Bears are confident Caleb Williams is ready to handle the increased spotlight that comes with being on 'Hard Knocks'

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) – Before he ever takes a snap in an NFL game, Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will be under an intense microscope.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams was quickly named the Bears’ starting quarterback and will lead a team with legitimate playoff aspirations. With that as the backdrop, the national focus on Williams and the Bears will also increase as HBO’s “Hard Knocks” docuseries will chronicle the team in training camp.

That could create more distractions and pressure for Williams, but the Bears aren’t concerned at all with how he will handle it.

“He's comfortable in his own skin,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said. “He knows who he is. (And) he's been out there for a few years.”

The Bears are confident in the infrastructure they’re put in place around the 22-year-old Williams, including several new offensive assistants and added playmakers on that side of the ball. They believe it will all help foster Williams' growth.

Part of the Bears’ pre-draft evaluation process of Williams focused on how he has handled adversity and scrutiny, and what they saw and heard confirmed their belief in him. Williams was a five-star high school recruit, won the Heisman Trophy at USC in 2022 and became the posterchild of college sports’ NIL movement.

The Bears are scheduled to begin training camp in mid-July, which represents an early start in conjunction with the team playing in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1. “Hard Knocks” will run for five episodes and premieres Aug. 6.

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 .