The first night of the 2024 NFL Draft was full of excitement, but the beginning of the draft was pretty chalky. Most of the top picks were exactly as predicted, including Caleb Williams going to the Chicago Bears with the first overall pick. Even though it was predictable, Bears fans were understandably hyped. So hyped in fact, that they broke a Fanatics record for merchandise sales.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Chicago’s No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams broke the Fanatics record for draft night merchandise sales for any draft pick in any sport, beating the previous record set last week by Caitlin Clark.
For comparison, Caitlin Clark's jersey sold out of most sizes within one hour of being drafted by the Indiana Fever earlier this month.
Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears was one of the worst kept secrets in the NFL. Practically everyone in the NFL knew that the Bears were going to select Williams with the first overall pick. He will have high expectations right away in Chicago.
Williams wore No. 13 in college at both Oklahoma and USC. He spoke before being selected by the Bears about letting newly acquired wide receiver Keenan Allen keep the number he's donned for his entire NFL career.
“If it was the Bears, I couldn't tell you,” Williams said. “Because if I went there, there's a 13-year Hall of Fame vet. So that would be tough. But yeah. We'll see.”
The Chicago Bears also add wide receiver Rome Odunze in the 2024 NFL Draft
The Bears used the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.
He is a consensus top three wide receiver in this year's draft and falls to the Bears at nine.
Odunze is a former team captain who boasts impressive size and elite ball skills. He is a contested catch monster who knows how to use his tall frame to bully smaller defenders and make impressive catches. This could make him a mismatch weapon in the NFL against smaller slot cornerbacks, especially in the red zone. Odunze was an AP All-American two years in a row and finished his collegiate career as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.
Adding Williams and Odunze in the first round is considered a best-case scenario for the Bears by many NFL draft analysts. It also sets both players up for immediate success in their rookie seasons.
Caleb Williams will have a strong supporting cast in his rookie season. He will have a complete arsenal of offensive weapons to choose from, including Odunze, D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and tight end Cole Kmet.
Odunze was drafted one pick after his former QB Michael Penix Jr. was selected by the Atlanta Falcons at eighth overall. This was the first bombshell surprise of the draft, considering that Kirk Cousins signed a lucrative contract with the team in March. Odunze defended Michael Penix Jr. yesterday on The Rich Eisen Show and claimed that Penix Jr. was worthy of being a first-round pick. He probably wasn't expecting Penix Jr. to be drafted ahead of him though.
The 2024 NFL Draft resumes tonight at 7PM EST in Detroit.
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