The Chicago Bears have genuine quarterback enthusiasm from the national media for the first time in what seems like forever, as reigning No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams is ready to take the league by storm. Even the notoriously stingy quarterback film grinders seem to be expecting big things from the USC star.
Steven Ruiz of The Ringer’s annual quarterback rankings have debuted, and Williams is cast in a fairly solid light
Williams came in ranked at No. 20 overall in Ruiz’s quarterback rankings. While this may not sound like earth-shattering news, consider that Williams is a rookie. The other two projected rookie starters, Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Denver’s Bo Nix, were ranked 28th and 32nd, respectively.
Williams is coming in ahead of some established veteran passers like Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, and Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson. Putting Williams in the middle tier of NFL quarterbacks when he has as many NFL regular season snaps as you and I says a lot about what Ruiz thinks he is capable of.
Bears rookie Caleb Williams ranked 20th among NFL QBs by The Ringer
Ruiz has a history of placing a bigger emphasis on physical traits and the potential of what a quarterback is capable of over smaller signal-callers with more accurate arms. From a physical point of view, there isn’t an area where Williams is lacking. His arm talent alone will vault him up the list.
Williams is also in a position to vault up the list in the same way CJ Stroud did last year. With a respected offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron at the sticks and one of the best collections of skill position players around him, Williams will be able to effectively execute a high-level offense.
Williams currently ranks as the third-best quarterback in the division. Jordan Love rode his hot finish last year to the No. 12 spot, while Jared Goff (whom Ruiz has long been low on compared to the rest of the NFL) is two spots behind him. Sam Darnold is No. 29, as he was thrust into this role following JJ McCarthy’s injury.
While the Williams hype train hasn’t necessarily been speeding out of control, there are plenty of factors working in his favor that could help him climb that list in short order.
The 2024 National Football League season is just hours away from getting underway. Let’s take a look at where each former Maryland football player in the NFL stands.
As of Thursday morning, seven former Terps are officially listed as starters heading into Week 1: Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore, Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Indianapolis Colts free safety Nick Cross, Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage, Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett, New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks and Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo.
The news is especially notable for a few players. The Raiders drafted Bennett with the 104th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The second-year pro played in 14 games and started four last season, making 38 tackles and recording three passes defended. Now listed as a starter to begin the season, Bennett seems poised to take the sophomore jump. Savage and Diggs are set to make their first starts for new teams; Savage left Green Bay to sign a three-year, $21.75 million deal with Jacksonville, and Buffalo sent Diggs to Houston in a blockbuster trade this offseason. Cross, a Colts third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has just four career starts in two seasons.
