Ryan Poles explains his process in drafting Caleb Williams and it’s justified as Bears QB continues to ascend on and off the field
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was publicly criticized for his process that led to drafting quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. Turns out, it focused on the exact quality this team needed in their next franchise quarterback.
General manager Ryan Poles made a polarizing decision in the 2024 NFL Draft when he selected Caleb Williams with the first overall pick and handed the keys to one of the most historic franchises in the NFL to a young quarterback. Two years later, the debate over whether Poles took the time needed to fully evaluate the entire quarterback class before making a decision has quieted considerably, and the reasons extend far beyond the stat sheet.
The 2024 quarterback class has produced strong results across the board through two seasons. Drake Maye reached the Super Bowl. Jayden Daniels made it to the NFC Championship Game and won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Bo Nix led the Denver Broncos to the AFC Championship Game. And Caleb Williams finally hit his stride last season working with Bears head coach Ben Johnson, giving Chicago a taste of what a franchise quarterback looks like that this fanbase had been waiting for.
One could argue the Bears made the right call based on Williams’ on-field rise alone, but Poles recently doubled down on his decision and revealed that the process leading him to Williams had more to do with Williams’ ability off the field than on it. For a franchise operating in one of the biggest football cities in the country, that distinction matters.
Ryan Poles doubled down on the process that led him to select Caleb Williams over other quarterbacks
“It was part of the information gathering that we did in the very beginning,” Poles explained, via Hoge and Jahns. “We all know what it’s like to be a Chicago Bear in the city of Chicago. And then to be a successful one, and to be a quarterback, we wanted to make sure that who we brought in was someone that could handle that.”
Williams has experienced a rapid rise in fandom that few young quarterbacks can ever match. He’s become one of the highest-profile global stars the sport has seen, especially considering the one-year sample size of how quickly his popularity exploded. He’s the cover athlete of Madden, one of the most marketable athletes in football, has multiple business ventures outside of football, and a player whose brand elevates the Bears organization by extension. Yet, everything has been business as usual for him.
“This is a guy that’s grown up in this,” Ben Johnson said back in June. “He’s been a five-star recruit. He’s won a Heisman. I think he knows how to handle attention. You come to a big city like Chicago, a team that loves their sports, a place that loves their sports and loves the Bears. I think this is kind of what he’s built for, so I think it’s a good match.”
Jayden Daniels’ off-field situation with LSU reinforces the logic behind choosing Caleb Williams
Jayden Daniels’ recent off-field developments regarding his NIL usage at LSU have only reinforced Poles’ reasoning. The Washington Commanders quarterback is now suing his former college over the use of his name, image, and likeness, citing how he’s been treated compared to former Tigers star Joe Burrow.
Combined with other oddities around Daniels off the field, the contrast between the two quarterbacks off the field has become difficult to ignore.
The only odd off the field situation similar to this that Williams has been a part of was his attempt to trademark the phrase “Iceman” and even then the way Williams handled it was respectful and came from good intentions, despite how everyone reacted to it.
“It’s not anything between me and George [Gervin] or anything like that, it’s more or less people making clothing or people making things like that, and I can’t control what people are making of me or anything like that and putting the name on it,” Williams said to Front Office Sports. “It’s just to control that aspect of it. That was the main reason of doing it.”
Caleb Williams’ ability to handle his fame and the pressure in Chicago shouldn’t be overlooked
The way Williams has handled himself professionally, the growth he’s made in Johnson’s system, and the maturity he’s shown off the field all point to a quarterback who deserved to be the face of this franchise.
“He wasn’t out partying and doing all these crazy things. He was still locked in to his craft,” Poles added. “Kind of a homebody. Had the guys over at the house. When you talk to his teammates, you never heard of him going off and doing his own thing. It was with his guys. Never really a distraction.”
It is not talked about enough how difficult it is to be the face of such a historic franchise in such a massive city. Williams is still going to receive heavy criticism from fans for everything he does. That comes with the territory. But the way he takes those criticisms in stride, continues to show out on the field, and manages everything that comes with being the quarterback of the Chicago Bears speaks volumes about who he is.
“We’re seeing that happen now,” Poles said. “The stage is big, he’s always lived in the spotlight. And his approach actually continues just to get better. I don’t think it’s ever all of the things football brings to him. It’s what he can be and how great he can be, that’s his focus.”
Going into Year 3, and his second season in Johnson’s system, Williams is only laser-focused on improving everything he can on the field and worrying about all of his off the field ventures in its own time. Caleb Williams is a special player and special person, and the Bears are lucky to have him. And he’s only going to get better.
