Caleb Williams sets goal of 'immortality' with Bears: 'Only way to reach that is winning championships'

At long last, the Bears turned the expected into reality on Thursday night by drafting quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The selection was a historic pick -- Chicago's first pick at the very top of a draft since 1947 -- and it's one both the club and Williams hope is the impetus to rewriting the recent history for a Bears franchise that's been too often peering up at the rest of the NFL world.

"The history since I've been alive hasn't been necessarily where they are winning big games and Super Bowls and things like that," Williams admitted in his post-draft news conference, per NBC Sports Chicago.

Born in 2001, Williams was 5 years old the last time Chicago played (and lost) in a Super Bowl. The Bears have reached the playoffs six times, with five NFC North crowns and 16 seasons at .500 or worse during Williams' 22 years. Even beyond that, the franchise has never had a 4,000-yard passer or QB throw for 30 touchdowns in a single season.

A generational prospect, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has the moxie and the skills in his repertoire to change that. Between one season starting at Oklahoma and the last two years spent with USC, Williams threw for 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his collegiate career. He added another 966 yards and 27 scores on the ground.

He can make all the throws -- sometimes to his detriment as he waits too long for a heroic hurl rather than a simpler one -- and has the mobility to make a defense pay should it crash in and leave a lane of escape or turn backs to the line of scrimmage in coverage.

He's forever a member of the Heisman club, but he never won a championship with USC in the Pac-12 or nationally. His goal in joining Chicago is to