Did you know USC, and possibly Bears, quarterback Caleb Williams used to be a linebacker in youth football?
The Athletic's Dane Brugler in his 1,400+ word "The Beast 2024 NFL Draft Guide," shared Williams' admirable nickname in youth football --- "Bobby Boucher" --- based on Adam Sandler's hard-hitting linebacker character in "The Waterboy." Williams earned the nickname based on his "athleticism and physicality" at the linebacker position.
That's quite the moniker for a signal caller, a position usually considered the most vulnerable on the field. It adds nothing vital to the scouting report, but I would guess most familiar with Williams wouldn't have expected him to be a linebacker at any part of his career.
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Williams didn't make the lateral from linebacker to quarterback until fifth grade, according to the report. When Williams was 10 years old, he and his father, Carl, created "The Plan," per Brugler. "The Plan" was an aggressive training regimen dedicated to getting Williams to the next level.
"The Plan" included "sessions with sports psychologists, specialized diets and 5:30 a.m. workouts." It's a daunting path for any pre-teen, but Williams used that and ran with it.
Williams received several offers from private high schools in Maryland to be the school's starting quarterback. He chose Gonzaga College High School, where he won the starting job as a freshman and, from there, earned himself the No. 2 quarterback ranking in the country.
Between Oklahoma and USC, Williams polished his game and earned the title by some as a "generational talent." In college, he won the Heisman in 2022 at USC after throwing for over 4,500 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Bears News
That leads us to now. After meeting with the Chicago Bears at the NFL Scouting Combine, at dinner before his pro day, his pro day and during a top-30 visit at Halas Hall --- his only visit thus far with any NFL team --- he's set to become the next franchise signal caller with the Bears.
All that's left to do is for Ryan Poles to submit the draft card with Williams' name on it come April 25. And then, the Bears will get "Bobby Boucher" as their next signal caller.