Chicago Bears take final step toward making Caleb Williams first overall pick in NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears have, for all intents and purposes, completed their homework on quarterback Caleb Williams ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. The only thing left for general manager Ryan Poles to do is call Williams’ name with the first overall pick.

Williams was in Chicago for his pre-draft visit on Wednesday, and there’s some speculation that it will be his only visit of the 2024 NFL draft cycle.

You do the math.

Potential No. 1 overall pick #USC QB Caleb Williams made his Top 30 facility visit to the #Bears today, sources say. He was in town for dinner last night, as well.

Likely his only visit. As Chicago hones in… pic.twitter.com/jK0VWOtEY7

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 3, 2024

Caleb Williams has been the obvious choice for the Chicago Bears since the end of the 2023 NFL regular season. The only complication was the presence of Justin Fields, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for pennies on the dollar in an effort to clear the runway for Williams’ arrival. And despite a bizarre social media narrative that suggested Williams’ personality could cause the Bears to go in a different direction, the opposite has proven to be true.

MORE: Latest Chicago Bears NFL Draft buzz

By all accounts, Williams has aced every step of the 2024 NFL Draft process. It got started at the NFL Combine, where he was calm and collected despite some criticism about his choice to skip medicals, something no prospect has ever voluntarily done. It continued at his Pro Day, where he was greeted by Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen and was the apple of coach Matt Eberflus’ eye. And it concluded with his private visit Wednesday when the Bears took him out for a night on the town.

The Bears brass took Caleb Williams out to dinner last night to the restaurant Sophia Steak in Lake Forest.

Williams was at the Bears facility today on his visit, as was Alabama DE Dallas Turner. @gmfb @nflnetwork @NFLonFOX

— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) April 4, 2024

It’s been a perfect courtship that will culminate with the Chicago Bears and Caleb Williams entering what will hopefully be a long-term franchise-quarterback relationship. Williams will officially become a Bear on April 25, and his arrival will be greeted by a fanbase that’s been starving for a quarterback who can be the reason why Chicago wins games, not just a guy who’s along for the ride.

And what a ride it will be.