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Bears Mock Draft 4.0 for BearDigest
A first Chicago Bears mock draft after free agency and the trade of Justin Fields, looking specifically at how they could try to regain lost draft picks, especially in Round .
With mock draft season heating up for most teams, it seems now to be cooling down for the Bears.
Deciding their quarterback situation with the Justin Fields trade settled the most pressing Bears issue.
Still to decide is the No. 9 pick and there are several ways the Bears can go there.
Also unaddressed is the matter of a big gap in between pick No. 9 and pick No. 75. Too much talent goes off the board in that stretch.
There are specific needs still unaddressed from free agency, such as edge rusher and third receiver, even 3-technique defensive tackle.
Finally, there is just the overall number of draft picks. Four picks is rather paltry, although on the positive side is they're all fourth round or earlier. When a team improves fewer undrafted free agents and late-round picks should have chances to make the team, anyway. At least this is the case if the personnel department is doing its job correctly.
Bears mock draft 4.0 for BearDigest tries to solve the outstanding issues while keeping in mind Caleb Williams looks like the lock now for first pick.
The mock draft simulator threw a curveball with the Atlanta Falcons taking Rome Odunze at No. 8, even though they just addressed a receiver need with the signing of Darnell Mooney.
And Tennessee thwarted the chance to get the draft's top pass rusher, Alabama'a Dallas Turner, at No. 7. His 4.46-second time in the 40 was better than many top wide receivers and some wish they had a 40 1/2-inch vertical leap like he does.
With edge rusher a need, and also receiver, I traded down hoping to get a pick or two to help plug the gap. First, the Raiders gave the Bears the 13th pick for the ninth pick, and I also gave the Raiders a fourth-rounder from 2025 to sweeten it a bit. In return, I took the Raiders' third-round pick at No. 77 and fourth-rounder at 112. The fourth-rounder the Bears get in return in this one should be far better than the one they'll give up in 2025.
No second-rounder though?
We’re not through.
To get into Round 2, I traded with Buffalo and gave up a second-round pick next year, but not the extra one acquired in the trade last year with Carolina. So it will likely be a much later pick than that since it is the Bears' own second-rounder. I also gave up the last pick in this year's draft that the Bears have, No. 122, which is one they got in a trade with the Eagles. In return, the Bills gave the Bears the 60th pick overall, a second-rounder this year.
The Bears are armed with a pair of first-rounders, a late second-rounder, two third-round picks and a fourth-rounder.
Their total picks increased from four to six, they have the gap plugged, and now it's time to acquire the talent.
The Bears are on the clock in BearDigest mock draft 4.0.
Round 1, No. 1
QB Caleb Williams, USC
Williams' ability to create on extended plays is well known, but look at his film and when he is in the pocket he does an excellent job of knowing when it absolutely must come out. His pocket presence is uncanny, even if he does take chances at times with the ball. There is a narrative out there being pushed by some NFL analysts that only about a quarter of what he does extending plays can translate to the pro game. I thought the same thing about Lamar Jackson and some people said the same about Patrick Mahomes. If a QB has awareness and isn't getting blind-sided, they can take get away with holding the ball while rolling or moving in the pocket.
Round 1, No. 13
DE Jared Verse Florida State
The trade back from No. 9 was made, in part, because there was certain to be a good, athletic defensive end in the second 10. Verse is better than a 13th pick but that rush to get a quarterback and one of the receivers, also a tackle, will leave him back farther than he should go and the Bears pluck him here. He runs 4.58 seconds in the 40, has a 79-1/2 inch wingspan and is almost 6-foot-4. The other quality many people missed at the combine is he did 31 reps in the bench press. It allowed him to manhandle tackles at times. He has a skillset Matt Eberflus would enjoy because he rushes the passer, does it within the team scheme and he defends the run.
Round 2, No. 60
DT Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
He is much like DeMarcus Walker in that he can flip from tackle to end, but at 290 pounds and with an 80 7/8-inch wingspan to go with 4.85 seconds in the 40, Dorlus is an effective, versatile 3-technique or end. At the least, he'll be a young force in a rotation up front with Gervon Dexter in pass rush situations. He's also a force stopping the run by getting into a gap and plowing upfield.
Round 3, No. 75
WR Brenden Rice, USC
With all the veterans in the locker room making noise already, it will help their new "Hollywood" QB to have a former teammate to make him feel comfortable. He ran a solid 4.5 in the 40, a tenth better than his father Jerry, the greatest wide receiver of all time. He is 6-2 7/8, 208 so he's a big receiver who can be an X-type.
Once he got out of Colorado and to USC, his career took off with 84 catches and 1,402 yards with 21 TDs the last two seasons with Williams throwing the ball.
Round 3, No. 77
T Blake Fisher, Notre Dame
Notre Dame's other starting tackle besides Joe Alt, also a highly thought-of prospect. At 6-foot-5 3/4 and 310, he has good athleticism. He has the arm length of tackles and was almost exclusively used at right tackle by the Irish but could easily be a guard in the NFL. With Teven Jenkins' history of injuries and Nate Davis not living up to expectations last year, the Bears could always use options. He was graded higher by PFF as a pass blocker than run blocker, although he wasn't bad at blocking the run. He'd be a definite depth player, a swing guard/tackle.
Round 4, No. 112
TE Cade Stover, Ohio State
Best athlete available at this point in the draft pool. A former defensive player who was too good athletically to use there and the Buckeyes put him to use on offense. He had played tight end and linebacker in high school.
He made 41 catches for 480 yards with five TDs, the most scores by a Buckeyes tight end in five years.
The Bears need a third tight end, one who can both block and receive. A former defensive player knows how to be a physical player.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
