In-Season Mock Draft Monday 2023 #1
November 28, 2022, 6:23 AM CST
It's time for my first mock draft of the year. Well, at least on the website. I made another one on Instagram that never quite made it over to this platform. Yesterday's loss to the Jets meant we moved to 3-9 on the season and are guaranteed to finish below .500 for the second straight year, and the fourth straight year we fail to get above .500. We currently hold the second overall pick, with the Panthers having beaten the Broncos yesterday as well. With this possibly being the highest position we will hold for the rest of the year, I figured it was time to run a new mock draft and see what would come of it. I like to use PFF's mock draft simulator, but right now the seven round mock isn't available. So I am using Pro Football Network's for the time being. Without further delay, let's get into this one.
Bears Acquire Picks 3, 21, 34, and 84 from Seahawks for Pick 2
The Seahawks offered me a trade package I couldn't resist. This is essentially the Mitch Trubisky trade but the Bears get the good end of the deal. Adding another first, a second, and a third for one spot up is something nobody should pass up. Especially as the second is essentially where we would've been had our pick not been with the Steelers.
Pick 3: Will Anderson Jr. - EDGE Alabama
The Seahawks mess up again as they select Myles Murphy with the second pick after Bryce Young went first to the Texans. Look, Murphy is a good player. Anderson is just a generational talent. As a sophomore he had 17.5 sacks and 34.5 TFLs. You cannot pass that up. He also won SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the Bronko Nagurski Award as the best linebacker in the nation. He did this as a sophomore, mind you. The alternative would've been Jalen Carter if Anderson was off the board, but you can't pass this up if he's on the board.
Pick 21: Peter Skoronski - OT Northwestern
Braxton Jones and Skoronski would form a young offensive tackle combination that could be together for a long time. For a while, Skoronski was seen as the top lineman in the draft. Although his stock has dropped a little, and he's not seen as the consensus top tackle in the draft anymore, he is still a great tackle with good potential. He allowed 20 pressures on 416 pass-blocking snaps, and some of his college accolades include a 2021 All-Big Ten First Team selection, a 2020 All-Big Ten Freshman Team and All-Big Ten Second Team Selection, and has started every game since he was a freshman.
Pick 34: Henry To'oTo'o - LB Alabama
We've already snagged an outside linebacker from Bama in this draft, so why not grab an inside linebacker. After transferring from Tennessee to Bama, To'oTo'o would remain a good linebacker, and his stock is late first-early second round pick as of right now. He was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team while at Tennessee, and adding him would be a good move to help solidify the linebacking core.
Pick 55: Jalin Hyatt - WR Tennessee
Hyatt really exploded onto the scene following a 5 touchdown performance against Alabama. After mostly being a backup his first two years, he exploded onto the scene this year with 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. A sub 4.3 40 helps check the box of a fast football player like Poles and Eberflus want out of players. The Bears are going to need an offensive playmaker this offseason, and Hyatt is just the guy they are looking for.
Pick 65: Sedrick Van Pran - C Georgia
Sam Mustipher is not it. He's not a good center. We haven't really seen Lucas Patrick at Center, as he played only a drive and a half at that position this season before suffering a season-ending toe injury. Seeing what he could do in Green Bay gives me hope that he could maintain the position for next year at least. I also would like to see Dieter Eiselen get a shot there at some point this season. However, nobody on this roster (outside maybe Eiselen) has a shot at getting the full time Center job for a long time. Drafting a player like Van Pran could fill that need. As a sophomore, he played a total of 881 snaps, allowing no sacks and just eight QB hurries with no hits while at Center. That is something we could really use in the middle of the O-Line.
Pick 84: Brandon Dorlus - DT Oregon
With the last pick from the Seattle deal, I decided to take the best available from Pro Football Network's current rankings that fits a positional need that I hadn't yet taken. That player is Dorlus. He's graded similar in ability in terms of pass rush and run defense. He's listed as a DT on PFN, but has played mainly at edge in college. He's got the traits to develop into an above average DT, as he lacks the ability to be a true edge guy who constantly gets past the tackles. He might be a project guy, but has the potential to develop into a good player.
Pick 101: Jack Campbell - LB Iowa
Despite already selecting To'oTo'o, I felt that our LB core needed more depth. So I decided to go with, yet again, best available. He's best ability is in run defense, but is also great at blitzing the passer and is decent in coverage. Although, covering man on man seems to be a weakness of his. He's a good gap shooter and can get to the QB. He could develop into a long-time starter in this league given time, but he does have the ability to be solid right away if we need him to start.
Pick 131: Tony Grimes - CB North Carolina
The Bears have a gaping hole in the secondary, particularly at corner. It's very likely that one of Jaylon Johnson or Kindle Vildor won't be with the team after next year. So getting possible replacements early could be necessary, instead of waiting until one of them is gone. Grimes was once a 5 star prospect coming out of High School (24/7 Sports) and attended UNC. He was outstanding in his freshman year, but has tanked his stock a bit the last two years. His footwork needs to be trained and fixed, and he also plays conservatively a lot, which can cost him at times. However, he has the length and speed to be a successful project player and starter in the NFL. His movement is good, he hits and tackles hard in both the run and pass game, and he's got good awareness and quick feet.
Pick 133: Andrew Vorhees - OG USC
We've already had a Center and Tackle taken in this draft. So now I'll take some Guard depth. Teven Jenkins has been out best O-Lineman this year, and Cody Whitehair has been solid and consistent throughout his time here. He's a good veteran to have, however, his contract will be up soon and the Bears may look to move on from some of that salary. Vorhees has helped fuel the Trojans run to the Pac-12 title game and possibly the College Football Playoff, thanks in part to being USC's best O-Lineman. He has the physical traits to develop into a starting guard in this league, he's strong and can be a lead blocker. However, he does still struggle at times, hence why he drops way down in this mock draft simulation. I still think the Bears would be a great fit though.
Pick 155: Zacch Pickens - DT South Carolina
I already took Dorlus earlier, but man this D-Line could use all the depth it can get. Unlike Dorlus, Pickens has mainly stayed inside throughout his college career, but he still racks up some of the most tackle numbers on the Gamecocks defense. He typically requires double teams, although he's not the best lateral mover. He can be dominant in the backfield, and could possibly start right away. He's not the best in pass rush, but could still put pressure up the middle that could either result in him breaking through for a sack, forcing the QB to throw the ball away or to a bad spot, or it would allow the edge rushers to come in for the sack. It would be a good pick here if he's still available.
