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Tough Calls for Bears in Round 2

According to a reliable mock draft/big board consensus, the Bears would be looking at difficult choices filling needs with available talent in Round 2.
Gene Chamberlain|
Tough Calls for Bears in Round 2
Tough Calls for Bears in Round 2

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Chicago Bears

A tackle seems the most probable use of the first pick by the Bears, considering it's more than likely Jalen Carter and Tyree Wilson would both be gone at No. 9.

Only outliers among mock drafts and big boards say otherwise.

NFLmockdraftdatabase.com has Paris Johnson to the Bears on 44% of the 1,210 mock drafts they take into account.

This might not suit the common reader as proof of anything but it's a method and site that can be pretty accurate.

Here's how accurate this can be.

They post a consensus big board rating players besides the mock draft consensus, and this year's is currently based on the consensus of 141 big boards, 1,210 mock drafts and 1,046 team drafts posted on the internet.

Last year the consensus big board for the site on draft day had Kyler Gordon rated 39th best. The Bears took him 38th. They had Jaquan Brisker rated 48th best and the Bears got him at No. 53. They had Braxton Jones going in the fifth round, rated No. 153. The Bears were glad he was there at 168 and apparently had a feeling he would be because they traded back to 168 from 148.

The site's consensus projection for Velus Jones Jr. was far more accurate than it was by the Bears, at least for Year 1. Jones was 150th, or a fifth rounder on the consensus big board. The Bears insisted on taking him 71st. He made nine catches to go with two game-deciding muffed punts. The consensus was apparently on to something.

Any further proof of accuracy necessary? Their mock percentages said the two most likely players the Bears would draft in Round 2 based on the consensus of mock drafts were receivers Christian Watson and George Pickens. Both developed nicely as rookie receivers, but not in Chicago. The Bears didn't get a chance to draft Watson and they avoided Pickens to get Gordon and Brisker. 

It's difficult to critize the picks of Brisker and Gordon too much because both look like they can play, especially Brisker. But the consensus was pretty accurate.

So, after getting their tackle on April 27 this year, the Bears are going into the second half of Round 2 before picking again. The talent pool will be greatly reduced at some key positions where they badly need defensive help by the time they get to pick. 

It will become more murky after their first pick.

Here are the players at need positions the consensus suggests will be available to them in Round 2 with pick Nos. 52, 61 and 64.

Defensive End

If you're a Keion White fan, it's very likely the Georgia Tech edge rusher will be gone just before the Bears pick, says the consensus big board. They have him rated No. 48. If it was a spot or two difference, then the Bears might have a chance. But four positions is asking for good fortune if White is their target. White would be a fit as a 285-pound edge in this system, a stout player who also played at Old Dominion for three years, and came into his own in his final year at Georga Tech with 7 1/2 sacks of the 11 for his career. He has tremendous speed to pass rush and close but as stated, it's likely he'd be gone. These players would be there. After these three, there is a big drop off at edge rusher. If you're taking either of the last two with the 52nd, 61st or 64th pick, you're reaching.

No. 52 Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish edge rusher seems to get less respect than a player who made 10 and 10 1/2 sacks the last two years should get. He made 33 tackles for loss, too, so it's not like they'd be drafting a one-dimensional edge. At 6-4 7/8 and 264 pounds, with a 4.58-second 40 and with 34-inch arms, he's an ideal edge in any system.

No. 57 Tuli Tuipulotu, USC

At 6-3 1/4, 266, he is equipped to play end but lacks Foskey's longer arms and height. He hit a peak in his final year with 13 1/2 sacks, but had 7 1/2 prior to that.

No. 61 Derick Hall, Auburn

He made 15 1/2 sacks and 24 tackles for loss over his final two years at an SEC school. This is a player who tests as good or higher than he performed on the field, as his 40 time (4.55) was in the top 6% and broad jump (10-foot-7) was in the top 7%.

No. 78 Andre Carter II, Army

Reaching here if it's the 64th pick when they take him. He made 19 sacks and 25 TFLs but it came against Army's shcedule and not a bunch of Power-5 conference opponents. He also didn't measure well, with a broad jump (9-foot-1) and vertical leap (30 inches) in the lower 16% for his position.

No. 81 Zach Harrison, Ohio State

This is a player measurements say should leap off the board. His 85 1/2-inch wingspan was in the upper 3% at his position, arm length (36 1/4) in the upper 2% and 6-5 1/2 height in the upper 12%. He also did a remarkable 25 reps in the bench considering he is 274 pounds. A real specimen, but with only 11 sacks, no more than 3 1/2 sacks in any one season, and 24 total tackles for loss in four years, it goes to show there is still that actual playing football thing you have to do to earn a scout's attention.

