What If the Chicago Bears Shock the World by Selecting Someone Other than Caleb Williams with the No. 1 Pick?

Per the Associated Press:

“The Chicago Bears know who they’re taking with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and so does just about everyone else….

“[However,] [g]eneral manager Ryan Poles just wasn’t ready to announce it’s Caleb Williams on Tuesday. He opted to leave that to commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday night.

“‘So unfortunately it’s one of those things I think everyone’s got to tune in on Thursday to watch and figure out, but I feel really good about our process and where we are and where we’re headed,’ Poles said, smiling. ‘So we know what we’re going to do but everyone is going to have to wait until Thursday to go there.'”

USC QB Caleb Williams Is Widely Regarded as the Inevitable Selection

Williams is often described as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Indeed, he is the No. 1 selection in virtually all mock drafts, including Mel Kiper, Jr.’s most recent mock draft. And, Pro Football Focus rates Williams as the top prospect in the Draft.

Thus, it would be a shock if the Bears selected someone other than Williams.

Not Everyone Thinks the Chicago Bears Should Take Williams

There are a few outliers.

NFL.com reports that an unnamed AFC scout believes 2023 Heisman Trophy Winner Jayden Daniels would make a better selection than Williams.

And, the Bleacher Report Scouting Department rates North Carolina Tar Heel quarterback Drake Maye as the top prospect in the Draft.

Notwithstanding these dissenting viewpoints, DraftKings has little doubt about what the Bears are going to do, setting the odds of the Bears drafting Williams at -900.

Most would be very surprised if the Bears did not select Williams with the first overall pick.

Current and Former Players Have Suggested Bears Executives Should Be Fired If They Don’t Select Williams

Boomer Esiason and Brenden Rice have expressed the viewpoint that Bears executives should be fired if they do not select Williams with the No. 1. pick. Esiason was the NFL MVP in 1988. Rice was Williams’ teammate at USC and is the son of legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice. Rice told the Chicago Sun Times:

“If you can risk [not picking him] and picking apart his game and letting him fall, have fun losing your job, man.”