Bear Digest

Caleb Williams Receives Another Trashing from Familiar Antagonist

Analysis: A former player who likes to play favorites said Caleb Williams is headed nowhere and Jayden Daniels will emerge like C.J. Stroud did. as the top QB but one chosen second.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams' passing prowess even while playing behind one of college football's worst offensive lines didn't convince Booger McFarland he'll be the top rookie QB this year.
Caleb Williams' passing prowess even while playing behind one of college football's worst offensive lines didn't convince Booger McFarland he'll be the top rookie QB this year. | Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony "Booger" McFarland normally lands somewhere in the shock crowd with ESPN.

He's going to make an outlandish statement simply to cause a stir.

McFarland, appearing on ESPN's "Get Up" with Mike Greenberg, stoked all the anti-Caleb Williams rhetoric that was also has been kicked up by fellow Williams detractor Dan Orlovsky earlier in the week.

"Don't be surprised if midway through the season we're having a conversation very similar to what we had last year, meaning the No. 2 pick, Jayden Daniels, looks better than the No. 1 pick, Caleb Williams," McFarland warned. "Just like we had last year with C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young."

Why would he think this, other than the fact there was an LSU helmet in his bookcase behind him as he talked and Daniels played for LSU -- as McFarland did.

"Because there are a lot of people out of Washington telling me that this young man, Jayden Daniels, not only does he look the part, his teammates know he looks the part," McFarland said.

There are a lot of people in Washington telling people a lot of things no one wants or needs to hear all of the time. McFarland could hear something similar in Chicago if he wanted. That's all they said throughout offseason work, or at least after the first week of OTAs when Williams started hitting receivers with regularity.

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McFarland wasn't just satisfied to tell everyone Daniels will be better. He wanted to trash Williams, a native son of Washington.

"And I think Caleb Williams is going to struggle and I think Jayden Daniels is going to come out of the gate flying," McFarland said, offering no explanation for this other than someone in Washington whispered it.

"Mark it down July the 16, whatever it is it's 100 degrees," McFarland said.

"Did the Chicago Bears make the right pick? We're going to have that conversation again."

Probably. The next time someone from Washington whispers something to him, or the next time it's a player from LSU involved.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.