Defensive Tackle

The names you might be familiar with from reading predraft analysis of three techniques—Adetomiwa Adebawore, Bryan Bresee, Mazi Smith and Calijah Kancey—should be long gone by No. 52, according to the consensus. Here's what's left.

No. 63 Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin

Probably their best hope for an experienced three technique if they don't come up with one in the first round or move up into the early second round. He is a bit bigger for a three at 6-3 5/8 and 309 pounds but shows some quickness off the ball. He split time almost equally lining up in the A gap and B gap, so he could be a three or one technique.

No. 65 Siaki Ika, Baylor

He's only a one technique in this scheme and it's questionable whether he could even do that at 335 pounds.

No. 70 Gervon Dexter, Florida

Good quicks at 4.88 in the 40 and at 6-5 3/4, 310, he'd be tough for QBs to throw over in the rush. He just didn't produce much in the SEC with five sacks and 10 tackles for loss in three seasons.

Cornerback

This might be the draft's deepest position and there is talent available to the Bears. However, the consensus big board says there is a drop in quality after Cam Smith of South Carolina, who is projected as the 36th best. And if you're drafting someone like Garrett Williams of Syracuse or Darius Rush of South Carolina, then it should be after trading down into Round 3.

No. 59 Clark Phillips, Utah

A real playmaker with nine career interceptions, but at 5-10, 191 he's not ideal size. He's not totally unlike former Utah cornerback and current Bear Jaylon Johnson in that regard. He's definitely not afraid to jump a route.

No. 60 D.J. Turner, Michigan

The fastest man at the combine in 4.26 seconds, and probably best used in the slot because he's not a taller cornerback. There's not a lot of football to go on here, just two seasons and three interceptions. But he did bat down 17 passes in those two years.

No. 62 Julius Brents, Kansas State

Won over everyone at the Senior Bowl with an outstanding week. Only his timed speed wasn't elite (4.53) as he was top 3% in the broad jump, top 4% in vertical leap, top 2% in arm length, top 7% in the 3-cone drill (6.63) and top 4% in height (6-2 3/4). With six career picks and 10 breakups he wasn't just standing around on the field, either, when he was playing two years at Iowa and two at Knasas State.

No. 72 Tyrique Stevenson, Miami

With 21 pass breakups and three interceptions, and at 6-foot, 198, he's close to ideal. He also had a 4.45-second 40, with a 1.51-second first 10 yards. So the numbers on this one say the consensus could actually be missing something on this player. What seems more likely is a good cornerback is so far down the consensus ratings because there are just too many good cornerbacks.

No. 80 Garrett Williams, Syracuse

They'd really be reaching at No. 64 to take Williams even if he had some good production (4 INTs, 21 PDs). He's shorter (5-10) and had a 4.6-second 40 at a pro day.

Center

John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota is rated 47th, so the Bears would be a bit too late to the party at No. 52 for a player who looks like a real leader and seems born to play the position in the NFL.

51. Esteban Avila, TCU

Another truly versatile interior player. Maybe they should just call him: O-Lineman. He started at left guard in 2022 and had only seven snaps. Prior to his final year, he had 685 in 2021 and 371 plays in 2020 as the center. He has played at every position, even manning left tackle for one play in 2022, right gurad for 88 plays in three years and right tackle for 113 plays in 2020. The system fit would be questioned as he played at 330, even though he is very agile.

56. Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin

He might be the best center in the draft, anyway. At least in Tippmann's case the team getting him would be certain of having a blocker who could play either guard or center. At 6-6, 313, he's built more like a tackle than a center. Like with his height, his hand size of 10 3/4 inches is in the top 3% for his position. He had a ridiculous 1.65-second split in the 40 so he seems ideally made for the wide zone scheme.

79. Luke Wypler, Ohio State

It's reaching to take Wypler at No. 64 according to the consensus, but if you're looking for a center he's a solid choice at a niche position. His 40 time of 5.14 was in the top 23% and he bench-pressed 29 times, rating in the top 28% for his position.

Tackle

Just for the sake of fantasy, let's assume they somehow got Carter or maybe traded down and drafted Kancey in Round 1. Here's is what the consensus says will await them at No. 52-64 for offensive line help. It would appear that trade down will need to net them something earlier in Round 2 if they hope to get a tackle.

64. Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse

Graded by Pro Football Focus as an excellent pass blocker who needs improvement blocking the run. PFF says his run blocking "...is still littered with too many plays where he's easily knocked off balance...," and predicts it will "...get exposed in a big way at the next level."

82. T Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland

If you're taking Duncan at No. 64, the consensus says you're reaching. It's the actual blocking where he must improve because he has the size (6-5 3/4, 306 pounds) and speed (5.1 in 40, 1.78 10-yard split). His 33-inch arms are a bit of an issue but moreso it's the blocking. He allowed 11 sacks and 23 hurries the last two years. A better choice down in Round 3 somewhere by trading back.

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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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