EXCLUSIVE
Caleb Williams is a next gen quarterback who isn't afraid to show his emotions.
The former USC Trojans star is expected to be the No.1 pick in this year's NFL draft and the face of the Chicago Bears' franchise for the next decade plus.
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But the enigmatic star blessed with ridiculous throwing talent has divided some traditional football fans by virtue of the fact he's 'different'.
Williams embraces his identity and is unapologetically proud of who he is - even if that means crying with his mom after a loss, painting his nails, and waving a pink iPhone case at the recent NCAA women's basketball tournament.
Many fans have praised his honesty and authenticity but others have questioned how well he'll cope with the pressure of the big leagues.
Fortunately for Williams, he's loved by teammates and doesn't exhibit any of the bad body language that has plagued previous NFL quarterback prospects.
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"The cool thing is that his teammates love him," NFL Draft expert Matt Miller exclusively told talkSPORT.
"He is this modern quarterback who’s not afraid to [show emotion]. It’s not like he’s slamming his helmet down on the sideline in frustration. He’s emotional.
"As long as I’ve been doing this, the big question you ask is, 'does this player love the game of football?' And so now you have a young man who realizes his college football career is over and he’s weeping on the sideline.
"I would take that 10 times out of 10 over a guy who’s bumping into his coach on the sideline or slamming his helmet down. We’ve seen bad body language from quarterbacks at times, and we’ve seen how that does affect a team.
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"With Caleb, you don’t have to worry about any of that [bad boy language].
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6ft 1in and 214lb Williams first made a name for himself in college at Oklahoma before following in the footsteps of previous Sooners coach Lincoln Riley to become a Trojan.
A Heisman-winning season came soon after when Williams completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and only five interceptions in 2022.
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2023 saw some statistical decline as he connected on just 30 TDs and fumbled a career-high eight times - something experts say he needs to fix up.
But Williams also set personal highs in completion percentage (68.6), yards per attempt (9.4) and passer rating (170.1), despite it being a disappointing regular season for USC (7-5).
The 22-year-old has drawn comparisons to Patrick Mahomes for his big-play potential and is clearly the best player in a 2024 class loaded with top-tier quarterback talent.
Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy might have been this year's No.1 overall pick in a world where Williams never picked up a football.
Fortunately for the Bears, he did.
And, after securing the top pick in this year's draft, the organization made major steps to accommodate Williams' imminent arrival once this month's draft is done and dusted.
The franchise moved previous starting quarterback Justin Fields to the Steelers and made tons of other big roster moves in what could potentially be a franchise-altering offseason.
Two-time All-Pro safety Kevin Byard and veteran safety Jonathan Owens will bolster Chicago's secondary.
Elsewhere, the addition of six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen, former Eagles running back D’Andre Swift and ex Chargers TE Gerald Everett will provide plenty of offensive firepower for Williams to utilize next season.
"Chicago has done a great job of building a framework around him, which is incredibly important," Miller said.
"I would say 90 percent chance he’s a Pro Bowl quarterback and he’s going to lead Chicago to a sustained run of being a contender."
Williams certainly has the physical capability, and the pieces around him, to make a big splash in his rookie NFL campaign later this year.
"I go out every single day, blood, sweat and tears," Williams said on Instagram. "I give my all on every single play, every chance that I get. I've been an advocate for mental health, show your emotions and express yourself."
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The outside world may question Williams' disposition but the noises from inside the NFL are overwhelmingly positive.
"I just talked to an NFL general manager about Caleb and he was like, ‘Love him,' " Miller added.