Pick 197: Malik Cunningham - QB Louisville
If the Bears prefer a backup QB with a similar skillset to Fields, one of the guys I would suggest would be RGIII. I even suggested this last year at one point after he had hinted he would like the opportunity to work with Justin. However, that is extremely unlikely. Mitch Trubisky is sort of similar in the fact that he's a good runner, but I don't know what his willingness to come back to Chicago would be. Trevor Siemian, as evidenced today, is okay as a backup but wouldn't win us a lot of games. So I would suggest drafting a QB later on, or possibly signing a UDFA, with a similar skillset as Fields. Malik Cunningham is a guy who could fit that mold. While not as good of a passer, he can run the ball very well. He rushed for 3,179 yards and 50 touchdowns on 618 attempts with the Cardinals. This includes a 1,000+ yard season with 20 touchdowns in 2021, and despite limited to 10 games this year due to injury, he still ran for 12 scores. He's also good enough throwing the ball to make it as a backup in the league, throwing for 9,660 yards and 70 touchdowns to 29 interceptions on 691 completions and 1,104 attempts (62.6 Comp %).
Draft Breakdown:
Offense - 5 Selections; Defense - 6 Selections
The Bears are in prime position to land Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson
In-Season Mock Draft Monday #2
December 5, 2022, 6:15 AM CST
Each week, I will be doing these from now on. One new mock draft each week. The point of it is to familiarize myself and other Bears fans with some of the draft prospects. I'll try not to pick any players I've chosen previously in this series, which is what happened today as all eleven choices were new selections that I didn't pick in the first installment of this series. This took me a long time last week, so I'm not going to hesitate any longer and let's get into this right away.
Bears Acquire Picks 3, 18, 34, and 2024 4th from Seahawks for Pick 2
A similar package to the deal we made with the Seahawks in the last mock, but instead the first is a little higher now and we swap a fourth this year for one next year.
Pick 3: Jalen Carter - DT Georgia
Jalen Carter and Will Anderson Jr. is the big debate of the draft. The Texans will most likely go with either CJ Stroud or Bryce Young first overall, which would leave Anderson or Carter to us. In the last mock, Seattle traded up and passed on both. This time, they took Anderson at 2, so I scooped up Carter. Carter went off in the SEC Championship, dominating in the trenches like he has all season. You can't go wrong with either pick, there's two insanely talented D-Lineman in this draft, and Carter happens to fall to us in this one.
Bears Acquire Picks 24, 87 from Bengals for Pick 18
I wasn't originally going to trade this pick, but a few teams were interested and I felt the Bengals offered us the best package to help for next year. So, we move down six spots and add an additional fourth rounder.
Pick 24: Jaxon Smith-Njigba - WR Ohio State
I wasn't really a fan of other players on the board in this area of selection, so I went with JSN as he was the best WR available. JSN had over 1,000 yards receiving in the regular season last year, and this was a receiving core with first rounders in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. JSN really jumped out after an insane 15 catch, 347 yard, 3 touchdown performance in the Rose Bowl last season. He's been plagued by injury this year though, being limited to just three games. However, he may be back in the College Football Playoff, where he will try to resolidify the status he had earlier this year as the top receiver in the draft.
Pick 34: Felix Anudike-Uzomah - EDGE Kansas State
Anudike-Uzomah has had a great two year run at K-State as a starter, racking up 11 sacks in 2021 and another 8 this year so far. He's also forced 8 fumbles over those two years. He's got pretty good speed, something we've been missing off the edge this year. He will have a chance to perform against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, where he looks to show the national stage what he's capable of.
Pick 57: LaDarius Henderson - OG Arizona State
This one game against the Packers we just played has changed my view completely on O-Line needs. I no longer think that drafting a tackle is necessary, as we might have both of our future tackles on the roster in Braxton Jones and Alex Leatherwood. The interior could use some work though. Teven Jenkins is our RG of the future, playing at a Pro Bowl level this year. Cody Whitehair has been consistently solid through his career, however, we are in a revolution of youth on this team. While Whitehair shouldn't be in danger of losing his job next year, the team could start to groom a replacement behind him. Henderson could be a good pick here, he's got the size to play well in the NFL at LG, with one of his main strengths being footwork. He's got solid speed, but faster rushers that you'll see a lot in the NFL can get him. That's an area of development the Bears could need to make, but otherwise, Henderson could be a good LG if we pick him up and develop him.
Pick 65: Tommy Eichenberg - LB Ohio State
The Bears could use a linebacker. I think we will sign one and than end up drafting one, which I have Eichenberg going to us here. He's been a solid linebacker for the Buckeyes this year, racking up a team leading 112 total tackles (72 solo, which would still lead the team in total tackles) with 3 pass deflections, 2.5 sacks, and a pick six on top of that. He would be a solid linebacker to pair with Jack Sanborn and another guy to headline the future of a historically great position for the Bears.
Pick 87: Tucker Kraft - TE South Dakota State
When this pick came around, I was in an interesting spot. I wanted to go with a different position than any I've had before, but I couldn't find anybody outside of Kraft that was a position I hadn't picked. This would be somewhat surprising if the Bears chose a TE here, but remember what the point of these in-season mocks are. Get familiar with prospects. Kraft is a guy who might be a better pass catcher than blocker, as he has the speed to be a catch and run threat and the size to be a red zone threat. That being said, he is still a good blocker and can adapt quickly to an NFL offense. Seems like the kind of guy you might want paired up with Cole Kmet for the long-term.
Pick 101: Devon Witherspoon - CB Illinois
Witherspoon was picked a few rounds higher in this simulator just a week ago, so I don't know what happened to make him drop this far in a week. Anyways, Witherspoon is fast. He's got Sub-4.4 speed, meaning he can keep up with those speedy receivers he will face in the NFL. We could really use a corner, especially considering that none of the guys on the roster outside of JJ and Kyler Gordon look like they can be long-term starters at CB. He excels at man coverage, with a good ability to play zone coverage as well. He does lack size and power in press coverage, and his tackling pursuit needs to be fixed, but his speed and ability to keep up with receivers will be very useful to any team lucky enough to snag him in the draft (hopefully the Bears are that team).
