Bear Digest

Mock Drafts Trend: Caleb Williams and Wideout

Mel Kiper Jr. this week put out his second mock draft and the result is one the Bears would no doubt enjoy with a new, explosive passing combination in Chicago.
Gene Chamberlain|
Mock Drafts Trend: Caleb Williams and Wideout
Mock Drafts Trend: Caleb Williams and Wideout

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Chicago Bears

Mock drafts don't stop even for the NFL Scouting Combine.

While the selection of Caleb Williams at No. 1 by the Bears seems almost a formality at this point, with a high of 92% of mocks on NFL Mock Draft Database now listing him first to Chicago, the ninth pick is where the real drama rests.

The Bears' choice there more and more is Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze, although there's no certainty he'll last that long at this point. The Bears would no doubt like this. The combine testing won't indictate whether Odunze is worthy of the spot because he won't work out at Indianapolis.

However, the dean of draftniks, Mel Kiper Jr. himself, has the Bears taking a different wide receiver at No. 9 overall. In his second mock draft released this week, Kiper sees LSU's Malik Nabers dropping to the Bears in that slot. It's a situation they'd no doubt enjoy. 

Kiper sees the Bears passing on Brock Bowers and Jared Verse to make this selection at No. 9. To this point, Nabers has been seen as the second-best wide receiver on most mock drafts and Odunze third.

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks put out his second mock draft and obviously has Williams No. 1 to the Bears, but also parted from the norm with the ninth pick in Round 1. He has the Bears drafting defensive end Laiatu Latu from UCLA.

"The sensational speed rusher from Westwood is a sack machine off the edge," Brooks wrote. "Latu's athleticism and refined approach perfectly fit the Bears' attack-style defense."

Brooks didn't exactly knock himself out with this one as he picked both Williams and Latu as the Bears selections in his first mock draft.

Connor Livesay of The 33rd Team and three of CBS Sports' four mock drafters —Tom Fornelli, Chris Trapasso and Ryan Wilson—see it as Williams and Odunze for the Bears

The lone dissenter is Josh Edwards with Latu going to the Bears at No. 9.

Livesay's mock of Williams as the top pick also came with plenty of pressure in the form of the "P" word.

"The upgrade at quarterback will bring Chicago closer to competing for a playoff spot with an improved defense and pass catchers on the way," Livesay wrote.

Yes, he did say playoffs.

That mock expands beyond one round and goes three rounds. With the Bears getting Odunze to team with Williams in Round 1, the pick was an edge rusher at No. 75 in Round 3 and that's Kansas' Austin Booker.

Booker, a 6-foot-6, 245-pounder, could be a real find because he impresses despite only one full college season of experience. He made eight sacks.

"The diversity of his rush approach is unheard of for a player with so little playing time," Lance Zierlein wrote for NFL media. "He can stride and dip at the top of the rush or beat tackles back inside with a Euro step or spin counter."

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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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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