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Mock Realism on Defense for Bears at No. 9

Not everyone is pointing the Bears at tackle Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round, although it seems that way.
Gene Chamberlain|
Mock Realism on Defense for Bears at No. 9
Mock Realism on Defense for Bears at No. 9

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Chicago Bears

With 10 days until D-Day, the mock draft trend clearly points the Bears at an offensive tackle.

It's usually for Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr., and NFLmockdraftdatabase.com says 44% of mock drafts are pointing that way at the moment.

However, it's not a unanimous trend for Johnson or even for the position. There are still a few outliers in positional thinking. 

NFL media's Peter Schrager and NFL Draft Bible's Ric Serritella put out mock drafts with a different course.

Christian Gonzalez to the Bears

It's Schrager's first attempt at a mock and he came away with a direction very rarely taken in mocks but a sound one nonetheless. It's based on the best-available-athlete theory. He took Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

"The Bears have so many needs, and snagging a top cover man with the ninth overall choice makes them better tomorrow. He could go before Illinois' CB Devon Witherspoon," Schrager wrote.

With Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor in contract years, it's both a defensive move and, well, a defensive move.

Just in case the talks don't go right with Johnson, they have another top corner. But face it, they need the third good cornerback and this is an elite athletic level. He might be close to doing for cornerback in this draft what Jalen Carter is doing for defensive tackle. He's truly elite as a cornerback and can fit any scheme. Potentially, he'd be their best cornerback.

A Bears Edge Rusher

The other outlier is a name popular for the Bears back before the pro days began.

Serritella's mock was made for both the NFL Draft Bible and in this one also for Sports Illustrated. He has the Bears taking Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson, who they have looked at with a top-30 visit. They haven't had a reported similar visit with Gonzalez, although this doesn't always indicate who they're taking.

"The Bears already seem to be big winners of the draft before they even arrive to this selection," wrote Serritella. "By moving down from the first overall pick, adding additional draft equity, plus a 1,000-yard receiver in DJ Moore, GM Ryan Poles is set to build a foundation. Nabbing Wilson, who some have deemed the top pass-rusher in the draft, feels like gravy on top."

Serritella's mock for SI/NFL Draft Bible also had a second round and gave the Bears Syracuse tackle Matthew Bergeron at 52 and Auburn edge rusher Derick Hall at No. 61. It's a good indication of what the Bears face by picking an edge rusher at No. 9, because the quality of tackle really dropped on this one by No. 52.

The Bears Tackle Parade

Venturing further into Mockland, Pro Football Focus' Arjun Menon and Brad Spielberger on Tuesday released a mock with Johnson as the choice and give an excellent account of why he should be the pick at this position over both Northwestern's Peter Skoronski and Tennessee's Darnell Wright.

They point out his pressure rate allowed on true pass sets was 4.4%, 20th in all of FBS in only his frst year at left tackle. They point out how he also has played right tackle, as well. But the best reason is his run blocking.

"The Bears also deploy the popularized outside-zone-based rushing attack, and Johnson’s 85.5 run-blocking grade on outside-zone runs in 2022 ranked sixth among FBS tackles," Menon/Spielberger wrote.

Other sites pointing at Paris Johnson in their latest mocks were the 33rd team  with its mock 5.0, and highly accurate mock drafter Evan Silva at Establishtherun.com, but he's not moving Jones from left tackle.

"Johnson solidifies right tackle across from budding star LT Braxton Jones," Silva wrote.

Two of CBS' four regular mock drafters still have the Bears taking Johnson at No. 9, Ryan Wilson and Kyle Stackpole.

The other two have tackle as the position, just not Johnson. Chris Trapasso says Wright is the right guy while Josh Edwards says Skoronski.

There is still plenty of support out there for Skoronski as the pick. NFLmockdraftdatabase.com says about 21% of mocks on the internet say it's the Northwestern tackle for the Bears.

Matt Verderame made his mock No. 8.0 for Sports Illustrated and took Skoronski.

Verderame wrote: "Skoronski is a local product who can play tackle, or even kick inside if need be. The Bears would do well to scoop him up."

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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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