Bears' Caleb Williams offers awesome description of 2024 NFL Draft QB class

There was never any doubt that Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams would be the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He would've been the first pick in any draft class he declared for; he was considered a generational prospect throughout his time as a collegiate quarterback.

But Williams wasn't alone on the list of talented passers who turned pro in 2024.

Six quarterbacks were first-round picks that year: Williams, Jayden Daniels (No. 2 overall), Drake Maye (No. 3 overall), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8 overall), J.J. McCarthy (No. 10 overall), and Bo Nix (No. 12 overall).

Yep; six passers in the top 12.

As a result, this cluster of QBs will forever be compared to each other. It's an immense amount of pressure on Williams, who must prove the Bears -- who that their pick of the litter -- made the right choice at the top of Round 1.

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson talks with quarterback Caleb Williams — David Banks-Imagn Images

Through one and a quarter seasons as pros, all six have flashed exciting upside. Daniels and Nix got off to the fastest start; Williams and Maye are closing the gap in Year 2. Meanwhile, Penix and McCarthy continue to grow as starters (note: McCarthy continues to deal with injury).

Williams has been fighting an uphill battle with those comparisons since the Bears called his name. It's what happens in a sports media landscape that centers around instant analysis and reaction; patience for player develop -- especially at quarterback -- no longer exists.

What Williams has displayed in spades so far is that he has the mental makeup of a franchise quarterback. He remains unfazed by the competition, and even had some words of praise for his fellow first-round classmates on Wednesday.

"It's a pretty badass class, right?" Williams said.

Yep, that's about right. It is a badass class.

Caleb Williams has a chance to end up right where he started in this badass class, too. He's playing much better in Year 2 than he did as a rookie. It's due to an obvious upgrade in the coaching staff -- Ben Johnson is a wizard -- and the improved offensive line, as well as his growth that naturally comes with experience.

Through four games this season, Williams has completed 62.3% of his passes for 927 yards, 8 TDs, and 2 INTs, and is on pace to break the Chicago Bears' single-season passsing yards and touchdowns records.

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