It is Williams who made the headlines as the first overall pick after a stellar career first at Oklahoma and later with the University of Southern California (USC).

He won the 2022 Heisman Trophy as the best college player that year, but now faces a bigger challenge in trying to revive the fortunes of one of the oldest and most storied teams in the NFL which has been underachieving for years.

Williams passed for 93 touchdowns and ran in 27 more in his 33 college starts, but now has to turn around a team without a play-off win since 2010.

Chicago have helped him out somewhat as they also used their ninth pick of the draft to select talented Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze as an elite young target – after also adding veteran Keenan Allen earlier in the off-season.

“It’s an honour and a privilege,” a tearful Williams told the NFL Network after being drafted.

“I care about the fans, the community, the players and the coaches and I care about the Chicago Bears.”

Williams and Odunze were on the same flight to Detroit for the draft, and will now be team-mates in the most exciting looking attack in Chicago for years, and the receiver thinks they “can do amazing things”.

“It’s going to take a lot of work, a lot of determination,” Odunze added to NFL Network. “I can tell he has the same determination as I do. He is special.”

The Vikings added to their quarterback pick with another trade to get edge rusher Dallas Turner, while the Los Angeles Rams spent their first pick in the first round since 2017 on another edge rusher in Jared Verse.

Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs made an eye-catching selection as they traded up to get speedy wide receiver Xavier Worthy.

The Texas Longhorns wideout hit the headlines at the NFL Combine by clocking a record time in the 40-yard dash, so will offer Patrick Mahomes another attacking weapon as the Chiefs look to win three titles in a row.