Freshmen don’t typically start at quarterback for Gonzaga College High School, a football powerhouse in the District. But Caleb Williams, now a rookie sensation with the Chicago Bears, wasn’t an ordinary freshman.
Four years removed from an illustrious high school career, the No. 1 overall draft pick returns to his hometown on Sunday as the 4-2 Bears take on the 5-2 Washington Commanders, who hope to start No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels at quarterback.
Before he became a Heisman Trophy winner at USC and a potential franchise quarterback in Chicago, Williams shocked his coaches and teammates as a 15-year-old at Gonzaga.
“We had an idea that he was talented,” Gonzaga coach Randy Trivers said, noting that Williams started making highlight-reel throws in training camp. “You think, ‘That’s a really uniquely outstanding play.’ Then you might see him make that same play a few days later, and then maybe another at the next practice, and then another one. This guy makes extraordinary things happen.”
Though there were some slight hiccups and growing pains, Williams impressed Trivers and his teammates almost immediately. The arm talent jumped out — the youngster could easily fire a laser beam from a hashmark to the opposite sideline in a throw that can stress even the strongest of high school arms.
But the freshman’s off-field qualities were even rarer.
“For him to be a freshman leading the team was impressive, and he was always super calm,” said New York Jets offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, who was a year ahead of Williams at Gonzaga. “You’d never know anything was bothering him.”
Fashanu and Trivers both have memories of vintage Williams games. A performance against rival DeMatha High School where he ran for a touchdown, threw for a touchdown and caught a touchdown. A playoff game where he carried the ball like a halfback. A conference championship game where he willed the team to victory with a Hail Mary as time expired.
It was hard for them to single out too many individual performances — he was always elite, even when his squad trailed by multiple possessions.
“His ability to, in critical situations, to maintain a sense of poise and belief,” Trivers said of Williams’ most impressive trait. “It’s much easier for an athlete to do well and feel good about himself when things are going well.”
Trivers’ praise of Williams echoes the compliments that the Commanders have showered on Daniels to start his NFL career. Whether they call it poise, focus or levelheadedness, the LSU product has impressed.
Through seven games, Daniels has secured five Rookie of the Week awards, posting an NFL-best 75.6% completion percentage with 1,410 yards and six touchdowns as a passer. His dynamic running ability has immediately translated to the professional level — he ranks second among quarterbacks with 372 yards rushing this year.
Williams hasn’t had the same electric start to his NFL career. The District native stumbled out of the gate, mirroring the beginning of his high school career.
“His first couple possessions weren’t necessarily the greatest,” Trivers’ said of Williams’ first start in 2017. “But then he cut it loose.”
In Week 1, Williams struggled against an unimposing Tennessee Titans defense, throwing for just 93 yards while completing less than half of his passes.
That was September, though.
In two October games, the USC product has thrown for 530 yards, six touchdowns and a lone interception. It didn’t take long for him to adjust to the NFL.
“As a rookie, there’s a lot they throw at you and there’s all these expectations to pick it up and perform at the highest level,” said Fashanu, who was selected 10 picks after Williams in the draft. “He has tons of pressure as the No. 1 pick, and what he’s been able to do is incredible.”
Daniels and Williams will be tied together, constantly compared and contrasted, throughout their professional careers as the top two picks in this year’s draft.
“Feels great, obviously he’s on the same NFC side, so I’ll be seeing him a good amount,” Williams acknowledged. “We’ll see from this game and then in the future, it’s going to be great for us and the battle between us, as [the media] wants to talk about.”
But Washington’s potential franchise quarterback could miss this week’s highly anticipated matchup.
Daniels did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday as he recovered from a rib injury. Commanders coach Dan Quinn said he might not know until Friday afternoon whether his rookie quarterback will be healthy enough to take the field on Sunday.
If Daniels is unable to play, the task will fall to another former No. 2 pick in 30-year-old journeyman Marcus Mariota.
Williams said he hopes Daniels takes the field, but Chicago’s signal-caller doesn’t publicly embrace the No. 1 vs. No. 2 storylines. He doesn’t show any extra anxiety from being the face of a franchise or potentially squaring off against a fellow first-round pick.
But returning to the D.C. area, which Williams has done only a handful of times since graduating from high school, is special.
“Being able to go back and share the experience, it’s gonna be great, gonna be fun,” Williams said. “To come out with the win is going to be most important.”
The Bears quarterback has already exhausted his allotted tickets for Sunday’s game. He said he still has to figure out how to accommodate the people who want to come out to support the hometown kid over the hometown team.
“I’m a Caleb Williams fan,” said Trivers, who noted that his family is full of Commanders supporters. “Hate me or whatever, but I’m rooting for No. 18 every step of the way.”
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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