Caleb Williams Turns Heads With Confident Response to Stephen A. Smith's CJ Stroud Comparison

Caleb Williams did not make his preseason debut on Thursday night during the NFL's Hall of Fame Game. However, his confidence seems to be at an all-time high despite the pressure of being the new face of the franchise for the Chicago Bears. That confidence was on full display on Friday morning while making a guest appearance on ESPN's First Take .

Stephen A. Smith hyped up Williams and the Bears roster before then comparing the rookie quarterback to Houston Texans star CJ Stroud. Stroud had arguably the best rookie season in league history. But it sounds like Williams believes he can do something similar.

Smith stated that Stroud played incredibly well with talent around him in Houston. The popular sports analyst then asked, "Is it wrong for me to say I saw C.J. Stroud do that last year in Houston, I think [you] could do that [in Chicago]?" Williams answered confidently with just one word. "No."

Of course, Williams has to prove himself as a rookie. But it's hard not to notice how well the Bears have set him up for success. General manager Ryan Poles made sure to improve the wide receiver room after trading for Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers. Additionally, Chicago selected rookie Rome Odunze as well. Those two star wide receivers join DJ Moore, giving Williams plenty to work with in the passing game.

That's not including other guys on the offense like Cole Kmet and D'Andre Swift. Additionally, Chicago has made some improvements to the offensive line and defense. The Bears could be a problem in the NFC North this year especially if Williams lives up to the hype.

But can he put up similar numbers as Stroud did in his rookie campaign? Stroud finished the 2023-24 season with 4,108 yards, 26 total touchdowns, and a 63.9 completion percentage. Williams will have to be on point to come close to those stats.

The Bears rookie quarterback certainly has it in him to put up big numbers. During his time playing for the USC Trojans, Williams played as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation. He won the Heisman Trophy for his efforts in 2022 then followed that up with another impressive year finishing with 3,633 passing yards, 41 total touchdowns, and a 68.6 completion percentage.

Chicago kicks off the regular season on September 8 against the Tennessee Titans. Williams is expected to make his pro debut for that matchup. Considering Tennessee made big time additions to the secondary in L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, this could be a fun contest to start the regular season.

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