In a few weeks, all eyes will be on the Chicago Bears and the first overall selection of the 2024 NFL Draft in quarterback Caleb Williams as HBO’s Hard Knocks will be covering the team’s training camp. Although the first episode is still several weeks away, Chicago’s two first-round selections in Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze already appeared on another version of Hard knocks this week for a different NFC team. Even though it was a few short clips, the value of the appearance for Caleb Williams carries an immense amount of weight given the fact that he was being interviewed by New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.
Daboll’s View Of Caleb Williams Should Provide Comfort For Anyone Concerned About The Quarterback’s Future Potential
In the Hard Knocks’ clip that featured Caleb Williams, the USC quarterback was being interviewed by Daboll and the Giants’ offensive coaching staff. New York’s head coach asked the future first overall selection what one play he would choose to run over and over again, and the thorough answer seemed to surprise the entire staff. The play drawn up and chosen by Caleb Williams drew comparison to Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, who Daboll was an offensive coordinator for in 2008 with the New York Jets.
Daboll’s impressed response is extremely significant as he has an immense level of experience as a NFL-level coach, with offensive success while also working with some of the best head coaches in the NFL and in college. The current Giants’ head coach has worked under both legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick and Alabama head coach Nick Saban, and won a National Championship with Saban in 2017. Recently, Daboll has been heralded as one of the best offensive minds in football for his work as offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills and the development of Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen.
The quarterbacks that Daboll has work with during his coaching career matters as much as his lengthy experience when looking at the clip of his staff evaluating Caleb Williams. Although many remember him working with Allen and Farve, it is vital to remember the quarterbacks he oversaw in 2017 when Alabama won the National Championship. The two signals-callers for the Crimson Tide that season were Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Both passers are currently seen as elite quarterbacks in the NFL and each have been named to the Pro Bowl.
Caleb Williams’ explanation of the play also matters to someone like Daboll, given the coaching offensive play-calling philosophy. The specific play drawn up is impressive as the quarterback has three receivers run three different routes that allow separation to be created off each route, as one is helping one another to create spacing. A key feature of Daboll’s offensive scheme is creating space for passing routes by using an individual route to compliment another. Additionally his offensive scheme is built to give the quarterback an option to scramble, something that is one of Caleb Williams’ best strengths.
The Video Clip Also Changed The Perception Of Caleb Williams’ Character
The other positive aspect to the video clip showing Caleb Williams drawing up the play on the board for the Giants’ offensive coaching staff was his calm and collective demeanor. During the time leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft where teams were scouting the USC quarterback, there was a fierce debate on social media regarding the maturity level and character makeup of the eventual first overall selection. Many Bears’ fans, even after the draft, express concerns about Williams’ mental toughness, due to the post-game video of him crying after the loss to Washington back in 2023.
The clip shows a calm and collective Caleb Williams explaining with detail specifically why he chose the playing due to the multiple routes giving him multiple options to throw too. It is especially significant when the other concern that has surrounded him was his ability to decipher defensive schemes and know where to go with the football, and not rely on his elite-level arm strength. The video clearly shows that the rookie quarterback has a desire to win via his game knowledge and not with just physical talent alone.
For media and the part of the fan base that was worried about Chicago’s front office and general manager Ryan Poles being too focused on Williams and potentially risking missing a better quarterback prospect that was proven wrong also. Fellow first-round quarterback, Jayden Daniels, also participated in a combine interview with the Daboll and his coaching staff, and provided a vastly different response to the one provided by the USC quarterback. Daniels’ appeared not ready to answer the question and provided a quick and short response that left the Giants staff visibly intrigued by the non-detailed response.
The difference in responses matters immensely as it demonstrated how ready Caleb Williams was for the moment in expecting a difficult and thought provoking questions from NFL coaching staffs. The rookie quarterback’s ability demonstrated why he was the first overall selection, not just for his supreme physical talent, but also for his high IQ at the quarterback position. Being decisive, confident, and highly knowledgeable in his answer to one of the most innovative offensive minds in the league, in Daboll, shows that Caleb Williams is tracking to live up to his massive hype.
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