Getty Caleb Williams will very likely be selected by the Chicago Bears at No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft.
When Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft arrives on April 24, nearly every analyst and insider believes the Chicago Bears will select former USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.
In a strong quarterback class that includes North Carolina’s Drake Maye, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, many believe Williams’ physical talents surpass them all. But when it comes to the traits that cannot be measured, where does Williams rank?
Dan Pompei of The Athletic explored that topic, speaking to eight different NFL scouts about the incoming quarterback class. Multiple scouts had concerning things to say about Williams’ intangibles.
“I think his toughness has yet to be determined. He’s had a red-carpet runway experience at every stop and hasn’t had much to overcome,” one scout told Pompei. “But when you end up sobbing in your mom’s arms after getting beat, that’s a disqualifier for people who aren’t picking in the top few picks.”
NFL Scout Has Another Warning About QB Caleb Williams
I have no issue with Caleb Williams crying with his mom post game.
I prefer authentic emotional health over fake toughness. Men are allowed to cry.
The reference about Williams crying in his mother’s arms refers to the former USC quarterback’s reaction after the Trojans lost to the Washington Huskies, 52-42, in November of last year. Williams completed 77% of his passes, throwing for 312 yards and netting four total touchdowns against the Huskies, but it wasn’t enough. After the loss, he hugged his mother in the stands and appeared to sob.
It was a vulnerable and genuine moment, but Williams received criticism from some for reacting so emotionally. Others, such as former NFL linebacker and current analyst, Emmanuel Acho, defended Williams and the QB’s right to express himself.
Another scout had a different issue with Williams, however.
“It wasn’t easy trying to get information on him. You had to dig. Everyone tries to protect him, which leads you to wonder what they are trying to hide,” a different scout told Pompei. “If he has been banged up, we don’t know. We saw him take some good hits and come back, though. He’s a little odd and eccentric.”
What Specifically Are the Immeasurables Scouts Looked At?
According to Pompei, the intangibles scouts graded players on “were broken down into football character, toughness, poise and processing. The sources were granted anonymity and asked to rate each player in each category on a 1-5 scale, with five being the best. Then each player was given a cumulative score.”
McCarthy ranked first in the scouts’ intangibles rankings, followed by Daniels (second) and Maye (third). Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. finished fourth, while Oregon’s Bo Nix finished fifth. Williams landed in sixth place behind Nix, ranking last among all top QBs.
“Four of the eight scouts rated Williams last overall in immeasurables and three rated him next to last. What should be noted is most of the scouts didn’t speak dogmatically about Williams’ intangibles. Most expressed uncertainty or less certainty than they felt about the others,” Pompei wrote.
It’s fair to be uncertain about whether Williams, who threw for over 10,000 yards in his three college seasons, can excel at the next level after tearing it up in college. But if he can lead the Bears to their first winning season since 2018, it’ll help silence the doubters and critics in a big way.