Realistic Draft Approach by Bears
Bears general manager Ryan Pace and director of player personnel Josh Lucas attended the Alabama pro day on Tuesday to watch Mac Jones, while Justin Fields went through drills at Ohio States' pro day.
That's either an idication of what the Bears think of Fields' quarterbacking or their own chances of getting him. Most likely it's simply being realistic about their chances.
It's still difficult to believe the 49ers would pass on the chance to draft a quarterback like Fields, who ran the 40 in 4.44 and passes accurately. He'd be ideal in the style of offense they run.
So this would leave Jones to fall. If San Francisco really does want Jones, then it leaves Fields to fall. Neither is likely to fall far enough to reach the Bears.
So, it's a good thing the Bears were fully represented at Kellen Mond's Texas A&M pro day by quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator John DeFilippo, as well as two members of the scouting department.
It was DeFilippo the Bears also sent to scout Davis Mills at his Stanford pro day.
Pace and Lucas weren't at the Alabama pro day simply for Jones. There were other top players participating as Alabama is prime NFL recruiting grounds, just as Ohio State is.
Besides, Ohio State is planning for a second pro day later just like Alabama did with Jones.
"It really doesn't just happen one time," Fields told NFL Network. "I want to show I do the same thing every day."
The Texas A&M situation is different. There are fewer prospects and it's being more realistic to think the Bears would wind up with a shot at either Mond, Mills or Florida's Kyle Trask in Rounds 2 or 3.
To get Jones, Fields or even North Dakota State's Trey Lance if they fell would still require quite a long fall.
Expecting the Bears to trade up more than six spots to take a quarterback would require a massive amount of draft capital. Remember what the 49ers traded away to go nine spots and draft third: three first-rounders and a third-round pick.
So the Bears would pay something comparable if they moved up to take Dallas' pick at No. 10.
There are just too many teams who want quarterbacks for either Jones, Fields or Lance to fall far enough to reach them with a costly trade also being initiated.
There are 16 spots after the 49ers pick and most are filled by teams that either want a quarterback or might draft one if the right player fell there. Carolina at No. 8, Denver at No. 9, New England at No. 15 and Washington at No. 19 all definitely are looking for a quarterback and those teams select ahead of the Bears.
Atlanta at No. 4, Miami at Nos. 6 and 18, Detroit at No. 7, the New York Giants at No. 11, Philadelphia Eagles at No. 12, Minnesota Vikings at No. 14 and Arizona Cardinals at No. 16 are picking ahead of the Bears and might want a quarterback, although they could also have other priorities.
The trade opportunities will arise but the Bears are not in a position to throw away picks en masse. They need help elsewhere.
So Mills or even Mond make more sense.
Mond is graded the seventh-best quarterback in the draft by NFL Draft Bible, just after Mills, and they gave him a third-round grade.
As a passer, mond gradually improved his accuracy from 51.5% as a freshman to 63.3% last year. He threw for 19 TDs with just three interceptions last year.
NFL Draft Bible loves his deep passes on the move and said he "...keeps reeling evaluators back in with his combination of athleticism and deep-level arm talent. With some of the best bucket throws in the entire 2021 NFL Draft class, the talent is obviously there. Outside the numbers, Mond flashes some big-time ability and stable enough ball placement."
However, they found fault with both decision making and throwing under pressure.
Mond said at his pro day he's been a focus of Bears scouting or personnel.
“I’ve had a lot of interactions with the Bears,” Mond said at his pro day. “I definitely see a connection and, I don’t want to say any names, but I’m definitely excited, especially them being able to watch me in person and watch me spin the ball in person.”
Not all of Mond's Texas A&M teams have been strong but they finished the last year with a 9-1 mark.
“With me, I’ve been through a lot of adversity,” Mond said. “I think it’s pretty true and telling on how a quarterback is able to change a whole entire culture, and I think that’s something that is slept on throughout the process.”
He's a far more realistic approach to the situation than counting on one of the top quarterbacks to fall, or trading away needed draft picks.
Draft Quarterback Hunt
Bears First-Round competition
4. Atlanta 4-12, Might Have QB Interest
5. Cincinnati 4-11-1, No QB Interest
6. Miami 4-11-1, Might Have QB Interest
7. Detroit 5-11, Might Have QB Interest
8. Carolina 5-11, High QB Interest
9. Denver 5-11, High QB Interest
10. Dallas 6-10, No QB Interest
11. N.Y. Giants 6-10, Might Have QB Interest
12. Philadelphia 6-10, Might Have QB Interest
13. L.A. Chargers 7-9, No QB Interest
14. Minnesota 7-9, Might Have QB Interest
15. New England 7-9, High QB Interest
16. Arizona 8-8, Might Have QB Interest
17. Las Vegas 8-8, Low QB Interest
18 Miami 10-6, Might Have QB Interest
19. Washington 7-9, High QB Interest
20. Bears 8-8, High QB Interest
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