Caleb Williams: 'I'll Be Excited' If Bears Pick Me No. 1 Overall in 2024 NFL Draft

USC quarterback Caleb Williams suggested Tuesday that he has no issues with the Chicago Bears potentially selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Speaking to ESPN's Pete Thamel over the phone, Williams discussed the possibility of going first overall to the Bears, saying:

"If I get drafted by the Bears, I'll be excited. If they trade the pick, and I get drafted by someone else, I'm just as excited. Speaking about Chicago, they have a talented team, a talented offense and defense. For anyone to be in that situation, I think they'd be excited."

Also, despite some speculation to the contrary, Williams made it fairly clear that he intends to play for whichever team drafts him: "I'm not pushing any agenda. At the end of the day, the Bears have the last say. Regardless of how I feel, I'm not pushing an agenda of, 'Yeah, I want to go. Or no, I don't want to go.' I'm excited for whatever comes."

Additionally, Williams noted that while he does not plan to hire an agent, he has a "whole team" of attorneys who will help him negotiate a contract when he gets drafted. Williams added: "Everyone thinks I'm a one-man team, that's just not the case."

Williams, who won the 2022 Heisman Trophy at USC, has long been considered the top prospect in the 2024 NFL draft, and where he lands will likely come down to whether the Bears opt to keep the first overall pick or trade down.

Chicago has a promising incumbent starting quarterback in the 24-year-old Justin Fields, who was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Fields has gone just 10-28 in 38 starts over his first three NFL seasons, but he made some strides as a passer last season, completing a career-best 61.4 percent of his passes for a career-high 2,562 yards, He also threw 16 touchdown passes and a career-low nine interceptions in 13 games.

The speedy Fields is also a true dual threat, rushing for 657 yards and four touchdowns last season on the heels of rushing for 1,143 yards and eight scores in 2022.

Last year, Chicago owned the No. 1 overall pick, and it decided to trade down with the Carolina Panthers, landing star wide receiver D.J. Moore and a bevy of draft picks in the process.

One of those picks turned out to be the No. 1 overall pick this year, and the Bears now have a similar decision they have to make.

Trading down again would likely net the Bears an even bigger return this time around due to how highly touted Williams is, but the allure of his skill set may prompt the Bears to stand pat, select Williams and trade Fields elsewhere.

Williams told Thamel he is looking forward to his "first date" with the Bears in the form of a meeting at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Williams is arriving in Indianapolis on Wednesday, and while he is not going to do any testing or on-field work, he is expected to meet with the Bears, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.

Williams went on to praise the city of Chicago, its rich sports history and its fans, noting that he has studied both legendary Bears running back Walter Payton and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan:

"I'm 22. I didn't really get to see those players. As the saying goes, the legends live on. That's my goal of playing football—it's not money, it's not fame ... it's to be immortal. I want to reach that sense of being a legend. Being at the table ... and having a rightful seat through hard work and energy and time I've put into this game that we all love.

"It's appealing to be in a city like that. With legends that you've looked up to ... reach for the standard they set and try to do anything to get there."

The Bears do not have a rich history of great quarterback play, and they have long been in search of their franchise guy.

Their only Super Bowl win came in 1985 with Jim McMahon under center, but he was more of a complementary piece alongside Payton and arguably the greatest defense in NFL history.

Chicago's greatest quarterback is likely Pro Football Hall of Famer Sid Luckman, who won four NFL championships and the NFL MVP Award back in the 1940s.

The Bears are still the only current NFL franchise to have never had a 4,000-yard passer in a single season, and they have also never had a quarterback throw 30 or more touchdown passes in a season.

Those factors may be enough to convince the Bears to take a chance on an elite talent like Williams, and if they do, it sounds like Williams is prepared to join the organization without issue.