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Receivers Falling to Bears in Mock Drafts

The need to get Justin Fields targets is not lost on mock drafters and the first attempts at multiple rounds in mock drafts have kept this Bears need in mind.
Gene Chamberlain|
Receivers Falling to Bears in Mock Drafts
Receivers Falling to Bears in Mock Drafts

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Chicago BearsPurdue BoilermakersOhio State Buckeyes

Justin Fields needs help and everyone knows it.

As the run up to the NFL draft becomes closer, more and more mock drafts expand past the first round to where the Bears will select. In a three-round mock draft NFL Media's Chad Reuter found Fields help as well as an old friend.

Reuter, a long-time NFL writer, sees the Bears drafting Fields' old Ohio State target Chris Olave with their first pick in Round 2 during his three-round projection this week.

Just three weeks ago something like Olave being available to the Bears seemed unlikely because they do not have a selection until No. 39. As many as seven wide receivers were projected for Round 1 this year.

However, one inevitablility of every draft is linemen and defensive players start to rise after everyone sees the Senior Bowl and practices leading to it. Olave was still there at 39 for Reuter's mock and he could work for Fields in a receiver tandem with Darnell Mooney.

It wouldn't be ideal as Olave is less of a classic X-receiver at 6 feet and half an inch. He weighs 189 pounds. So he roughly Mooney's size.

Olave caught 98 passes in 2019 and 2020 for 1,569 yards and 19 touchdowns when Fields was the Ohio State starter.

Without Fields, he progressed as a senior to career highs of 65 receptions, 936 yards and 13 touchdowns this past season when the Buckeyes had redshirt freshman C.J. Stroud at quarterback.

NFL Draft Bible of FanNation has Olave ranked No. 36 on its big board, making the pick seem even more possible. They do have him No. 5 among receivers, which makes it seem less likely he could fall to the Bears.

Olave's great speed is his best asset and it will be interesting to see his 40 time, whether he boldly does it at the combine or uses the less reliable pro day route to record one.

Olave's lack of physicality is deemed a drawback by NFL Draft Bible, which considers him only a "reliable No. 2 for an offense," and not the main target.

NFL Draft Bible also points out Olave's career included a 2020 season when he missed almost hal the games because of a concussion. He had 50 receptions in Fields' final year in just seven games, or he easily could have passed what he did with Stroud at quarterback this year.

Reuter ignored talk the Bears need a three technique defensive tackle and passed on the chance to pick suburban Chicago product Perrion Winfrey of Oklahoma in order to select Olave.

Reuter kept Fields in mind with his third-round Bears pick. He took Minnesota tackle Daniel Faalele with the 71st pick of the draft in Round 3.

It's often suggested the Bears could move Larry Borom to guard and Teven Jenkins to right tackle while drafting a left tackle or signing one in free agency. This pick would leave Jenkins at left tackle because Faalele could not play left tackle. His footspeed wouldn't allow it, and this is the reason many draft experts consider it a reach for Faalele to go in Round 3.

Faalele is the 6-foot-9, 380-pound monster who also played at LSU and has been as heavy as 400 pounds. He impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl by being quicker than they imagined but still not to the point where he could ascend to a higher level of the draft.

In making this pick, Reuter passed on a cornerback who could help the Bears, Derion Kendrick from Georgia. He also skipped DeMarvin Leal, a possible three technique from Texas A&M.

The theme of a receiver for Fields has been where other multiround drafts have gone.

In the first two-round ESPN mock draft, Jordan Reid selected wide receiver David Bell from Purdue for the Bears.

Bell would be a better fit for the Bears in an offense with Mooney than Olave because he is more of a classic X-receiver at 6-2, 205. Bell made 93 receptions for 1,286 yards and six TDs last year, 232 for 2,956 yards and 21 TDs in his three years at the school.

NFL Draft Bible has Bell ranked ninth overall among receivers and it seems a much more likely Round 2 possibility for the Bears than Olave, who is ranked the third-best receiver by ESPN's Todd McShay.

The description by NFL Drat Bible of Bell almost paints a younger version of Allen Robinson, although perhaps a bit more of a threat with the ball in his hands.

"Bell doesn't have outstanding speed, but he executes the details on his route stems and has a knack for finishing catches at the catch point," Reid wrote in making his pick for the Bears.

Bell is very accomplished as a route runner, with leverage and in finding the ball, according to NFL Draft Bible.

NFL DRAFT BIBLE'S DAVID BELL SCOUTING REPORT

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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