Quarterback Caleb Williams to Sky Sports after being drafted by the Chicago Bears: "To be able to look at this crowd, dream of these moments, see many, many, many before me be here, it's an honour and a privilege.

"I care about the fans, the community, the players and the coaches and I care about the Chicago Bears."

He's known for a while that he'd be the first pick, but there's tears in the eyes of Caleb Williams as he strides out onto the stage with real purpose.

He got plenty of boos from the Detroit crowd, which as the QB of their rivals Chicago he better get used to.

Image source, BBC Sport

This is what the Chicago Bears are getting in their new star quarterback.

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The superstar of the 2024 Draft, 22-year-old Caleb Williams has just as much star power off the field as he has ability on it.

There's no real weakness in the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner's game, with an elite arm combined with rare athletic ability - he makes all the right throws at the right times.

He played at Oklahoma before making a rare transfer to USC - where he still played well last year despite his team's poor defence and offensive line issues.

We've got a few athletic QBs in the draft, but what sets Williams apart is his ability to throw on the run with accuracy and power, that makes him a genuine NFL-ready dual threat.

With Patrick Mahomes-type arm angles and a play-extending ability in the Aaron Rodgers mould, the sky's the limit for Williams.

Off the field he does things his way - he paints his nails, has been pictured with a pink phone case, has no problem crying in public and took a trip to Japan just before the draft. He'll make headlines one way or another.

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They made us wait a few minutes, but a smiling Caleb Williams never looked concerned in the green room before he got the call that he officially is the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Williams made one NFL team visit - to the Bears. Chicago met with just one QB at their facility - Williams, this one was never in doubt.

The Bears finished 7-10 last season, they've not had a top quarterback for years, could Williams be the man to revive this famous old franchise?

Chicago last used the first pick in the draft 77 years ago, after so long they hope this one is a hit.

Roger Goodell still gets a chorus of boos - but he finally gets a cheer when he gets the show on the road.

"The 2024 NFL Draft is now underway, the Chicago Bears are now on the clock."

Here comes commissioner Roger Goodell to the stage - and he's brought Eminem with him!

The rapper then introduces some members past and present of his beloved Detroit Lions to a huge ovation from the packed crowd.

Goodell, who traditionally gets booed by fans, really playing up the crowd tonight.

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The Denver Broncos pulled off a surprise in 2010 by trading up to the first round to take someone who wasn't expected to go until at least the third round.

Although quarterback Tim Tebow had been a success at college, there were doubts over whether he had the technical ability to establish himself in the NFL.

Tebow started most of Denver's games in 2011 and during a thrilling run he steered them to four comeback wins. During that run 'Tebowing' became a thing. A devout Christian, he often knelt on the field to pray in a trademark pose.

But eventually his shortcomings were exposed. That off-season free agent Peyton Manning joined Denver, with whom he won his second Super Bowl in 2015, while Tebow was traded to the New York Jets and was out of the league soon after. He then pursued a baseball career before making a brief, unsuccessful return to the NFL with Jacksonville in 2021 - as a tight end.

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Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles simply has to get this pick right - or it will likely cost him his job.

The Bears famously missed out on Patrick Mahomes in 2017 when they picked Mitchel Trubisky instead - in one of many sliding doors moments thrown up in the NFL Draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs of course bagged Mahomes, who has gone on to win three Super Bowls.

Poles was actually with the Chiefs when they drafted Mahomes, so he just can't afford to pass up on a talent like Caleb Williams, can he?

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It could be the biggest sporting event going without any actual sport on show - with another huge crowd gathered in Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft.

It's the hope of a new season, new players and new beginnings that makes this night such a popular one with NFL fans.

And it's almost time...

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Two-time Super Bowl winner quarterback Eli Manning had a memorable introduction to the NFL. He made it clear before the 2004 draft that he didn't want to join the San Diego Chargers, who had the first pick. The Giants, the Mannings felt, were acceptable, so they agreed a trade with the Chargers involving fellow QB Philip Rivers, who the Giants would select with the fourth pick.

But the Mannings still had to go through the motions of going up on stage after the Chargers took him number one and although Eli declined to wear a team hat, Peyton's younger brother couldn't have looked any more awkward as he held up a San Diego jersey, while fans at the venue chanted 'Eli sucks'.

