Caleb Williams Sets His Eyes on Star WR Prospect Who Ran an Impressive 4.3s 40-Yard Dash at the Scouting Combine

Caleb Williams’ first NFL season didn’t live up to the grand expectations surrounding him and the Bears’ offense. Chicago faithful expected their first overall pick to light up the league, but the O-line ensured that Williams & Co. sputtered, stalled, and ultimately disappointed.

But the past is the past. Now, with a new head coach in Ben Johnson, a revamped roster, and a full offseason ahead, the Bears are focused on equipping Caleb Williams with all the firepower needed to fulfill his potential. And if Williams’ recent social media activity is any indication, he may have already found a receiver prospect in the 2025 draft class.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner recently took to social media to share a clip of Tennessee Volunteers WR Dont’e Thornton Jr.’s 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. The star prospect was one of the surprise standouts, clocking a blazing-fast 4.3-second 40-yard dash.

While the O-line—which caused Caleb to be sacked 68 times last season—should be the Bears’ top priority, let’s not forget that standout WR Keenan Allen is also nearing the end of his career. Replacing him with the highly promising yet under-the-radar Thornton Jr. would be a smart move by GM Ryan Poles.

It especially makes sense since Caleb himself has dropped a subtle but strong hint that he wouldn’t mind his team taking a chance on the speedster.

That said, Caleb wasn’t the only one who seemed impressed by the Tennessee Volunteers WR.

Dont’e Thornton Jr. wows fans with his Combine 40-yard-dash

Before the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, many had an idea about Thornton’s engine. After all, he led Tennessee with 661 receiving yards and 6 TD catches. But did they see the 6’5” 205 205-pound Thornton Jr. have the third-fastest 40-yard dash time [after Maxwell Hairston (4.28) and Matthew Golden (4.29)] at the NFL Combine? Seemingly not.

Tennessee fans, meanwhile, wondered why OC Joey Halzle didn’t make the best of this speedster’s abilities.

Speed kills in the NFL, and Williams seems to know exactly what kind of weapon he needs to take the Bears offense to the next level. With the draft fast approaching, will Chicago listen to its franchise QB and bring in a potential game-breaker? Only time will tell.