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Caleb Williams definitely has the physical talent and inner drive to be the NFL's next great quarterback.
But Trevor Lawrence's struggles with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Andrew Luck's surprisingly short career with the Indianapolis Colts are recent reminders that nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, especially at the all-important QB position.
Williams will constantly have to prove himself in an unflinching league that is currently dominated by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs dynasty.
Even comparing Williams to Mahomes a month before the 2024 NFL Draft is a risky move, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller exclusively told talkSPORT.
"Chicago has done a great job of building a framework around [Williams], which is incredibly important," Miller said. "I would say 90 percent chance he’s a Pro Bowl quarterback and he’s going to lead Chicago to a sustained run of being a contender.
"But I wouldn’t want to say, ‘Hey, here’s the next Patrick Mahomes just waiting for the Bears to select him,’ because there’s too many risk factors."
Williams is a full season removed from winning the Heisman Trophy.
He also dealt with fumbling issues during his last season at USC and has been criticized by some as being too emotional on the field.
Miller is big on Williams, though, and believes he's entering an ideal situation with the Bears.
Chicago recently moved on from former first-round pick Justin Fields to make room for a 6f 1in and 214lb quarterback who could be the true franchise QB that Chicago fans have been waiting decades for.
"I just talked to an NFL general manager last week about Caleb and he was like, ‘Love him,' " Miller said. "The cool thing is that his teammates love him."
Williams, 22, was born in Washington, D.C. and starred in high school before dealing with a canceled season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He first made his college name in Oklahoma's biggest rivalry against Texas, coming off the bench to complete 16-of-25 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns in an instant-classic, 55-48 victory for the Sooners.
Oklahoma overcame a 28-7 deficit, while Williams also rushed four times for 88 yards, including a 66-yard TD.
When Sooners coach Lincoln Riley jumped ship to become a Trojan, Williams followed Riley to USC and became the biggest name in college football during the 2022 season.
Williams completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and only five interceptions, winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming a lock as a No. 1 pick whenever he decided to enter the draft.
He fell off in some categories in 2023 and connected on just 30 TDs.
But Williams also set personal highs in completion percentage (68.6), yards per attempt (9.4) and passer rating (170.1).
While USC struggled through a frustrating 7-5 regular season, the Trojans won the Holiday Bowl without their future NFL QB.
"Since I was 10, all I ever wanted to do was to play football," Williams wrote when he entered the draft process. "From the 5:30am breakfast club workouts to the long nights watching film, through every win and every hard loss, my love and passion for the game never wavered."
The Bears had already seen enough of Williams to part ways with Fields, who was traded to Pittsburgh to be Russell Wilson's backup with the Steelers.
A month away from the 2024 draft, Williams is already seen as the new franchise face for the Bears.
His strong arm, decision making and on-field leadership have been praised, while the Heisman winner has the ability to escape trouble in the pocket and make stunning throws downfield.
But there are also pre-draft questions about Williams' accuracy.
"Williams is tremendously talented but often bites off too much responsibility and plays off-schedule," an NFL.com draft profile reads.
"He has a good chance to hit new heights with a surrounding cast he trusts, but greater self-discipline and a well-structured offense might be needed to help him become a quarterback who can elevate a franchise to championship contention."
There's a growing buzz around what the former USC star will be like in the pros, off- and on-the-field.
Footage of Williams crying on the sideline during the recent college season went viral.
The ex-Trojans QB hasn't been afraid to express himself in public, going so far as to paint his fingernails with explosive terms and wild colors.
Even Williams' social media profiles are unique.
On X, he's @CALEBcsw and his bio reads, "Caleb 'Superman' Williams 'Hakuna Matata' Scholar at University of Southern California."
On Instagram, Williams is known as ayeeecaleb.
Williams created the Caleb Cares Foundation to focus on causes such as anti-bullying, mental health awareness and youth development.
His nickname is 'Superman,' while the mission of the Caleb Cares Foundation is “to inspire more superheroes to fight bullying so we can all realize that what makes us different is our superpower.â€
"I go out every single day, blood, sweat and tears," Williams said on Instagram. "I give my all on every single play, every chance that I get. I've been an advocate for mental health, show your emotions and express yourself."
The Bears haven't won a playoff game since 2010 and last won the Super Bowl in 1985.
They've already gotten rid of a first-round pick QB to make way for Williams, who's one month away from becoming the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Comparing Williams to Mahomes is risky.
But it's clear that Williams could be a franchise-changing talent for Chicago.
"There’s always that risk, which is why the draft is so fascinating," Miller said. "Because it can look like a lock -- this player is going to change the team for the better. But you never really know."