The Giants kept up their end of the bargain by taking Rivers and the deal was done. Eventually Eli got what he wanted and he was off to New York. And it was worth the effort by the Giants as he helped them to two Super Bowl wins.

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Image source, Getty Images

The Lions have drafted four Pro Bowlers in the first round over the last five years – that's the best record in the NFL.

In all rounds the Lions have picked out seven Pro Bowlers in the last five years, only the Dallas Cowboys can beat that with eight.

Who will the home team draft tonight?

The last player selected in the draft is known as 'Mr Irrelevant'. Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Paul Salata founded the nickname in 1976 and established 'Irrelevant Week',, external a string of events to "celebrate football's underdog" and raise money for charity.

Each year Salata, who died in 2021 aged 94, would announce the last pick, with his daughter taking over in 2014, and invite him to spend a week being feted in California.

After being selected with the 262nd and final pick in 2022, Brock Purdy took up the offer, which included sailing, surfing, a visit to a baseball game and a pub crawl with fans. He was showered with gifts and embraced his new nickname, wearing a 49ers jersey with 'Mr Irrelevant 262' on the back.

Yet the quarterback ended the season one game short of the Super Bowl after being thrust into the San Francisco 49ers' starting line-up in December, starting his NFL career with a remarkable winning run.

I'm told he's no longer keen on the nickname. After all, he's an established NFL starter now and managed to reach the Super Bowl in his second season, with the 49ers losing to Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs in February.

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Image source, Getty Images

Former NFL quarterback and now TV analyst Chris Simms on Caleb Williams:

"One of the most talented quarterbacks I've ever evaluated and one of the greatest throwers in college football history.

"He has poise and patience in the pocket that has matured way beyond his years. Maximising plays, different arm angles, and the rare ability to see the rush but still see down the field and make good decisions is off the charts good.

Slam dunk, Caleb Williams number one to the Chicago Bears, number 13 coming to a theatre near you. And they should be happy."

This Bears fan looks rather excited about the prospect of Chicago taking Caleb Williams at number one.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Aaron Rodgers grew up a San Francisco 49ers fan having spent most of his childhood in California. He came into the 2005 draft as one of the top quarterback prospects and his beloved 49ers had the first pick.

But the 49ers went for Alex Smith and, to add insult to injury, Rodgers just kept on falling. He cut a lonely figure in the green room and the colour drained from his face as he ended up waiting for four-and-a-half hours before he finally got the call, from the Green Bay Packers, with the 24th pick.

"I want to go to a team that wants me," Rodgers said at the time. "They (the 49ers) obviously didn't want me and didn't think I was going to help the team out. Green Bay does."

He had to wait three years to succeed Brett Favre but in his third season as a starter, Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl win. He was also named the NFL MVP four times before leaving for the New York Jets last year.

Smith never reached the big show and was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013, then Washington in 2018, but after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020, Patrick Mahomes praised Smith for helping him make the transition to the NFL when he was Smith's back-up in his rookie year, 2017.

Former Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah on Sky Sports: "I think more teams will trade for defensive tackles than quarterbacks tonight. A number of teams need one, including the team that lifted the Lombardi trophy last year."

The Jets' senior football advisor Phil Savage gave me the lowdown this week on how NFL teams approach the draft.

There are thousands of college graduates to choose from and NFL teams tend to rank draft prospects from one to 150 "vertically", and have looked at the top 120 "with a fine toothcomb".

Savage said the key is trying to find continuity and consistency with your programme and the type of players you're drafting year after year.

He also said to ignore the "fog of confusion" that comes from mock drafts and the pre-draft speculation and to "stay true" to what the scout reports said in the fall.

And teams used to have a two-minute cut-out to see if a trade was in place for their pick. With improvements in technology, they now run the clock up to the last 30-45 seconds before handing in their pick.

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr on X: "Man [nothing motivated] me more than watching the NFL draft every year and hoping that'd be me... and now I'm here."

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The New York Jets’ senior football advisor Phil Savage told BBC Sport: “I think the first pick will be Caleb Williams. There’s really been no deviation from the Bears. They have been fairly engaged with him, at least publicly, for the last few months and not necessarily with some of the other quarterbacks.

“It’d be the greatest smokescreen in NFL history if they turn a different name in. But if that does happen, he won’t fall far, he’ll go number two.”

The Bears have had positive talks with Williams at the NFL Combine, USC's Pro Day and his team visit to Chicago.