It has barely been two days since the Bears selected Caleb Williams first overall. He has shown great confidence in his new journey in Chicago, even winning over fans with heartwarming gestures like changing his jersey number to 18 to keep teammate Keenan Allen happy. However, while the former USC star is certainly flying high, his team plans to keep him grounded with a surprising move: recruiting a new quarterback.
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As per recent reports, Western Kentucky QB Austin Reed has inked a contract with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. The 6-foot-2-inch playmaker has some serious numbers under his belt; therefore, as soon as the news surfaced online, football enthusiasts didn’t consider pulling their punches. Comments like “He’s better than you” and “He’s gonna take your job” are popping up everywhere.
But the former Trojans QB remains unfazed and actually went on to welcome his new teammate by reposting a report of the signing. His caption read,
“Woahhhhhh!!! Haha o yeaaa”
It can be said with certainty that Caleb Williams has nothing to worry about. Austin first has to outshine the other two QBs, Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien, which won’t be a walk in the park. But the NFL is a cutthroat business, and time and time again, we have witnessed unexpected twists. So the question remains: does Austin Reed truly have the athletic prowess to eventually secure the starting role?
Austin Reed’s Insane Stats as a Hilltopper
After moving from West Florida to Western Kentucky, Austin Reed didn’t take long before clinching the starting role. In 2022 and 2023, he started all 26 games, tallying 71 touchdowns through the air and 12 more scores on the ground. He also accumulated 8,068 yards from 470 attempts, rightfully earning him recognition such as the C-USA Newcomer of the Year (2022) and Second-Team All-CUSA (2022) nods.
Back when he played for the Argonauts in 2019 and 2021, Austin also started all 26 games, even becoming the NCAA Division II champion in his first year. He tallied even more touchdowns in West Florida than with the Hilltoppers: 78. Moreover, he accumulated 7,464 passing yards and nine more rushing touchdowns with the program.
As per WBKO, Austin concluded his tenure as a Hilltopper with more than a few accolades under his belt. He became fourth in program history in passing attempts, fourth in passing yards, and second in TD passes. Now, as he transitions to the big league, Austin will have to show his magic in training camp and at least overcome the third-string QB before him. It will be interesting to see how his journey unfolds.
