© Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK
One Final Call on Who the Bears Draft with All Four Picks
Caleb Williams is the no-brainer for the Bears and after him much depends on who is taken where ahead of their pick as they address needs.
With the envelope about to go up to commissioner Roger Goodell, it's time to make the call.
Unlike mock drafts, this is not a scenario based on specific players being taken by someone else or chosen by a computer.
This is a gut call for each Bears pick based on everything which has led up to this moment both with the Bears, the talent pool and other teams' interests but with no specific scenario involved.
Call it a crystal ball. BearDigest foresees...
Round 1
1. QB Caleb Williams, USC
This is like being given a gimmee on the golf course from a foot away, or one of those betting sites where they give you your first bet for free. Too bad you can't do this with the lottery.
Everyone knows it's Williams to the Bears unless someone intervenes and substitutes a ringer, à la the great Walter Sobchak in "The Big Lebowski." Better check that envelope before someone runs it up to Goodell. You never know when someone switched the envelopes.
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It's the only way Williams is not coming to Chicago.
After 93 touchdown passes, only 14 interceptions, with that uncanny knack for sensing pressure and moving in and out of the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield, Williams should be able to break the hearts of opposing defenses.
Critics have gone over him with a fine-toothed comb and could only come up with he holds the ball too long. When his stats are broken down, though, while in the pocket he does not hold it too long. PFF has tracked his time to throw from in a clean pocket at 2.86 seconds and gave him an elite grade or 93.2 from those pockets.
The whole key will be keeping the pocket clean.
Could this say something about one of their other picks?
Round 1
9. WR Rome Odunze, Washington
Do all roads lead to Rome? Hmm. If any of the top three receivers are there, expect they would take a third receiver to get the most from Fields' abilities. Of Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze, Odunze would be the most likely to fall to them. It should take one trade ahead of them for a quarterback or tackle or tight end Brock Bowers for Odunze to be there. Watch and if someone moves up for J. J. McCarthy or one of the other QBs, it would be difficult for all three receivers to be gone by the time the Bears draft at No. 9. If all of them are gone, anticipate a trade back somewhere in the next 10 as they try to gain a pick either in Round 2 or another in Rounds 3 or 4. In this case, the most likely result would be DT Byron Murphy II from Texas, DE Jared Verse from Florida State or DE Laiatu Latu from UCLA.
Odunze would fit perfectly. He's much like Harrison is with a long 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame. His 4.45-second 40-yard dash time was top 31% among wide receivers who've run at NFL combines. His 39-inch vertical leap was top 15%. His 10-yard split in the 40 of 1.52 seconds is top 24% of receivers. Going up to high-point catches or make a contested catch are signature strengths. Scouts say he needs to sharpen his route running.
Odunze led the nation in yardage last year with 1,640, 71 more than Nabers, while averaging 17.8 yards a catch.
Round 3
75. DE Austin Booker, Kansas
If they're going Odunze at No. 9, the pass rush needs to be addressed. The best fit for what they're trying to do defensively would be Brandon Dorlus of Washington, a tackle who plays end and is stout enough against the run to hold the edge or rush inside. However, he's likely to go just before they pick. They're ready for this as Booker visited at Halas Hall. With his 6-4 1/2 height and long frame, his 240 pounds aren't a concern as he'll easily bulk up but his production is lacking so far. He had only one season with the Jayhawks after his transfer from Minnesota, where he hadn't done anything. This would be a bit of a projection, but when you're waiting until Round 3 for pass rush help you're projecting for the future anyway. You're not getting immediate impact.
Round 4
122. S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech
Another player they visited with at Halas Hall. He was highly productive with 10 interceptions and had seven picks and 13 pass breakups the last two years alone. He's a real ballhawk and would be ideal as a fit at 4.41 seconds in the 40, top 9% for all safeties at combines. His 38-inch vertical leap, combined with the speed, can make him an ideal fit to replace Eddie Jackson. Taylor-Demerson is rated down in this area on most mock big boards published but the Bears trading back with No. 75 and using one of the picks ahead of 122 to get Taylor-Demerson would not be a surprise. They need more of a long-term answer at safety. They don't need it more than defensive line help, especially if they're taking a receiver in Round 1.
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