Caleb Williams NFL draft projection: Top 5 landing spots for the USC QB ft. Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams, the USC quarterback and a potential top pick, has declared for the NFL draft on the last day of eligibility for underclassmen.

After winning the Heisman Trophy in 2022, Williams had another impressive season in 2023, despite USC’s decline from a playoff hopeful to a mediocre Pac-12 team.

He threw for 3,633 yards and completed 68.6 percent of his passes in 12 games, slightly improving his accuracy from 66.6 percent in 14 games the year before, when he amassed 4,537 yards.

Let's examine the potential landing spots for the USC signal-caller in the 2024 draft.

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Top 5 landing spots for Caleb Williams

#1 Chicago Bears

Despite Justin Fields' underwhelming 2022 season, the Chicago Bears kept their faith in him ahead of the last draft and traded the first pick to the Carolina Panthers. With two first-round picks, the Bears could draft Caleb Williams.

However, the problem of the team goes beyond quarterback. The Bears have been exceptionally poor on defense this season. They obviously might not be a preferred destination for Williams.

#2 Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals made a trade with the Houston Texans during the 2023 NFL draft to acquire an additional first-round pick in the 2024 draft. Given Kyler Murray's likely season-ending injury, there is a possibility that they could end up with the top two picks in the draft.

The franchise might deem the upcoming draft as the right time to move on from Murray and go on to select Caleb Williams. It is to be seen if he will be willing to sign with the franchise.

#3 Denver Broncos

With the Denver Broncos not anticipated to experience much success this season, they may secure a top 10 pick in the draft. There's speculation that Sean Payton could be eager to acquire Caleb Williams as a potential replacement for Russell Wilson.

Williams will definitely be willing to team up with the Broncos due to the franchise’s ambition. However, the franchise might need to trade up the draft to be able to pick him.

#4 Minnesota Vikings

Kirk Cousins is playing his last season with the Minnesota Vikings after the player and the franchise failed to reach an agreement on his contract. Considering their start to the season, they could also land a top 10 pick.

Drafting Caleb Williams would come as a good choice for the Vikings. Obviously, the quarterback will love to play in an offense that has the likes of Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson.

#5 Las Vegas Raiders

Following the exit of Derek Carr, the Raiders brought in Jimmy Garoppolo ahead of this season. However, it's certain the 31-year-old quarterback doesn't fit into their long-term plan.

With Garoppolo's performance this season, the Raiders might see a need to bring in a younger quarterback. Currently, the team ranks 31st in terms of offensive efficiency, and bringing in Caleb Williams could be an antidote to that.