One thing about Caleb Williams that became evident even before he hit puberty was his desire to work with the best. He and his father crafted a long-term plan where they would do everything necessary to help him become a quarterback in the NFL. It was Williams’ dream, and he was willing to put in the work to get there. That meant finding the right people to help him. This is how he came into contact with Will Hewlett, a prominent quarterback tutor who has mentored young men at the position for over a decade. He has worked with Williams personally since junior high.
That gives him a unique perspective on what the young quarterback brings to the Chicago Bears. Hewlett has benefited from working with multiple players who went from high school to the NFL. One thing he had to note from the outset is no prospect is built the same. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. His job was helping to maximize the former and improve the latter. Succeeding in such efforts can lead to incredible stories. Hewlett found that out when one of his understudied, a young man named Brock Purdy, became an instant NFL sensation.
He told the story to Bill Zimmerman on the Bears Banter podcast.
Purdy proves Hewlett was a good mentor for Caleb Williams.
While not as talented as the #1 overall pick, Purdy does have a similar style of play and body type. He’s a bit undersized, mobile, and accurate. He also had a certain charisma and self-confidence that teammates gravitated to immediately. Injuries forced the San Francisco 49ers to thrust him into the lineup late in the 2022 season. He won seven games in a row to reach the NFC championship. A year later, he threw for over 4,000 yards, 31 touchdowns, went 12-4, and reached the Super Bowl. Only Patrick Mahomes managed to stop him, and it took overtime to do it.
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Hewlett believes Caleb Williams has that same capability and more. The challenge is whether he can land in a similar situation that will nurture and support him like San Francisco. The coach thinks Chicago has done exactly that. They’ve surrounded him with a capable cast of weapons and put Shane Waldron in charge of his development. Hewlett is a big admirer of the new Bears offensive coordinator. The only thing left is for Williams to seize the opportunity just like Purdy did.
Interesting take here is the high regard for S Waldron. I believe hiring S Waldron was one of the best moves in the NFL this off-season. S Waldron just has an uncanny ability to find ways not just to maximize individual player’s strengths into his game plan, but to maximize the strengths of all his player’s combined into a blend of team schemes. It is going to result in one of the best offenses the Bears have ever fielded on game day. Welcome to the modern era of the NFL Chicago!
Another positive connection is great for expectations. Now find another way to improve the OL while keeping Jenkins at either LG or RG.