also the most by a Trojan quarterback in the last 70 years when complete records were first available.
• He was a unanimous First-Team All-American, 2022 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, and First-Team All-Pac-12.

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND GONZAGA COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL

• Williams appeared in 11 games with seven starts as a true freshman in 2021 for Oklahoma. He completed 136-of-211 passes (64.5%) for 1,912 yards and 21 touchdowns with four interceptions while also rushing 79 times for 442 yards (5.6 avg) with six touchdowns.
• His 1,670 passing yards and 18 passing touchdowns were the most ever by an OU true freshman. He had 200+ passing yards five times, three+ passing touchdowns four times and multiple passing touchdowns six times.
• Williams was a 2021 True Freshman All-American by ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Pro Football Focus. He also was a 2021 semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien National Quarterback and FWAA's Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year awards. He made the 2021 AP All-Big 12 second team and was an All-Big 12 honorable mention by the league's coaches.
• Despite Gonzaga College not playing a fall 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams was ranked as the nation's No. 1 player by SI All-American.
• He was a two-time (2018-19) All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference selection, winning MVP honors in 2019. As a junior, Williams threw for 1,770 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 838 yards and 18 scores.
• As a sophomore, he was named Gatorade District of Columbia Football Player of the Year and a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American after passing for 2,624 yards and 26 touchdowns.

MORE ABOUT CALEB

• Son of Carl Williams and Dayne Price.
• Majored in communications.
• Created the Caleb Cares Foundation, which dedicates energy and resources to causes like anti-bullying, mental health awareness and youth development.