The Chicago Bears have not had a strong history of developing quarterbacks. With that in mind, Caleb Williams, the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, reportedly was considering doing whatever it took to avoid being selected by them. This revelation has some NFL fans wondering if possible No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Arch Manning, will follow in his footsteps.
According to Seth Wickersham's new book "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback," Williams' dad, Carl, went to great lengths to try and see if his son could bypass getting drafted by the Bears. The idea of joining the UFL and signing as an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season was one thought Carl had.
Ultimately, Caleb decided he'd play for the Bears and had a somewhat disappointing rookie year in Chicago. Still, NFL fans can't help but wonder if Caleb flirting with the idea of avoiding becoming the next failed Bears quarterback will lead to a player like Manning doing the same with a different team in the not-too-distant future.
Caleb Williams might have given Arch Manning blueprint to dictate NFL future
If he does, it wouldn't be the first time a Manning would try and dictate how his NFL Draft process would play out. Eli Manning, Arch's uncle, wanted no part of being selected by the San Diego Chargers, who had the No. 1 overall pick back in 2004. The Chargers ultimately did draft Manning, but he was soon traded to the New York Giants and went on to have an illustrious career.
Doing this in the present day, with how social media works, would be difficult. Every player wants what's best for himself, but can Arch realistically deal with the scrutiny he'd undoubtedly receive if he essentially picked where he played without having accomplished a single thing at the NFL level? It'd be hard to blame Manning for choosing to avoid going to a situation that doesn't look good for his chances to succeed, but it still takes a lot to muster up the courage to actually make a scene.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Manning has the resources to pull this off, given what his uncle did and what Williams appeared close to doing. If he plays his way into being the clear-cut No. 1 overall pick, he'd have the leverage to potentially follow Williams' footsteps. Whether he does or not, though, will be an interesting storyline to follow throughout this upcoming season.