If Caleb Williams is selected by the Chicago Bears with the first overall pick next month, one of his new teammates has some words of advice.
Jaylon Johnson, who just signed an extension to remain the team’s top cornerback, was on the “Up & Adams” show Thursday, where he told Williams to keep any “Hollywood stuff” away from Chicago.
“You just humble your stuff coming into the build,” Johnson said. “You can’t bring that Hollywood stuff into the building, especially with guys who played this game at a high level for consecutive years in the league. What you did in college, the Hollywood, it’s like, ‘Nah, you gotta prove yourself. That stuff like that doesn’t matter.’”
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Caleb Williams, #QB14 of Southern California, smiles during the NFL Combine at the Lucas Oil Stadium on March 2, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Johnson is basically saying to Williams that he shouldn’t come in cocky, expecting to have the same success he did in college.
At the same time, though, Johnson recognizes that Williams being selected by the Bears means he’s the next franchise quarterback, so obviously they want to do everything possible to make sure he can help them win games.
“I think there’s a fine line between trying to prove a point to him, but also getting to know him,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day, we want him to be the absolute best he can be. That’s what we’re bringing him in for, to win games. Truly just learning who he is as a person and learning him deeper than just all the Hollywood stuff you see, but actually trying to learn and get to know him and then knowing from there what pushes him.”
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Johnson mentions Hollywood because Williams spent time with the USC Trojans for the past two seasons, where he won the 2022 Heisman Trophy and solidified his place as one of the best quarterback prospects to come out of college in quite some time.
But sunny California is much different than the Windy City, where Williams could be playing to start his NFL career.
Chicago certainly did what was needed to make a pathway to land a top quarterback with their No. 1 pick, trading Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers this past weekend. Williams, if selected, would come right in and be baptized by fire in the NFL like so many other highly rated rookie quarterbacks have done before him.
Jaylon Johnson, #33 of the Chicago Bears, reacts in the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field on December 31, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Johnson admitted to being fully aware of what Williams could bring to an offense that was revamped with Keenan Allen to work alongside D.J. Moore at wide receiver, while D’Andre Swift enters the backfield as the lead back.
“You kinda hear all of the comparisons, the ‘generational talent’ and all that being thrown around,” Johnson said. “So, I think, for me, just excited on that note of it. But I think, too, it’s hard to compare him to Patrick Mahomes and guys like that. Patrick Mahomes didn’t come in right away and do what he’s been doing the last few years in his rookie year. It took him some time.”
The Bears would obviously love it if Williams could come in and make an immediate impact, leading to wins. But it takes time to get acclimated to the highest level of play on the gridiron, which Johnson is well aware of.
“Just being patient with his progress, being patient with how he comes in and the mistakes he’s gonna make and the plays that he’s gonna make,” he explained. “He’s a very talented guy. He definitely do some things with his feet, he has plenty of arm talent, I feel like there’s not a throw that he can’t make.”
Chicago Bears CB Jaylon Johnson gave a warning to potential No. 1 pick Caleb Williams (Getty Images)
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Williams has thrown 93 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions with a 169.3 quarterback rate over his three collegiate seasons, his first being with the Oklahoma Sooners. He threw for 10,082 yards with a 66.9 completion percentage.
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