© Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Potential Bears Draft Targets and Best Fits: Defensive Line
The defensive linemen in each round who are most likely to be available when the Bears draft after selectinug Caleb Williams.
The goal for training camp is always to have every position covered with starting talent and sufficient depth.
The Bears found free agency and Montez Sweat's "Sweat effect" only go so far on defense. They still have needs at defensive positions heading into the draft.
They've left possible gaps at edge rusher, defensive tackle and safety.
The line positions are much more important considering they did cover the secondary opening with three veteran free agents, although they lack a long-term safety answer,
Here are the possibilities on the defensive line ranked in each round, whether they use the ninth pick or trade back.
Round 1
1. Edge Dallas Turner, Alabama
6-foot-5, 254
His combine size is not what he describes as his ideal weight, which is actually 260. Physically, he is well suited to rush the passer off the edge but his height-weight ratio might make run defense a concern. Turner has a lot of practice being the No. 2 edge rusher after playing with Will Anderson Jr. The question is how effective he can be at doing it at the next level. Mel Kiper's top edge rusher, he had a 16.7% pressure rate according to ESPN. That was eighth in college football. How could anyone turn down 4.46 in the 40 from an edge? He's fastest in this draft and although that's not as fast as Montez Sweat was (4.41), it's faster than the great majority of NFL edge rushers.
2. DT Byron Murphy II, Texas
6-1, 297
A late riser in the view of mock drafts from analysts, PFF gave him the highest grade among college defensive tackles over the last two years. He had 19 pressures in 2022 but 33 last year. He's regarded as short for 3-technique, but Kiper pointed out accurately how Aaron Donald was regarded as amll. Actually, Murphy is heavier than Donald. The reason he would rate higher than some of the other edges is the importance of this position to Matt Eberflus' scheme. He's only been talking about this since Day 1 at Halas Hall.
3. Edge Laiatu Latu, UCLA
6-5, 259
This rating only pertains if the Bears assessed and decided his Year 2 college neck injury was no longer a threat. It also takes into account where he is now. His ceiling is not as high as Jared Verse's because of shorter reach and wingspan despite his height. However, he is such a good technician as a rush man and was first in the country in pressures (55) and pressure percentage (19.1%) last year according to ESPN. What he is now is a closer, with 23 1/2 sacks the last two years. The Bears can use another closer besides Sweat. It's what they lack. It's a coin flip between Latu and Jared Verse for third-best D-lineman but Latu can help immediately while Verse could be better long term.
4. Edge Jared Verse, Florida State
6-4, 254
Especially if they trade back, he could be a target. Faster than Laiatu (2.58-2.64) and far more powerful (31 reps in the bench at 225), he is the type of end the Bears would pursue because he can stop the run or pas. He's just not as polished in his technique yet as Latu. His ceiling is higher. He hasn't hit 10 sacks for a college season, although he had nine last year. The fact he started out at Albany and not in a power-5 conference, and then had a knee injury, initially held his numbers down.
5. Edge Chop Robinson, Penn State
6-3, 254
Think Turner's potential and speed but in a player who has yet to realize what he's capable of doing on a field. All of the measurables say he'll eventually skyrocket. Top 3% in the combine 40 (4.48) and top 5% in the broad jump (10-8) can offset his very small wingspan (bottom 5%) at 76 1/4 inches, and sjhort arms (32 1/2). But those might be too important for Matt Eberflus, who likes long-armed players up front.
6. DT Johnny Newton, Illinois
6-1 5/8, 304
Smaller arms (75 7/8) and arm length (32-3/8) can cap his value for the Bears, as well as the injury issue. He had foot surgery and while this isn't a problem, he had to miss all offseason work outs and timing. His production was sufficient for a first-rounder, though. His 7 1/2 sacks last year, 18 career sacks and 28 tackles for loss vouch for his ability to be an NFL 3-technique.
Round 3
1. DE Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
6-3, 285
He's more the size of a 3-4 end than a 4-3 end, but he has played 3-technique too. His versatility to move inside and out is something the Bears have with DeMarcus Walker, who is roughly the same size. Dorlus was at his best getting in a gap and charging, so he'd fit the Bears' scheme. His 12 career sacks don't accurately reflect his overall pressure. His 27 tackles for loss do. And one thing the Bears coaches would love -- 14 career passes deflected. His arms are always up and he's alert.
