Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams with first pick; LSU's Jayden Daniels went at No 2 to Washington Commanders; Six of first 12 picks were quarterbacks for first time in league history; watch round two live on Sky Sports Action from 12am in the early hours of Saturday
Friday 26 April 2024 10:58, UK
The NFL's worst-kept secret became reality on Thursday as the Chicago Bears selected Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Former USC quarterback Williams had entered the week as the consensus No 1 overall selection as one of the most accomplished college prospects in recent memory.
Chicago underlined their intentions earlier this offseason when they traded away quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers in preparation for the arrival of Williams.
The 22-year-old won a Heisman Trophy during a three-year college career by the end of which he had completed 735 of 1,099 passes for 10,082 yards and 93 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions alongside 289 carries for 960 rushing yards and 27 scores.
Six of the first 12 picks were quarterbacks for the first time in league history.
Each of the first 14 picks was an offensive player, which doubled the previous record of seven offensive players to start the draft in 2021.
"To be able to be here, it's an honour," Williams said on the NFL Network after the Bears called his name. "I'm very privileged."
A half-dozen franchises hope they found their long-term answer at quarterback. LSU's Jayden Daniels went at No 2 to the Washington Commanders and North Carolina's Drake Maye went at No 3 to the New England Patriots to start the draft.
"Let's go," Maye said. "I'm ready to go compete. I'm ready to get to New England. We're going to have a blast."
The early sequence marked the fourth time in NFL history that teams selected quarterbacks with each of the top three picks. It also happened in 1971, 1999 and 2021, the most recent time when Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance went in the top three.
The Atlanta Falcons provided the first big surprise of the evening by selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr at No 8. The Falcons spent a first-round pick on a quarterback despite signing veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins in March to a deal worth $100m guaranteed.
Cousins got a brief heads-up from the Falcons, when they were on the clock, that they planned to select another quarterback in the first round, according to the veteran QB's agent.
The Minnesota Vikings traded up one spot in the draft to ensure that they got their target, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, at No 10 overall. The Vikings sent a fourth- and fifth-round pick to the New York Jets and received a sixth-round pick in return as part of the swap.
At No 12, the Denver Broncos picked the sixth quarterback of the evening, Oregon's Bo Nix.
Teams also focused on wide receiver and offensive line in a first round that was dominated by offense.
The Arizona Cardinals added Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr with the fourth pick. Harrison, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr, has drawn comparisons to legendary Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald Jr Harrison Jr said he was confident that he would be the first wideout selected.
"I just had trust in my abilities," he said. "I worked so hard to get to this point."
At No 5, the Los Angeles Chargers bolstered their offensive line by selecting Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt. It marked the first pick under new coach Jim Harbaugh.
The New York Giants picked the second wideout of the draft when they added playmaker Malik Nabers from LSU with the sixth overall choice.
Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham went to the Tennessee Titans at No 7. Latham, who stands 6 ft 6in and weighs 342 pounds, embraced NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a giant bear hug and lifted him high off the ground.
"I let him know, man," Latham said with a smile. "I had to let him know. A lot of excitement."
The Bears used the ninth pick to select Washington wideout Rome Odunze, who will join Williams as part of a reinvigorated offense.
Odunze said he could not wait to team up with Williams.
"From the glimpses that I've been able to hang out with him, I can tell he has that determination, as do I," Odunze said.
The Jets used the 11th pick to grab Olumuyiwa Fashanu, an offensive lineman from Penn State.
The Las Vegas Raiders added tight end Brock Bowers from Georgia at No 13. The New Orleans Saints grabbed Oregon State offensive lineman Taliese Fuaga to make it 14 offensive players in a row.
The Indianapolis Colts finally put the spotlight on defense at No 15. The Colts selected edge rusher Laiatu Latu from UCLA.
Watch round two of the 2024 NFL Draft live on Sky Sports Action from 12am in the early hours of Saturday.
Who is Caleb Williams, the star quarterback selected with the No 1 overall pick at the 2024 NFL Draft?
Whether a burden or blessing, Williams entered the 2024 Draft as the latest superstar college quarterback prospect and perhaps the first to draw legitimate comparisons to the three-time Super Bowl champion.
The Bears let their intentions be known earlier this offseason when they traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers just three seasons after drafting him, paving the way for general manager Ryan Poles to use the No 1 pick on Williams.
Chicago has been awaiting its answer at quarterback with which to propel the Bears back into perennial contention. They may now have their man.
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