The Bears made only five selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, but sometimes quality outweighs quantity.
With two top ten picks -- including the No. 1 overall selection -- the Bears aimed to fundamentally rewrite the identity of their franchise. A year and a half later, it's clear they may have done exactly that.
Round 1, Pick 1 — Caleb Williams, QB, USC
All the talent in the world.
That’s been the scouting report on Williams from the moment he stepped on a football field, and it remains true as he's entered his first full season under new head coach Ben Johnson -- the offensive mastermind imported from Detroit to be his long-term architect.
Williams isn’t just Chicago’s quarterback. He’s the face of the franchise -- the player who will determine its direction for the next decade.
His arm talent is rare, his creativity outside structure is unmatched, and he has real weaponry around him, along with a retooled front five to keep him upright.
With playmakers at every position, Williams is positioned for success -- but with that comes pressure. He was the first quarterback taken in a loaded 2024 QB class and will forever be compared to his peers. If he becomes the savior Chicago hopes, he’ll be a legend. If he falters, the franchise could be set back years.
Round 1, Pick 9 — Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Just eight picks later, Chicago doubled down and grabbed their WR1 of the future. Rome Odunze has already topped 1,000 yards in his young career and has eight total touchdowns -- five of them coming early in Year 2 through just five games of the 2025 season.
Odunze is everything you want from a modern X receiver -- big, physical, polished, and capable of running the full route tree. He’s dominant at the catch point, smart against zone, and competitive after the catch.
The Bears didn’t just get their signal-caller of the future -- they also got his long-term running mate.
Round 3, Pick 75 — Kiran Amegadjie, OL, Yale
A small-school riser with tackle and guard flexibility, Amegadjie was drafted while still recovering from a nagging quad injury that limited his pre-draft exposure. Scouts were intrigued by his size and athletic tools, but he’s had a minimal impact so far in Chicago. He remains a developmental depth piece, capable of plugging in across the line but not yet ready for a full-time role. He was recently placed on IR.
Round 4, Pick 122 — Tory Taylor, P, Iowa
Drafting a punter in the fourth round may have raised eyebrows -- but Taylor has validated the decision.
The Australian-born specialist who became a star at Iowa. Taylor had one of the biggest legs to enter the league in years with the directional ability to drop into a bucket inside the 10.
He routinely flips the field, pins offenses deep, and changes the game in a phase most fans overlook. Few punters can legitimately be called impact players -- Taylor is one.
Round 5, Pick 144 — Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas
Booker entered the league as a project player -- long, athletic, and explosive, but raw. Scouts believed that if he had returned to school for one more year, he might’ve gone two rounds earlier. Instead, Chicago took the swing early.
Now into Year 2, Booker has been seen as a rotational presence off the edge, but the proverbial light bulb hasn’t fully clicked yet. The upside is still there -- but he’ll need to make a leap soon to avoid being lost in the rotation.
Overall, five picks.
Two potential franchise cornerstones at quarterback and wide receiver. One elite special teams weapon. Two long-term developmental pieces.
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The 2024 class may be small, but if Williams and Odunze continue to evolve, it will go down as one of the most impactful drafts in Bears history. The future of the franchise now rests on their shoulders, and for once, Chicago looks equipped to build around them.