2. DE Chris Braswell, Alabama
6-3, 255
While Kiper is very high on his potential based on speed and program he is coming from, the production was never there until last year when he had eight sacks and 10 1/2 TFL. It's the reason he could be a third-rounder who is still there at No. 75. He was still just 220 pounds a couple of years ago, so maintaining his current more ideal edge weight might be an issue.
3. DT Michael Hall Jr., Ohio State
6-2 3/4, 290
Not ideal size but not far from it, he has 81 1/8-inch wingspan, which is a big plus (top 25%). His six sacks and 10 TFL show potential for playmaking but not to the level the Bears would like in a 3-technique. There is the suspicion he was held back by the Buckeyes' scheme after his pro day. He shocked with a 4.78-second pro day that could let him soar into the top of the third round after earlier projects had him near the end of it or even in Round 4. Pro days are often off in times, but not that much. It would have put him in the top 2% of all combine DTs. Some scouting repor
4. DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan
6-2 3/4, 299
Another player whose scheme use might have held him back. He had a 4.91 40 at the combine, top 13% for DTs, and a 9-foot-7 broad jump, top 6%. He also bench-pressed 29 times for top 36%. His great athleticism and meager numbers in college, at 4 1/2 sacks and nine tackles for loss in four years, suggest a player who was capable of much more.
5. DE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan
6-3, 267
Ideal size for a Bears edge in this scheme and everything about his combine measurements says potential. But like with Hall and Jenkins inside, there is fear over his lack of prodcution. His 4.75-second 40 was top 38% but his three-cone drill was 7.02 seconds, a top 20% number for his position. And his 34 1/2-inch arms combined with a 35 1/2-inch vertical leap say big numbers, especially at his level of ball in the MAC. Yet, he only had 12 1/2 sacks, never made more than 4 1/2. Even scheme can't blanket how little he did with great potential.
6. DT Maason Smith, LSU
6-5 1/8, 306
His size alone should elevate him to second round. A wingspan (84 5/8) top 5% for DTs and arm length (35 inches) top 6%, combined with an excellent 5.01-second 40 time all say he can be a Gervon Dexter type of tackle at 3-technique or slide over to nose. Much like with Dexter, he was asked to do more physical work and not exploit gaps. He had 6 1/2 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in three years.
Round 4
1. DE Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
6-1 3/8, 248
Extremely fast at 4.57, and this could push him into the middle of Round 3. He was top 7% for edges and that shouldn't happen for fourth-round edges. It showed in his fantastic production the last two y ears with 22 sacks, 13 last year. However, his size is a real problem for a Bears edge, who must protect the corner. If they're still without an edge in Round 4 he's definitely worth the pick, and might even be in Round 3.
2. DE Austin Booker, Kansas
6-4 1/2, 240
Long with a decent 33 7/8-inch reach, he is someone who Eberflus could like but he badly needs to add weight and strength. He only played one season after sitting while at Minnesota, and suddenly blossomed. This could be a sleeper player who suddenly comes on in the pros because he had eight sacks in his only season of play.
3. DE Gabriel Murphy, UCLA
6-2 3/8, 247
Similar in many ways to Komara as a fantastic athlete. A top 7% in vertical jump (39 1/2 inches) was like what DBs do, and makes up for his lack of ideal height and his extremely short (30 1/2) arms that rank in the bottom 6%. He ran 4.68 in the 40, with a 1.59 split for 10 yards (top 30%). His 25 reps in the bench show he's no mere track athlete. A former North Texas player, he had to adjust to the Pac-12 after a he transfered and did so with eight sacks last year following 1 1/2 in 2022. He had 21 1/2 total sacks and 37 tackles for loss.
4. DT DeWayne Carter Duke
6-2 3/8, 302
Ideal size for 3-tecnique who uses his 4.99-second 40 speed well and uses huge 11-inch hands (top 3%) to get off blocks. Mockdraftable.com find him physically similar to Byron Murphy and Levi Onwuzurike, but also former Bears draft washout Ego Ferguson.
5. DT Leonard Taylor Miami
6-3 1/2, 303
The measures say he's ideal for a 3-technique but production doesn't say it. He had six sacks in college and 23 tackles for loss. Nothing special in terms of his measurables from the combine beyond his good (top 39%) height.
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