Pick 131: Will McDonald IV - EDGE Iowa State
McDonald has been a great pass rusher with Iowa State. His sack totals did take a dip this year after putting up double digits in 2020 and 2021, but his traits that he's shown in those two years have not been lost. He's quick, but he's not a chase and tackle guy. His spin move usually results in him beating his man, along with having the athletic skills and technicality to get by blockers and to either the QB or RB. He would be a very nice snag for the Bears here, with the potential to become a starter on the edge.
Pick 133: Olusegun Oluwatimi - OC Michigan
We will still need a Center in this draft. While I don't have us taking one as high as I did last draft, I still took one here. Oluwatimi is a project guy, with a good amount of positives to his game but also some weaknesses that need to be fixed. He could compete with Lucas Patrick, Doug Kramer, and potentially Dieter Eiselen for a spot on the roster as a Center.
Pick 157: Chase Brown - RB Illinois
Brown was one of the best running backs in college this year. If Blake Corum didn't have the season he had, Brown would've probably been considered the best RB in the Big 10. If we don't sign David Montgomery in the offseason, Brown could be a nice late round option to replace him.
Pick 197: Bryce Ford-Wheaton - WR West Virginia
After going this whole mock without drafting a wideout, I decided to spend a pick on one here. Coming off a 675 yard, 7 touchdown season, Ford-Wheaton will be hoping to be drafted after a four year career with the West Virginia Mountaineers. He was a three year starter who made some good catches in his time with WVU, one being in the game against Pitt to open the season. The Bears could take a chance on him here, and see what if he has the skill to be a good NFL receiver.
Draft Breakdown:
Offense - 6 Selections; Defense - 5 Selections, 2024 4th (SEA)
UGA DT Jalen Carter
In-Season Mock Draft Monday #3
December 12, 2022, 9:36 PM CST
A little later than usual that this mock draft is being posted. The main reason is the fact that last nights article took longer than normal to post, and so I had no time to write this one for the morning. But, I did my simulation anyways and we have now arrived here. A lot of changes for this one. With the Broncos loss yesterday, our strength of schedule means we sit at third choice in this upcoming draft. Which means I can't fleece Seattle to move down one pick. With Will Anderson and Jalen Carter being taken with the first two picks surprisingly, changes were bound to be made. And changes did happen in this one. Enjoy my 3rd Installment of In-Season Mock Draft Monday.
Bears Acquire Picks 10, 40, 71, 2024 1st, and 2024 2nd from Falcons for Pick 3
With the option to trade with Seattle off the board, I decided to move down and pick up more early round picks to help out our future. I felt as though a team might give this to move up for either Bryce Young or CJ Stroud this year.
Pick 10: Quentin Johnston - WR TCU
Johnston is my top wide receiver prospect in this draft class, and for good reason. He can go make those contested catches with his 6'4 frame, and he's quick as well as he runs a 4.4 40. As a matter of fact, his deep route game is probably his best game, as he combines that frame and speed to get to places to make deep catches that some defensive backs can't get to. He'd be a perfect option to give Fields, as Justin had one of the best deep balls during his time in college. But with all these pros, there has to be a con. One being that he is not a good blocker, but we do have a few of those on the roster already at wideout. If he's at 10, the Bears should pick him up if he's available.
Pick 40: Zay Flowers - WR Boston College
Flowers is one of the most dynamic receivers in college, and he should be a good second round pickup. I know by this point we already have Claypool, Mooney, Johnston, and now Flowers, but having someone like this on your team that you can rely to make open field catches and has an amazing ability of elusiveness on the run could be game changing for a team. It's hard to pass up on a talent like this.
Pick 58: Dalton Kincaid - TE Utah
Another pass catcher. You guys are probably wondering why I've gone three pass catchers in the first two rounds. For simplicity, let's say that we signed Daron Payne in Free Agency. And we will address the edge with our next pick. If you want a good TE2 to pair with Cole Kmet, Kincaid is the answer. He's one of, if not the best pass catching tight ends in this draft with great hands and the ability to make the catch anywhere on the field. He's got ok speed and doesn't get too much separation, but in the red zone he'd be like 2020 Jimmy Graham for us.
Pick 66: Nolan Smith - EDGE Georgia
Coming off surgery to repair a torn pec, Smith's stock has taken a dip after previously being seen as a possible first round pick. Still, the talent is there for the Bears to get a quality starter out of the former 5 star recruit. He's a very quick player with a lot of speed that can work both rushing the passer and in backfield coverage. He's very versatile, and the Bears could use him in many roles. He would still be successful if you exclusively lined him up at edge though.
Pick 71: Brandon Joseph - S Notre Dame
Safety is a position that we may not need this draft, but you never know what can happen. With this pick, I decided to go with Brandon Joseph, a guy who has played safety but has the traits that could fit a cornerback spot if necessary. He's good at tracking the ball and his tackling technique isn't great, hence why he has been a safety. But I feel like the Bears could develop him into a corner if they wanted to.
Pick 101: Isaiah Land - LB Florida A&M
Land has played in both an inside linebacker spot and an edge spot in college, once again making him a very versatile player. His best traits do come in coverage though, and in the run game as his pass rush is not great. He would fit into the Will LB spot, a position that Matt Adams is currently holding. He could be a guy that goes into camp and wins that job though.
Pick 131: Keeanu Benton - DT Wisconsin
Finally we get ourselves a D-Tackle to pair with Daron Payne (in this universe). Speaking of Payne, I'll probably have to make a separate article explaining why the Bears need to make him their top free agent target this offseason. Benton plays at the nose tackle position, which would leave Payne as the 3-Tech. Benton is a pure power rusher, using the bull rush to his advantage to get into the pocket. He isn't necessarily a play wrecker though, which is why you wouldn't want to immediately rely on him out of the draft to start.
Pick 134: Alex Forsyth - C Oregon
We once again take a new Center as we snag Alex Forsyth from the Oregon Ducks. He is good at getting to the second level and can cause damage there, along with being quick in his stance with good footwork and technique. He can also hold his own against bigger defenders, but he does panic sometimes and has limited range in his game.
Pick 157: Jordan McFadden - OT Clemson
As I mentioned in my Alex Leatherwood All-22 Breakdown, I don't think offensive tackle might be that big of a need anymore this offseason if he continues to play at the level he did against Green Bay. But, it's always good to add depth when you can. McFadden's got good foot speed, but it's not necessarily elite against speedy NFL rushers. He is a competitor though, and always finishes with a purpose and brings leadership to the locker room. Along with that, he could kick inside if he wants. He's best in the run game, his pass protection won't be good against bigger, faster edge rushers in the top level.
Pick 198: Micah Abraham - CB Marshall
We've reached the final pickup in this Mock Draft Monday, this time we are going with a player who was named to the All-Sun Belt team this year. The son of former NFL corner Donnie Abraham, Micah had the traits to move from Safety to Corner, and play effectively. He would be a nice pickup here if he were to fall to us at 198.
Draft Breakdown:
Offense - 5 Selections, Defense - 5 Selections, 2024 1st and 2nd (ATL)
TCU Wideout Quentin Johnston is my top WR for this draft
Bear Cave Bears Mock Draft 1.0
January 12, 2023, 7:58 PM CST
Yes, I know I've done mocks this season already. However, with us locking in the first pick, it's time to begin officially mocking prospects to the Bears. I've started using PFF (and you'll see that it can lead to interesting results) to start picking prospects as their seven round mock simulator is now out. Ryan Poles had stated that he's going to build through the draft, which will likely mean a lot of trades. And a lot of talent joining the squad for next year. Poles will be aggressive to try and make this team a playoff contender. So, let's get straight into my first official mock draft of the year, which includes 14 selections and 5 trades.
Trades:
Bears Get Picks 3, 34, 66, 2024 Rd 2 From Cardinals For Pick 1
Bears Get Picks 148, 180 From Jaguars For Pick 128
Bears Get Picks 164, 2024 Rd 7 From Lions For Pick 160
Bears Get Picks 173, 2024 Rd 6 From Patriots For Pick 164
Bears Get Picks 196, 220 From 49ers For 2024 Rd 6 Pick (NE)
The most unrealistic here is probably Arizona, although with them getting a new regime, you never know what they'll do. They won't ditch Kyler, especially with his cap hit, but they took Jalen Carter with this pick. The other trades kind of mimic last year in the mid round trade downs. This allows us to build up future draft capital along with adding even more talent this year.
Selections:
Pick 3: EDGE Will Anderson - Alabama
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Anderson is a blue chip prospect, a game changer on the D-Line. If the Bears can't move down any further, they must take Anderson. Rebuild this pass rush all starts from the edge and Will Anderson.
Pick 34: G O'Cyrus Torrence - Florida
The Bears need to shore up the interior of their offensive line. Torrence would be a great pickup early in the second round, a guy to compete with Cody Whitehair for the starting LG job next season. We need to protect Fields, and Torrence would be good at that.
Pick 55: WR Rashee Rice - SMU
Rice is one of my favorite receivers out of the second round. He's 6'2 and has good speed. He had been an average receiver in his first three years at SMU, but broke out this year with 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns on 96 receptions. He'd be a nice reliable option for Fields, adding another thread to this offense.
Pick 64: C John Michael Schmitz - Minnesota
JMS is the best Center prospect in this class, and we need one desperately. Mustipher is not the answer long-term, and picking one up in the draft seems like a no-brainer for Poles. Unless we find one in FA, JMS should be the pick if he is on the board at this spot.
Pick 66: DL Mazi Smith - Michigan
After going with two IOL picks already, I head to the IDL and take athletic freak Mazi Smith out of Michigan. He provides an insane athletic ability (#1 on Bruce Feldman's freak list) and would be a much needed addition to the interior of the D-Line. The Bears should take him if he ends up falling this far.
Pick 96: WR Zay Flowers - Boston College
There's almost no chance Flowers falls this far, but I couldn't resist taking him here. I even think he might be gone by pick 55, our current second rounder pre-trades. So him falling to 96 would be amazing. He's 5'11 and is very fast, he is able to get open a lot and creates separation, zooming away from opposing defenders. Similar to Rice, Flowers broke out with 1,077 yards on 78 catches and 12 touchdowns for Boston College this year.
Pick 141: C Olusegun Oluwatimi - Michigan
The Wolverines have another interior player taken in this one, but it's another Center. I couldn't resist Oluwatimi at this spot, and I'm sure Poles might not be able to resist either. After the last two years of Center play, we need some stability at that position. If JMS doesn't work out, than we'd have Oluwatimi and 2022 pick Doug Kramer there as well. Oluwatimi could potentially kick to Guard if he doesn't win the job either.
Pick 148: RB Deuce Vaughn - Kansas State
Vaughn reminds me of Tarik Cohen, small, fast, and shifty. He was underrecruited in high school, but dominated with his chance at K-State. Even if we bring Monty back, we could use another back with the skillset of Vaughn on this offense.
Pick 173: T Warren McClendon - Georgia
McClendon played over 700 snaps this season and allowed 0 sacks, a good stat to have. He actually only allowed 2 sacks his whole college career, both in his sophomore season. The Bulldogs senior is good at handling the bull rush, but what he can struggle in is pass pro and recovering after he is initially beaten. Would be a nice pickup to compete at Right Tackle next season.
Pick 180: EDGE Brandon Dorlus - Oregon
I took Dorlus in an earlier MDM, and I am bringing him back for my first official mock draft. Albeit, this one I took him way lower. He can provide some nice depth at the edge rush position and can make an impact when his number is called in case of an injury to one of the starters.
Pick 184: LB Troy Brown - Ole Miss
The first of two linebackers I am taking in this one, Brown is a fifth year senior out of Ole Miss after he transferred to the Rebels after four years with Central Michigan. Brown has great speed and can play the Will position in the 4-3, and he also isn't a guy you can rely on putting pressure to the QB.
Pick 192: LB Mohamoud Diabate - Utah
Diabate will be at the East-West Shrine Bowl, something the Bears staff will actually be coaching in on December 2nd. He can be effective off the edge with his explosiveness, with aggressive gap shooting and being able to redirect downfield in a quick manner. However, he is on the smaller side and is easy to get blocked.
Pick 196: T Connor Galvin - Baylor
A pickup in the draft from my first Mock Offseason, Galvin could provide depth at the tackle position. He could also potentially compete for the Right Tackle job with McClendon, Leatherwood, Borom, etc.
Pick 220: TE Cameron Latu - Alabama
My final pick in this mock is Cameron Latu. I feel like we could also go Special Teams here, but a Tight End is something we could pick up as a backup late. Latu had 377 yards and 4 touchdowns on 30 catches this year for the Crimson Tide.
Will Anderson would be a great fit for the Bears
Prospect Analysis: Will Anderson Jr
January 15, 2023, 12:13 AM CST
You guys don't really see a lot of the behind the scenes work with my prospect analysis series. Despite this being my first of the cycle, I have begun the evaluation process on many under the radar guys that could get articles. One certain guy I am debating not doing one on because I don't want to hype him up TOO much. But I may change my mind in the future.
We start the cycle with Will Anderson Jr, who is my top player in this class. I LOVE Will Anderson Jr's game, he bring so much intensity to the field. He has the mentality of getting into the backfield, getting to the QB. Back on December 27th, I looked at Anderson's film as part of my first draft target for Instagram. What I watched is a Bear. Though Anderson may have played as a 3-4 OLB, we have to find a way to scheme him into this defense. I see a player who goes after the ball. Every play, he wants that ball. He isn't a guy that will take plays off, unlike Jalen Carter, who can give some loaf plays on occasion. I really liked Anderson's explosiveness off the edge, he's a guy I see beating quality tackles every single game. He's not afraid to make plays when the QB throws it either, though in this scheme he wouldn't be playing a linebacking role and would instead stick on the edge. Anderson is a guy who would've went first overall last year, and would likely be the Bears first overall pick this year if they don't trade down. Hopefully the Bears can still get him even if they do trade down with a team like the Colts to Pick 4. He's a guy you want to build your D-Line around.
Stats:
3 Seasons
34.5 Sacks
204 Tackles
114 Solo Tackles
58.5 Tackles For Loss
200 Pressures
36 QB Hits
4 Pass Deflections
1 Force Fumble
Pick-Six
Awards/Accomplishments:
Finished Fifth in the 2021 Heisman Voting
2022 Lott IMPACT Trophy
Bachelor's Degree in Communications - Finished In Three Years
2021 and 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award (Best Defensive Player in CFB - Maxwell Football Club)
2021 and 2022 First Team All-American
2022 Rotary Lombardi Award (Best Lineman in CFB - Either Side of the Ball)
2021 and 2022 Nagurski Award (Best Defensive Player - FWAA)
2021 and 2022 SEC Defensive Player of the Year
Could the Bears snag Will Anderson with their first round selection
Prospect Analysis: Zay Flowers
January 17, 2023, 11:43 AM CST
Another prospect analysis for you all. Today is on Boston College Wide Receiver Zay Flowers. Flowers was a bright spot on a weak Boston College team this year. Despite just 2,965 passing yards from two quarterbacks, Flowers still managed to snag 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. One thing you could see on those touchdowns was speed. Flowers is very good in the open field, he can run away from almost anyone. His best game came in a 34-33 upset victory against Louisville, where he caught 5 passes for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns. One TD was on a deep ball where he jumped and caught the ball instead of a couple defenders, and the other was on a play that was designed to have him passing the bal, but instead he ran it in for a score after he couldn’t find anyone open. It’s an excellent TD to watch, the second one, I highly recommend going and watching it.
Now here’s where Flowers might not be a fit on the Bears. His size. We need an alpha receiver to help Justin Fields. I like Chase Claypool, and believe he has the potential to become that guy, but he’s just not there yet in terms of chemistry with Fields. If we go for a guy like DeAndre Hopkins, I would be beyond happy if we snag Flowers as well. Even without Hopkins I would take Flowers, I just don’t think he should be the only addition at wideout this season. But, he has made some leaping catches in the past, so you never know. He could put that 5’10 frame aside and make some nice contested catches. If he did that, this would be a steal of a pick.
Stats:
4 Seasons (3 Starting)
200 Catches
3,056 Receiving Yards (1,077 in 2022)
15.3 YPC
31 Touchdowns (29 Rec, 2 Rush)
7 Punt Returns, 43 Yards (2022)
Boston College WR Zay Flowers could be a good target in the second round
Prospect Analysis: Andrei Iosivas
January 21, 2023, 12:12 AM CST
A lot of you might not know the name Andrei Iosivas. Some of you may know him simply for the fact that he is headed to the combine and the Senior Bowl. Or, some of you may just keep up with Ivy League football. Well recently, Instagram user @matt.eberflus1 and I have been analyzing prospects together, and Iosivas was brought to him by a follower of his. Both of us really like his game. His frame is perfect for what you want from a WR1. He is 6'3, 200 lbs according to Princeton's football webpage. He is a senior who has played in all three seasons (2020 year cancelled due to Covid). In that time, he's racked up 1,909 yards on 125 catches and 16 touchdowns. His best year was this last year, where he put up 943 yards on 66 catches for 7 touchdowns. Now, it isn't necessarily his stats that will get him picked high, it's his athleticism.
Instagram User @matt.eberflus1: "Andrei Iosivas goes zoom."
Iosivas was also a track star at Princeton. His 6.71 60 yard run in the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2021-2022 broke the NCAA record. He finished fourth in the heptathlon at the Indoor Championships. His 40 time may be even more impressive. He runs a 4.2 40, an insane speed given the fact that he's 6'3. This means he can run away from defenders after making the catch. His catches aren't just slants either. He makes contested catches as well. We know how much Ryan Poles likes his athletes. Iosivas will likely ball out at the combine and flash that speed. He's going to shoot up draft boards quickly. I could see him being a mid-second round pick, with the lowest being a fourth round pick. I would love him on the Bears, and if a guy like Zay Flowers is gone by Pick 55, Poles might have to seriously consider taking Iosivas. Especially if he wants one of the best athletes at the Wide Receiver position in this draft.
Stats:
3 Seasons (2020 Cancelled, 2 Starting)
125 Catches
1,909 Receiving Yards (943 in 2022)
15.3 YPC
16 Touchdowns
Iosivas is flying under the radar right now, but that will change soon
Prospect Analysis: A.T. Perry
January 31, 2023, 10:35 PM CST
With Senior Bowl practices officially kicking off, the Shrine Bowl has kind of gone over people's heads. However, one name that many have pointed out to be a stud in those practices is Wake Forest WR A.T. Perry. Perry can't make his name known on a level like the Senior Bowl, but standing out at the Shrine Bowl greatly improves his chances of having his draft stock rise. He's coming off a great 2022 season, where he caught 81 passes for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns. These are great numbers, but then you notice that his 2021 stats were even better, with 1,293 yards and 15 touchdowns on 71 receptions. Even with these numbers, people haven't been valuing him super high when it comes to where he may be picked in the draft. Now, that seems to be changing as more and more people come to realize the talent Perry has. From what I watched from this season, Perry has great tracking abilities of the ball and can make nice grabs over the shoulder. He gets open a lot as well, and he's a guy that can get the feet down inbounds. He also has a 6'5 frame, which allows him to reach out and get the ball in positions where others may not. I didn't see too many contested catches while watching his plays from this last season, but that could be due to his ability to get open. Another positive of his game is the ability to hold on through contact, as he tends to get hit while coming back for catches, yet still hangs on to complete it. I wish he was at the Senior Bowl and working with Luke Getsy as well. but alas, we can't always get what we want. The Bears, nonetheless, should take a big look into Perry this offseason and see if they want to draft him (I think he should be on their radar). One final thing, he apparently runs a 4.48 40 yard dash, so hopefully he can put on the burners in the NFL after making a catch.
Stats:
4 Seasons (2 Starting)
171 Catches
2,662 Receiving Yards (1,096 in 2022)
15.6 YPC
28 Touchdowns
Could the Bears target Wake Forest WR A.T. Perry after an impressive Shrine Bowl?
Bear Cave Bears Mock Draft 2.0
February 22, 2023, 10:43 PM CST
I wrote this mock like a month ago, so some of this is outdated in terms of where players will go. But, most of these guys could be on the Bears radar. I didn't go as trade heavy as I did with mock 1.0, but I did make one. I also made 10 selections, so let's not waste any more time and get straight into this.
Trades:
Bears Get Picks 4, 35, 79, 2024 Rd 1, WR Michael Pittman Jr for Pick 1
At this point, this trade doesn't look likely. However, I still see an outside shot of this happening. This may be too much value for one, but Jim Irsay has shown signs of being willing to give up a lot for pick one. If Poles can make this happen, it would be one of the greatest fleeces ever. Depending on what we do with those picks and how Pittman is on the team.
Selections:
Pick 4: EDGE Will Anderson - Alabama
Not much explaining to do with this one as I explained this last year. It's either Will or Carter here, depending on what Arizona does with Pick 3. In this one, the Cards took Carter, so I took Will.
Pick 35: C Luke Wypler - Ohio State
The Bears will be in the Center market, as they don't have an elite potential Center on the roster. Sam Mustipher was not good last year, Lucas Patrick played just over one drive at Center, Dieter Eiselen didn't get much game time, and Doug Kramer played in Preseason Week 1 before suffering a season-ending injury. So why not upgrade and snag a former Ohio State player to be Justin Fields' center? He'd immediately slide in as the starter, barring any FA signing.
Pick 55: EDGE Mike Morris - Michigan
We are completely rebuilding the edge positions in this mock, first getting Will Anderson, and now we get a partner in Mike Morris. Morris had 7 sacks this year, and could be an elite player. A great 1-2 punch off the edge that can penetrate any O-Line will snag us some wins on defense alone next season.
Pick 64: T Cody Mauch - North Dakota State
The Bears have met with Mauch already, and a strong Senior Bowl showing in front of Luke Getsy could put him high on the Bears radar. He was a great tackle this year at NDSU, and the Bears taking him to pair with Braxton Jones as a young, strong tackle duo would be a great move by Ryan Poles and Ian Cunningham.
Pick 79: G Christian Haynes - UConn
Snagging a guy to replace Cody Whitehair in the future should be a priority this offseason, whether it be in Free Agency or the Draft. Haynes may not be a Day 1 starter, but he could develop into one. Even if they keep Whitehair for one more year, Haynes can learn behind him and then take over in 2024.
Pick 103: WR Andrei Iosivas - Princeton
I made this pick before Iosivas' Senior Bowl, which was pretty underwhelming. Even still, the Bears should have him on their radar as he has the tools. He's tall and runs a 4.2, and if he can develop and learn to harness that speed in-game, he could be a great receiver in the league.
Pick 136: LB Owen Pappoe - Auburn
The Bears need another LB, maybe even two this offseason. Snag one in free agency, and get a guy like Pappoe in the Draft where he could be a Day 1 starter next to Jack Sanborn. I feel like the Bears should bring back Nick Morrow, whether we draft a LB or not, just to serve as a bridge LB. But Pappoe could be a long-term starter alongside Sanborn, who has already shown a lot in just 6 starts last season.
Pick 149: RB Kenny McIntosh - Georgia
With David Montgomery set to hit free agency unless the Bears bring him back, we could be looking for a new RB in the draft to pair with Khalil Herbert. McIntosh performed well at the Senior Bowl, and could be a steal at this point of the draft.
Pick 176: CB Tykee Smith - Georgia
The Bears need a set CB3 at some point, so adding a rookie to compete with Jaylon Jones, Josh Blackwell, Kindle Vildor, and a possible FA to win the job this offseason. Smith would be that rookie competition, could he slot in next to Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon?
Pick 200: TE Luke Schoonmaker - Michigan
Just like the last mock, I'm closing it out with a Tight End. I was going to take a QB, but none of the ones on the board I thought fit as a backup. So we snag a Tight End who can work alongside Cole Kmet, possibly having an open path to TE2.
Could Luke Wypler be the answer at Center?
