Bear Digest

Pre-NFL combine Chicago Bears On SI mock draft targets real needs

A pre-combine mock draft fitted more toward actual Bears needs and not what a computer says their needs are produces a haul of talent with the help of a first-round trade.
Gene Chamberlain|
Running back TreVeyon Henderson of Ohio State looks like the kind of breakaway back Ben Johnson could utilize in an offense.
Running back TreVeyon Henderson of Ohio State looks like the kind of breakaway back Ben Johnson could utilize in an offense. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The NFL scouting combine is more of a landmark and convention than it is an essential scouting tool, although there are some merits.

At least stop watch companies make a lot of money during those days.

It marks where the predraft process begins to intensify, where a bunch of teams are together in one place in Indianapolis and it also lets personnel officials really meet extensively with players for the first time.

It used to also mean they could check out all the medical records but Caleb Williams put a kibosh on all of that. We'll see this year if his decision not to have an exam there has a carryover effect.

Regardless, it's where a few opinions can be altered at a few positions, like receiver and cornerback because of 40-yard times, and also at quarterback through workouts.

Why a quarterback workout means anything makes little sense, other than to separate the really weak-armed from stronger-armed passers. But if scouts need this venue to reveal this fact so late in the game, then they probably weren't doing their jobs last fall.

Here is pre-combine mock draft with trades, a mock made with the Bears' specific schemes and needs in mind rather than what the silly computer simulator says they should draft. In other words, the simulator gave out a bad grade and I'll take the 0.00 grade-point average to get my point across.

T Kelvin Banks, Texas

Round 1, No. 13

It was take Ashton Jeanty or move back, so the trade back with Miami provided an extra third- and fourth-round pick. It doesn't seem likely moving back nets a third and a fourth in the real world, but the computer seemed to like it. Enjoy.

The 6-foot-4, 320-pounder will be a guard for the Bears, at least for this year if not the future. He grades out about the same blocking the run as the pass and is slightly better for zone blocking as opposed to a gap scheme but was still solid in both.

Edge J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State

Round 2, No. 39

There were other options here at this position but he fits the Dennis Allen scheme size-wise for an edge at 6-4, 269 and for a bit bigger edge he still produced 15 sacks and 14 quarterback hits for the national champions last year while also coming in top 12.7% for Pro Football Focus at run-stopping grade. An all-around success for Round 2.

S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame

Round 2, No. 41

Shock of shocks, at least to the simulator for not taking a need position. The computer doesn't read enough. The Bears do need a safety, especially a deeper one to play a lot of single coverage because Allen's defense pressures them to do this extensively. Kevin Byard is going to be 32 this season, the second one on his two-year contract. Watts also will be a fit because he's physical enough to give run support if needed, much the way Jaquan Brisker does. And Brisker's health is an issue. The Bears need another safety for the future badly. Watts is top 10.5% for pass coverage and top 20.5% for run-stopping grade according to PFF, and is ideal safety size of 6-foot, 203.

RB Tre'Veyon Henderson, Ohio State

Round 3, No. 72

This seems like the type of back Ben Johnson could make good use of, a real breakaway threat like Jahmyr Gibbs, at 5-10, 208 but with enough athletic ability to break a tackle when needed. He'll also catch a pass and has speed to turn it into a big gainer against faster NFL competition. It only seems like I'm just picking guys from the national championship game. So what if I am? Nothing wrong with it.

C Jared Wilson, Georgia

Round 3, No. 98

The first pick obtained for the trade down in Round 1 and Wilson can work for a year or two behind whatever center they rope in during free agency. This is a 6-3, 310-pound true center who had 921 snaps in college and only 87 at guard. He needs playing time still but last year was top 15.1% in pass blocking grade according to PFF and top 76% for run blocking.

TE Terrance Ferguson, Oregon

Round 4, No. 114

Two words here: Jugs machine. The guy obviously needs to work on his hands but he still was a strong target for an elite passing program. He had a high 8.5% dropped pass rate. AT 6-5, 255, he's part of the deep tight end crop in this draft, obtained with the pick provided in the Round 1 trade. He has YAC ability with 13.7 yards per catch last year and 12.2 back in 2022.

LB Cody Simon, Ohio State

Round 5, No. 148

A third Buckeye player and there's rhyme and reason to this. Pick from winning, big programs if you want winners. The computer simulator doesn't get this. They admonished me for not taking Marshall pass rusher Mike Green in the first round and moving back to take Banks. I'm sorry Mr. Terabyte, but Marshall played two or three decent opponents. Ohio State was national champion of college tackle football. Simon is ideal as a 232-pound linebacker who does a bit of everything. The simulator gave out a D+ for this pick even though Simon was comparably ranked. Apparently the robot simulator hasn't seen Tremaine Edmunds' play lately.

DT Junior Tafuna, Utah

Round 6, No. 196

This isn't a pass rusher at tackle but Gervon Dexter already does a good job with that. This is a run stopper and they need help with this. Tafuna is 6-3, 308, which is ideal for a Dennis Allen scheme that utilizes players at the position from 295-315. Although he has only three sacks for the past three seasons, Tafuna had a knack for batting down passes with four knockdowns last year and seven for his career.

WR Will Sheppard, Colorado

Round 7, No. 234

Was looking here for a slot type but there were none worth drafting this late. At 210 pounds he's more of an outside receiver with decent hands. His positioning might be better for the draft but he took a hit when Deion Sanders' traveling show arrived with sons in tow. Sheppard had 60 catches for 768 yards on 116 targets two years ago, before Sanders, but didn't get close to those numbers in the Sanders seasons. He still has had decent yards after the catch at 12.9, 14.6 and 12.8 so he runs better than PFF gives him credit for doing.

T Xavier Truss, Georgia

Round 7, No. 241

Usually you won't find a Georgia tackle who is this big and is in Round 7. He needs work, but at 6-7, 320, he'll be a project who has physical assets on his side.

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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.