One action taken by Caleb Williams that early on in the process attracted Ryan Poles’ attention: report first showed up on NBC Sports Chicago. Caleb Williams, the current quarterback for the Bears, caught the attention of general manager Ryan Poles during a game at Notre Dame. The USC signal caller and his team lost the game 48-20 in South Bend, Indiana.
Williams didn’t look good in it. With just one score and 199 throwing yards by the end of the game, he had thrown three interceptions in the first half. Williams’ detractors who weren’t convinced by his label as a “generational talent” found further ammunition in the game. However, Williams accomplished something throughout the game that attracted Poles’ attention. Williams took a minute to welcome the late great quarterback Joe Montana, who was watching his alma mater play.
On Thursday, Poles told Albert Breer, “They went to do some special teams stuff, he took off his helmet, ran over and shook his hand.” There wasn’t this college anxiety of approaching an adult when a young child approached a quarterback like that, a Hall of Famer, and not as someone they looked up to, even though they weren’t in the same social circle. I was struck by how confident and swagger he exuded, but also displaying a great deal of humility and respect.
There are Bears supporters who have doubts about Williams’ demeanor and mindset. His income from NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) sports is among the highest in history. Furthermore, he exudes the self-assurance and arrogance to declare himself the top quarterback in his class. He has previously expressed interest in following in Tom Brady’s illustrious path. But Williams isn’t rude just because he feels at ease in his own skin. Despite not throwing or competing at the NFL Scouting Combine, he shook hands with the event coordinators who organized everything for the players. The Bears said they had a cordial discussion with him at their meeting in Indianapolis.
Poles noticed such respect and courtesy right away. And it got even more intense when they started assessing and talking to him at his pro day, top-30 visit, and combine. Returning to the Notre Dame game, Poles did not pass up the chance to witness Williams at his lowest point. Poles got a close-up look at him from the sidelines during one of the worst games of his college career.
Even after the interceptions, teammates were quite encouraging, according to Poles. You also observed his irritation since it is important to him. You never saw it get disruptive, though. You never saw him rush off and be alone, separated from his teammates, or teammates flee away from him. You observed him discussing potential options with the coaches.
That’s what the Polish people wanted to see. Of course, Poles weren’t watching Williams toss for 500 yards and six touchdowns. However, he was able to observe a crucial aspect of Williams’ game: his ability to rise above adversity. For Poles, that is the most crucial step in the scouting process. Poles claimed that when observing quarterbacks, body language is more important to observe than actual play. “By watching the tape, you can obtain the game. Really, the way they conduct themselves is pregame. How do they respond when something positive occurs throughout the game? What does it look like on the sidelines in terms of interactions with coaches and other players if it was a poor play or interception?