Prospect Analysis: Jalen Carter
February 26, 2023, 9:20 PM CST
I've already covered Will Anderson, and now it's time to talk about Jalen Carter. Both have serious #1 pick potential, even though we will likely trade the pick. We still will likely wind up with one of the two depending on the team we trade with. If we trade with the Colts, it all depends on what Arizona does. Carter would be phenomenal to have on the D-Line. I wish there was a way to get both Anderson and Carter, but that's just not possible with our position. I still think Anderson is the better prospect, and still want him just a little more, but having Carter would be having a game-changer in both the run and pass game. When he plays at full effort, you can't stop him. He will penetrate the O-Line and he will get in the backfield. That's the only issue one may have with him. He sometimes takes plays off. Anderson doesn't take plays off as often as Carter, which is why I have him just slightly higher. But imagine Matt Eberflus coaches him to play at 100% effort, 100% of the time. He'd fit perfectly in that Eberflus system, he'd be the perfect 3-Tech for the next 10+ years. And imagine paring this absolute monster with another one of the free agent D-Line prospects. We'd get to the QB or RB almost every play. If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and watch some Jalen Carter highlights on YouTube. You'll see him just run through everything in his path. It may seem like I don't have a lot to say, but I can't truly put into words how dominant he can be. Go watch some tape yourself and see what a true Monster of the Midway can look like. Oh and after that, go watch Will Anderson highlights. I don't think you'll end up with a clear winner in the Bears Draft Pick sweepstakes, not yet at least.
Oh yeah, don't listen to the media about the "character issues" he may have. It's all just made up to make him look bad. He literally used his scholarship money to pay for a teammates meals. So no, he doesn't have character issues. Don't base your choice between him and Will off that.
Stats:
3 Seasons (3 Starting)
83 Tackles
44 Solo Tackles
6 Sacks
18.5 TFL
2 Force Fumbles
Jalen Carter is a serious candidate for the Bears at first overall
Prospect Analysis: Mazi Smith
March 20, 2023, 9:28 PM CST
It's time for another prospect analysis. With free agency slowing down the last few days, it's the perfect time to get back into the prospect grind. This will be the second consecutive 3-Tech I am looking at, Michigan's Mazi Smith. With Jalen Carter having legal issues, and after a lackluster Pro Day performance, the Bears could be inclined to pass on him if he drops to 9th overall. The Bears, needing a 3-Tech of the future, would have to turn to other draft options. Smith is my favorite in the second round. He may not fall to 54, but if he does, the tape shows that Poles should not pass him up. Mazi is an athletic freak on the D-Line. You can see it through his game speed. He's very quick off the snap, getting to the backfield quickly to make a play. One of the best parts of his game that we lacked last year is getting pressure on the QB. Mazi can do that, he's good at getting into the backfield. He didn't have the impressive sack numbers, but he gets pressure on the QB, which is something we were horrible at last year. Our entire D-Line would be improved by this addition, though, will we even have the chance to pick him is the question. He's not a first round pick, let alone top 10. But he might be off the board by 54. Do we hope for the best? Should we move up from 54 or trade down from 9 again to get him? It's something that Poles and co. have to decide when evaluating a player like Mazi. But, he's a talent I certainly wouldn't want to pass up if he's available at 54. He would be a gamechanger up front.
Stats:
3 Seasons (2 Starting)
89 Tackles
39 Solo Tackles
1 Sack
6 TFL
1 Force Fumble
Michigan's Mazi Smith could be a great 3-Tech option for the Bears
Bear Cave’s Final 2023 Bears Mock Draft
April 27, 2023, 12:15 PM CDT
It’s draft day Bears fans. Maybe the most important for our future that we’ve had in a long time. Ryan Poles has an opportunity to set us up for the next five years at least with the right selections in this draft. There’s a lot of mystery going into this one, we don’t know where each team is going. Will the Panthers pass up on Bryce Young? Will the Texans go defense? Could Jalen Carter fall to 9? A lot of questions will be answered tonight, but let’s do one final mock to see how the board could shape up to be.
Pick 9: EDGE Tyree Wilson - Texas Tech
One of the most obvious needs for the Bears in this draft is Defensive Line. Somehow, if Tyree Wilson were to fall all the way to 9, the Bears would need to snag him immediately. The talent is unreal, and he would immediately change everything on our D-Line. The most likely option (and who I would’ve taken if he was here) would be Jalen Carter to be our 3T. But either of the two would be incredible to have on the line.
Pick 53: OL Cody Mauch - North Dakota State
With the second pick that we have, I went with Cody Mauch out of NDSU. He has versatility all over he O-Line, and I could easily see him fitting in at right tackle if we end up taking him with this pick. Another option could be John Michael Schmitz from Minnesota, who wasn’t here when I made this selection.
Pick 61: DL Keeanu Benton - Wisconsin
After not getting Jalen Carter in round one, I went to the 3 Tech spot with this one and took Keeanu Benton from Wisconsin. This gives us two young, day one starters on the D-Line from this draft class, which is going to be especially important for this upcoming season.
Pick 64: C Joe Tippmann - Wisconsin
Decided to head back to the offensive trenches with this one. While Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick are two Center options on the O-line, neither are long-term starters and in fact both are pending free agents. With the Sam Mustipher era over, it’s time to look at another young option in this draft to take over as the long-term starter, and Joe Tippmann was the best available, giving us two Wisconsin Badgers on the O-Line.
Pick 103: RB Tyjae Spears - Tulane
For the first time this draft, I moved away from the trenches with this selection and took speedy running back Tyjae Spears. He could help out our backfield and make an impact immediately as another guy with great speed. Though, he may not enter the fold entirely until 2024, but he’s got good potential.
Pick 133: DL Kobie Turner - Wake Forest
For the next two picks, I went back to the trenches for depth. This one I went with Wake Forest’s Kobie Turner, who would be a depth DT option for us after already making the selections I did early on in this mock.
Pick 136: OL Anthony Bradford - LSU
Similar to the Turner pick, I went with Guard Anthony Bradford as a depth option to develop in case an injury were to happen to Teven Jenkins or Nate Davis.
Pick 148: LB Owen Pappoe - Auburn
Snagging depth at linebacker now, I chose Owen Pappoe with this pick. He was the highest LB on the board, and I feel he could make an impact on special teams immediately as our linebacking core is filled as of now.
