Bears Complete Visit with Caleb Williams; Rome Odunze Next

The top-30 visits to Halas Hall are underway and Caleb Williams made his Wednesday, while Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze is up on Thursday.

By Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams talks with Bears QB coach Kerry Joseph at the combine. Williams was at Halas Hall Wednesday.
Caleb Williams talks with Bears QB coach Kerry Joseph at the combine. Williams was at Halas Hall Wednesday. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams got a good taste of what Chicago is like much of the football season.

The Southern California quarterback visited Chicago and Halas Hall the last two days, according to sources, and got to experience miserable cold, rainy and snowy weather so bad it forced postponement of White Sox-Atlanta Braves game.

Williams had been the first player to refuse to take medical tests at the NFL Scouting Combine and the trip to Halas Hall was viewed by the Bears as a chance to give him a physical and make sure there are no previously revealed problems.

Players are not allowed to actually work out on these 30 predraft visits known as top-30 visits.

Teams are allowed to work out players who visit and are from their immediate geographical areas or from colleges in those areas. Those visits do not count among their 30 allowed visits by players.

Williams has been expected to be the first pick in the draft by the Bears since the trade of Justin Fields March 16. The Bears haven't confirmed their intention but have made it very obvious. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Wednesday it is likely to be the only top-30 visit made by Williams.

The top-30 visits will continue with the Bears hosting Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze, according to ESPN.

Williams was in town the night before the visit and went to dinner with the Bears brass. They were at Sophia Steak in Lake Forest, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. He said about a half-dozen other players visited and were at Eddie Merlot's in Lake Forest for dinner.

Here are visits planned or made.

  • QB Caleb Williams, USC
  • RB Dylan Laube, New Hampshire (Destin Adams, A to Z Sports)
  • T Kiran Amegadije, Yale (source)
  • WR Rome Odunze, Washington (Brady Henderson, ESPN)
  • CB Elijah Jones, Boston College (Ryan Fowler, The Draft Network)
  • CB Cam Hart, Notre Dame (Justin Melo, The Draft Network)
  • C Zach Frazier, West Virginia (Fowler)
  • DE Dallas Turner, Alabama (Tom Pelissero, NFL Network)
  • CB Nehemiah Pritchett, CB, Auburn (Melo)
  • TE Brock Bowers, Georgia (Tony Pauline, Sportskeeda)
  • CB Jha'Quan Jackson, Tulane (Fowler)

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven