The NFL’s next big event is the draft: Caleb Williams is now on the clock
The 2023-2024 NFL season has now ended. Super Bowl LVIII is in the books. The Kansas City Chiefs successfully defended their Super Bowl LVII championship, beating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime. We now have the NFL scouting combine and then free agency, but those are ongoing events without a pre-scheduled start time when everyone holds his or her breath and waits for a momentous occasion when lives and franchises will be changed. The NFL draft is the next really big NFL moment, on Thursday, April 25, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Either the Chicago Bears will pick Caleb Williams at No. 1, or they will trade him. It’s the next “all eyes on the NFL” moment in the sport which dominates American culture.
NFL draft storylines? Yes, please. Let’s walk through a few of them:
BEARS SEEM TO WANT CALEB, NOT JUSTIN FIELDS
The Chicago Bears could change their minds, but the majority opinion right now is that they are set on taking Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick instead of trading the pick. The Bears have a lot of needs, not just quarterback. They certainly need help at wide receiver and on the offensive line. They can use pass-rushing help as well. Quarterback is their top need, but it’s not as though a quarterback solves all their problems. If a team makes a lavish and expensive offer, the Bears should at least consider it, but the asking price must be high enough for Chicago to take a deal if it is presented. This is the first big drama in what should be a riveting first round of the draft.
QUARTERBACKS ON DISPLAY
Not all drafts have great quarterback classes, but this one does. Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels will join Caleb Williams as sure-fire top-10 draft picks. Michael Penix is an intriguing wild card on the board. Will teams trade up into the top five to get any of the top three quarterbacks on the board? Who will grab Penix? There are lots of great storylines, but they start with the quarterbacks.
PENIX TO SEAHAWKS?
Ryan Grubb is the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator. Does this mean Seattle will draft Penix and keep him home in the Pacific Northwest with his offensive coordinator at the University of Washington? Oh, the draft stories you’ll see.
KLIFF KINGSBURY IN WASHINGTON
Kliff Kingsbury is in Washington with the Commanders as coach Dan Quinn’s offensive coordinator. Caleb Williams is a DMV native. The Commanders have more leverage than others in trading with the Bears. Will they go all-in on Caleb, and will Chicago take a massive package?
PATRIOTS AT NO. 3
Bill Belichick is no longer in New England, but the Patriots definitely need their quarterback of the future. At No. 3, they could swing a trade for Caleb, but they might think they can make Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels work just fine. They have options.
MARVIN HARRISON JR.
The non-quarterback likely to go first off the board in the 2024 NFL draft is super receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Which team takes him, and how will that affect the order of selections for Caleb, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels? Those are central questions for the upcoming draft.
PASS RUSHER AND OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Penei Sewell has proved to be a franchise-changing offensive lineman for the Detroit Lions. Aidan Hutchinson has proved to be a game-changing pass rusher in Detroit. Who will be the elite offensive tackle who goes in the top 10, and who will be the top pass rusher in the top 10?
Get your mock drafts ready. We have two and a half months to go.
