An organization does not always deserve to be selected first overall in back-to-back NFL drafts. For the second year in a row, the Chicago Bears possess the top pick, but they chose not to utilize it in 2023. Caleb Williams, the quarterback for USC and the likely top choice, will find himself in a fantastic scenario when the Bears select him in April.
Not counting the Bears this year, an NFL team has had back-to-back first-overall selections four times in the last thirty years. Dan Wilkinson and Ki-Jana Carter were selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1994–1995.
In 1999–2000 with Tim Couch and Courtney Brown, and in 2017–18 with Myles Garrett and Baker Mayfield, the Cleveland Browns accomplished this twice. The Jacksonville Jaguars most recently drafted Travon Walker in 2022 and Trevor Lawrence in 2021.
The Bears acquired DJ Moore, their first pick in the 2024 draft, and additional items from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for their first pick in 2023. However, Carolina finished the season with the lowest record, and the Chicago Bears profited from it. It’s interesting to watch how this issue plays out because it’s unlike most others in the past.
Dan Orlovsky, an NFL analyst, has been particularly outspoken this offseason. Orlovsky repeatedly said that Chicago should select LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels as quarterback.
However, Orlovsky recently talked about how fantastic of a situation it is that the Bears may draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
Orlovsky proceeded to describe the 1989 Indianapolis Colts, who selected Illinois quarterback Jeff George in the 1990 NFL draft, as the last team with a No. 1 pick with a better record (8-8) the previous season.
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