Caleb Williams cracked ESPN’s top-10 quarterbacks on 13 July 2026, finishing 10th in a coaches’, executives’ and scouts’ poll released Monday morning. The Bears rookie sat one spot above Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff and two spots clear of Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love, vaulting past Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels.
How the vote broke down
More than 70 voters cast ballots for ESPN’s annual quarterback ranking, asked to pick the best current players without regard to past success or future projections. ESPN broke ties with extra research and interviews, and the tiebreaker that lifted Williams above Darnold, Love and Daniels was that voters found him the most difficult quarterback to gameplan against.
The highest single-vote ranking for Williams came from a coach who placed him sixth overall. Others left him out of their top 10 entirely, underscoring split opinions on his 2025 debut. Anonymous voters praised his clutch closing ability but flagged an early-game tendency to miss reads and throw behind receivers.
What the Bears’ own film shows
Chicago’s internal review mirrors the public scouting: Williams is elite when the game tightens but still hunts hero throws early instead of sticking to the script. The Bears’ offensive staff has drilled a quicker, more disciplined process into the 2024 No. 1 pick, hoping to smooth out the peaks and valleys.
Fox analyst Mark Schlereth recently labeled Williams “not a good quarterback because he doesn’t play on schedule,” a critique rooted in those early-game erratic stretches rather than the fourth-quarter magic Williams already owns.
The full top tier
Josh Allen led the poll at No. 1, followed by Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye and Goff rounded out spots six through nine. Honorable mention nods went to Darnold, Love, Daniels, Brock Purdy, Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence and Jalen Hurts, with Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud and Daniel Jones each drawing at least one vote.
What comes next for Williams
The Bears open training camp on 26 July 2026 in Lake Forest, where Williams will face his stiffest test yet: proving the 2025 flashes weren’t a mirage. A faster, more structured start could vault him into the top five by next year’s poll—and silence the skeptics who still cite his early-season lapses.
Chicago’s first preseason game is 8 August 2026 at Soldier Field against the Broncos. Williams will get his first live look at NFL-level competition before the Bears’ Week 1 tilt against the Packers on 7 September 2026.