NFL Player: Caleb Williams Has to Be 'Patrick Mahomes Level' to Live Up to Hype

The expectation is that Caleb Williams will be the top quarterback from the 2024 NFL draft. But that also carries with it the weight of pressure.

"Everybody is going to say Caleb, but bro, you realize you've got all that pressure," an NFC South player told ESPN when asked which rookie quarterback would have the best career. "There's a difference when you've got that pressure. And he put that pressure on himself. So, if he doesn't come out here like Patrick Mahomes level, then he's a bust in everybody's eyes."

One thing to note regarding Williams, however, is that he doesn't seem like the type of player who is easily rattled by pressure.

"His ceiling is probably the highest, but you've just got to get in the right situation," an NFC West player told ESPN regarding Williams.

The Bears spent the offseason surrounding Williams with playmakers, drafting Rome Odunze with the No. 8 overall pick, signing running back D'Andre Swift and trading for veteran wideout Keenan Allen. It's the most loaded the team has been on offense in a long time, allowing Williams to potentially hit the ground running.

"It's Caleb [with the most promising future], if the Bears figure out what they have," an AFC West player added.

Expecting Williams to be Mahomes, of course, is a major ask. All Mahomes has done in his seven seasons is win three Super Bowls, reach the big game four times and win two MVP awards. Expecting anybody to have that level of success—Mahomes is on pace to have a Tom Brady-esque career—is unfair.

Williams doesn't have to be Mahomes to justify his selection or his hype. He does need to be a top-tier option at the position, however. If he does that, he'll be the best Chicago quarterback in years, and his selection will be remembered as a turning point for the franchise.