Now that Ryan Poles has traded Justin Fields, the Bears’ general manager can move to the next important step in the pre-draft process.
Attending USC’s Pro Day on Wednesday to further evaluate quarterback Caleb Williams.
USC’s Pro Day will be held at the Allyson Felix Field at Katherine B. Loker Track Stadium & Colich Center on the school’s Los Angeles campus. Not only will the Chicago Bears have heavy representation but most likely the rest of the 31 NFL teams.
Here’s what typically happens during these important events.
On-field Workout
A lot of what will happen on Wednesday involves position-specific drills. For Williams, this obviously means throwing the football, but doing so in a variety of different drills.
This setting allows the quarterback to throw to his college teammates, instead of unfamiliar receivers like at the NFL Scouting Combine or college all-star events. That situation provides some comfortability and should allow Williams to showcase his anticipation on throws.
Each school varies on the types of drills, but there are some universal ones.
- Throwing the ball on a 3-step drop to showcase timing and precision.
- Testing the arm strength when delivering a pass from one hash to an opposite sideline and, of course, on vertical routes.
- Operating with simulated pressure to force the quarterback to slide or step up in order to deliver a pass.
What would be beneficial to see from Williams is what sets him apart from other quarterbacks in his class: The ability to throw from all different types of arm angles. Even though these throws will be on air, seeing Williams on the move and delivering a side-arm pass in perfect stride to a receiver will further cement the kind of talent he has when he’s throwing the ball.
There’s also something about seeing the velocity of a throw in person that can leave a lasting impression. So watching how quickly the ball shoots out of Williams’ hands on deep dig routes over the middle of the field will also be something to monitor.
Although it’s valuable to see Williams throw up close, the Bears won’t find anything new that they haven’t seen from watching game film.
Learning About Caleb Williams the Person
Something that Poles and the rest of the Bears’ organization values about any player is the way they carry themselves as a person. The Bears have tried to build a locker room full of talented players who also fit that key requirement.
Wednesday’s Pro Day will allow the Bears’ staff to get to know Williams more than the 10-minute interview that they had in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine.
But it’s not just the quarterback himself that the Bears can talk to, but also the coaches and teammates that have been around Williams. As much as this Pro Day will involve watching and evaluating the on-field workout, the discussions had with the USC players and coaches will also be pivotal.
Evaluating the person behind the players is an important step in the process considering the Bears just traded one of the most respected players on the team in Fields. Other than blatant rumors regarding Williams, his character should check all the Bears’ boxes.
Why do Pro Days matter?
Simply put, these types of events allow teams to gather more information on potential prospects. Teams get to evaluate the on-field position-specific drills, conduct their own athletic testing and learn more about each player participating.
Outside of Williams, the Bears will also get a chance to watch some of Williams’ teammates: WR Brenden Rice, WR Tahj Washington, RB MarShawn Lloyd, OL Jarrett Kingston, DL Solomon Byrd, SAF Calen Bullock and CB Christian Roland-Wallace.
USC’s Pro Day gives the Bears’ brass an opportunity to not only watch Williams throw but to also get to know the projected No. 1 overall pick. The Bears have an opportunity to realistically alter the trajectory of their franchise, and there is no faster way of doing so than by getting the quarterback position right.
Poles has said before he would leave no stone unturned and that same process will continue in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
