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QUARTERBACKS WILLIAMS, DANIELS, MAYE, PENIX, MCCARTHY, AND NIX SELECTED IN TOP 12 OF NFL DRAFT

Caleb Williams. AP Photo 

DETROIT (AP) — Caleb Williams swiftly walked on stage, looked out and screamed “Woooo! Yeah!”

Long-suffering Bears fans felt his joy.

Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.

“My goal is to get into as far as February as I can,” Williams said, referring to playing in a Super Bowl for a team that hasn't hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in nearly 40 years.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner kicked off an historic NFL draft Thursday night that had five other teams selecting quarterbacks among the top 12 picks, setting a record with five in the top 10 and tying a record for the most in the first round.

Nearly the entire first half of the draft was offensive players.

A defensive player wasn’t selected until UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu went at No. 15 to Indianapolis. That's the latest a first defensive player has ever gone.

The Bears opened with the easy choice, taking Williams at No. 1 after deciding weeks ago to bank on the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from USC.

“Care, love and support and want to win,” Williams said about what he's bringing to Chicago.

The Washington Commanders followed up by taking 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels from LSU and the New England Patriots took North Carolina's Drake Maye at No. 3, making it the fourth draft with quarterbacks going with the first three picks.

At No. 8, the Atlanta Falcons made a stunning decision to choose Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. despite signing Kirk Cousins to a massive contract in free agency. The Minnesota Vikings traded up one spot and took J.J. McCarthy, who led Michigan to a national championship, to make it five QBs in the top 10 for the first time.

The Denver Broncos chose Oregon's Bo Nix with the 12th pick, tying the 1983 draft with six QBs in the first round. Three of those became Hall of Famers — John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly.

The Arizona Cardinals snapped the early QB trend, choosing Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth pick. The Los Angeles Chargers opened the Jim Harbaugh era by taking Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt instead of giving Justin Herbert a No. 1 wide receiver to replace Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

The New York Giants then snatched up LSU receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6. The Tennessee Titans took Alabama offensive tackle J.C. Latham with the seventh pick and the Bears selected Washington wideout Rome Odunze at No. 9.

The New York Jets, who dropped to No. 11, chose offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, giving Aaron Rodgers more protection. The Las Vegas Raiders got Georgia tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13. The New Orleans Saints took Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga with the 14th pick before the Colts grabbed Latu.

Previously, the latest a first defensive player was selected was No. 8. The Seattle Seahawks took Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy next and the Vikings made another trade to move up and take Alabama edge Dallas Turner at No. 17.

The Cincinnati Bengals chose Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims and the Los Angeles Rams got Florida State edge Jared Verse at No. 19, the team's first selection in the first round since taking Jared Goff at No. 1 in 2016.

Wearing a navy suit with silver accents and flashing a big smile, Williams gave Roger Goodell a bear hug, careful not to squeeze too hard because the NFL commissioner had back surgery three weeks ago.

Rap icon Eminem walked on stage in a Lions sweatshirt and cap shortly after Goodell to start the festivities. The Motor City native riled up the fans before turning it over to Lions stars Goff, Aidan Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson.

St. Brown led them in chanting “Jar-ed Goff!” and Johnson kept it short: “Whaddup doe?”

An estimated crowd of 275,000, many wearing their Honolulu blue Lions jerseys, filled the streets surrounding the draft theater and turned the NFL’s biggest offseason event into a giant party.

They roared when the Lions moved up five spots in a trade with Dallas and took Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold with the 24th pick.

The 22-year-old Williams is the third quarterback Chicago has selected in the first round in the past eight years, joining Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields. They passed up on Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud last year and traded the No. 1 pick to Carolina in a blockbuster deal only to get the top choice this year after the Panthers went 2-15.

Williams shouted “Da Bears!” to finish his first news conference as a pro.

A dual-threat player with a strong arm and ability to improvise, Williams threw 93 touchdown passes and ran for 27 scores in three seasons at Oklahoma and USC.

The 23-year-old Daniels, who played three seasons at Arizona State and two at LSU, led the nation in total offense last season with 4,946 yards.

“I don’t let football define me, who I am as a human being,” Daniels said. "This is something I do and I’m passionate about it.”

Maye is the second QB the Patriots have selected in the first round since Tom Brady left. Mac Jones didn’t work out and now it’s Maye’s turn to be the man in a new era that starts without longtime coach Bill Belichick.

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected versatile Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu at No. 20. Penn State edge Chop Robinson went next to the Miami Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles went with Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.

Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 23. After the Lions took Arnold, the Green Bay Packers selected Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton.

Missouri edge Darius Robinson went to Arizona. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs made a deal with AFC rival Buffalo to move up and take Texas wideout Xavier Worthy at No. 28.

The Cowboys chose Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton and the Baltimore Ravens got Clemson defensive back Nate Wiggins.

The defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers added another playmaker, taking Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall and the Carolina Panthers made a trade to get South Carolina wideout Xavier Legette with the last pick of the first round at No. 32.

- ROB MAADDI

'FOOTBALL PERSONIFIED': LA CHARGERS HIRE HARBAUGH AS HEAD COACH

USA TODAY Sports 

The Los Angeles Chargers have hired Jim Harbaugh as their next head coach, the team announced on Wednesday, marking his return to the NFL ranks after spending the last nine years with Michigan.

Harbaugh led the 15-0 Wolverines to a national title this past season, ending his alma mater's 26-year championship drought.

He will now take the helm of a Chargers club he used to play for that finished an abysmal 5-12 last season.

"Jim Harbaugh is football personified, and I can think of no one better to lead the Chargers forward," team owner Dean Spanos said in a statement.

"Jim has led hundreds of men to success everywhere he's been — as their coach. And today, Jim Harbaugh returns to the Chargers, this time as our coach. Who has it better than us?"

NCAA - MICHIGAN BEAT WASHINGTON TO WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, FINISH SEASON 15-0

USA TODAY Sports 

Michigan's rushing attack overpowered Washington as the Wolverines emerged with 34-13 victory on Monday to snap a 26-year national championship drought and cap an undefeated season.

Donovan Edwards ran for two long first-quarter touchdowns and Blake Corum punched it in twice in the fourth quarter for the favored Wolverines, who limited the Huskies' vaunted offense to a single touchdown.

"15-0," Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said as blue and yellow confetti rained down on the field in Houston.

"Took on all comers and we're the last ones standing. Champions."

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS BECOME 1ST TEAM TO CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH AFTER PACKERS' LOSS TO GIANTS

The San Francisco 49ers have been the top dog in the NFC this season, and they are now the first team to secure an NFL Playoff berth.

The 49ers win over the Seattle Seahawks 28-16 on Sunday and the the Green Bay Packers loss to the New York Giants on Monday night locked in San Francisco's spot in the playoffs.

MICHIGAN'S JIM HARBAUGH SAYS HE.WOULD TAKE LESS SALARY IF IT MEANT COLLEGE ATHLETES WORLD BE PAID

AP Photo 

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is ready to take less money if it means college football players and other athletes would be paid.

“For the players to be compensated, I'm using my voice, and I would take less money for the players to have a share. I hope other coaches would use their voice to express the same thing," Harbaugh said Sunday.

Harbaugh, a longtime advocate for paying players, made his comment during a news conference to preview his team's Big Ten championship game against Iowa on Saturday in Indianapolis. He said he was reminded of the sacrifice athletes make when offensive lineman Zak Zinter broke his leg in the third quarter of the Wolverines' 30-24 win over Ohio State.

JIM HARBAUGH PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER MICHIGAN BEAT PENN STATE

 

MICHIGAN IS ACCUSED OF STEALING OTHER TEAM'S SIGNS | HERE IS WHY ITS COACH JUST GOT BQNNED FOR THREE GAMES

Cory Morse | MLive.com

The football program at the University of Michigan, among the favorites to play for the national championship, has become embroiled in an alleged sign-stealing scheme that involved impermissible, in-person scouting of opponents going back as long as three seasons.

Both the NCAA and the Big Ten Conference, of which Michigan is a member, have been looking into the claims for at least three weeks while the second-ranked Wolverines (9-0) continue their season. Coach Jim Harbaugh has denied any knowledge of any kind of improper scouting scheme in his program.

The NCAA investigation is likely to take weeks if not months. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, who has had the job for about six months after a career in Major League Baseball and television, decided to take more immediate action: He banned Harbaugh from coaching in the team's final three regular-season games, including Saturday's showdown at No. 9 Penn State.

JIM HARBAUGH SUSPENDED | REACTION FROM ACROSS ESPN NETWORKS | ESPN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

JIM HARBAUGH AND MICHIGAN UNDER INVESTIGATION

IS JIM HARBAUGH “INCAPABLE” OF BEATING OHIO STATE? | ESPN