Pick 218: WR Ronnie Bell - Michigan
With DJ Moore being acquired, and the resignings of Dante Pettis and Equanimeous St. Brown, it’s very unlikely the Bears take a WR early on. If they do, they’ll wait till later in the draft where a guy like Ronnie Bell could be chosen and compete for a roster spot.
Pick 258: K Jake Moody - Michigan
Moody was the best kicker in CFB last year, and with the possible concern about Cairo Santos after missing a lot of PATs, the Bears could look to take Moody and have him compete with Santos for the roster spot.
So there we have it, my final mock for the Bears 2023 NFL Draft. It’s a very trench-heavy approach, which is how I feel Poles and co. could approach this. Actually, that’s probably how they will approach it with significant improvements needing to be made in the trenches on both sides of the ball. These picks aren’t all going to happen obviously, but this is what I expect the draft for Chicago to look like.
Could Tyree Wilson fall to the Bears at 9?
Bears Move Down One Spot, Select Tennessee OT Darnell Wright
April 27, 2023, 8:37 PM CDT
The Chicago Bears have done it. They've made their first round pick, the first of the Ryan Poles era. They traded down one spot with the Philadelphia Eagles, grabbing a 2024 4th rounder, and snagged Tennessee Offensive Tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th Overall Pick.
The Bears passed up on the option to draft Jalen Carter with the 9th pick, and instead opted to bolster the O-Line first. If you watch tape on Darnell Wright, you see exactly why the Bears chose him. He's strong, he's athletic. He didn't allow a single sack in college, this going up against an insanely stacked SEC where he faced Georgia and Alabama every year. He's exactly the kind of protection we needed to get Justin Fields. So while some people had to get over the initial shock of passing on Carter, people will warm up to Wright. He dominated Will Anderson, who went third overall tonight. He's got sky high potential, and will be a Day 1 starter at Right Tackle.
With no more picks for Chicago tonight, attention turns over to tomorrow, as the Bears will have three picks in an eleven pick span. Picks 53, 61, and 64 belong to the Bears after some of the trades they made. Look for them to add D-Line and O-Line tomorrow, before adding depth to more positions on Saturday. This was a great pick by the Bears, and I'm excited for Wright to get in a Bears uniform next season.
The Bears Have Selected Darnell Wright with the 10th Overall Pick
Bears Go All Defense On Day 2, Select Three
April 29, 2023, 9:13 AM CDT
After getting Justin Fields some help on the O-Line with the Bears First Round Pick, Ryan Poles and co. decided Day 2 would be all about defense. The Bears came into the day with the 53rd, 61st, and 64th overall picks, the first two being in the second round, and the final pick being the first pick of the third round. With the 53rd Pick, the Bears took Gervon Dexter Sr., a defensive tackle from Florida who Ryan Poles said can play 3-Tech or Nose. Dexter tallied up 55 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 TFLs, and an interception in 13 starts last season with the Florida Gators. He stands at 6'6, 310 pounds and is insanely athletic. His RAS (Relative Athletic Score) was a 9.53 this year, which ranks 77 out of 1620 DTs from 1987 to 2023. As with our other DT selection, both have really fast 40 times for D-Lineman. Dexter ran a 4.88 40, which is great speed for someone with the frame he has. Our next pick came with Ryan Poles' first trade up as a GM. Sitting at Pick 61, Poles and co. were worried their target was going to get snagged up before he reached that pick. So he struck a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, sending them Picks 61 and 135 to move up to Pick 56, where they took a premium position that Poles likes in Miami's Tyrique Stevenson, a Cornerback who, like Dexter, is really athletic. He's also very physical, and will make a lot of tackles. He tallied up 68 of them over two seasons with Miami, where he ended up after transferring from Georiga. He also had 4 TFLs, 14 pass breakups, and 3 interceptions in his college career. With this pick, the Bears will now have a great young CB core for a while in Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, and Jaylon Johnson. This, of course, is assuming Jaylon will get an extension this offseason. Once again, Poles chose a very athletic player here, as Stevenson's RAS score was 8.93, 239th out of 2222 CBs from 1987 to 2023. He will play on the outside, so I'm going to assume Kyler Gordon will play inside as Jaylon occupies the other outside position. Finally, the Bears made another move on the Interior D-Line, snagging up South Carolina's Zacch Pickens with the 64th pick, the last the Bears would have on Day 2. Poles stuck with the trend of athletic guys with this choice, Pickens' RAS score was a 9.23, ranking him 126 out of 1620 DTs from 1987 to 2023. His 40-time was JUST above Dexter's, running a 4.89 40 which was just .01 slower than what Dexter ran. So we know that Poles chose speedy guys on the interior to rush the QB. Like Dexter, he can play 1-Tech or 3-Tech, but with Dexter projecting as the 3-Tech, I would assume Pickens would occupy the Nose position, but they could rotate them a lot. He tallied up 42 tackles, 4 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks in his final year of college with South Carolina.
The Bears are currently on the clock right now, as they hold the first pick in Round 4. After trading one of their Day 3 picks to move up and snag Stevenson, the Bears currently have five selections today. However, if Poles does anything like he did last year, I'm sure we will have more than just five new Bears by the end of the day today.
The Bears selected DT Gervon Dexter Sr. with the 53rd overall pick
Bears Complete 2023 Class With Strong Day 3
April 30, 2023, 1:46 PM CDT
Ryan Poles' second draft class is complete. While we may not have chosen as much offensive line or edge rushers that we thought he was planning on doing, he still came out of the draft with a strong class of players that can be contributors right away for this team. After drafting OT Darnell Wright on Day 1, the Bears took all defense on Day 2, so Day 3 looked to be a mix of players on both sides of the ball. Poles took his first offensive skill position of this years class by taking Texas RB Roschon Johnson with the 115th pick. This came after Poles traded the 103rd Pick, the first pick of Round 4 and the first pick of the day, to the Saints for 115 and Pick 165, which helped recoup the pick he traded to the Jaguars to snag Tyrique Stevenson on Day 2. Personally, I LOVE the Roschon pick. It might be my favorite of this draft, he has Round 2 talent that fell to Round 4 due to him backing up Bijan Robinson. An absolute steal at this spot by Ryan Poles. Even as a backup last year, Johnson put up 554 yards on 93 attempts with 5 touchdowns. Poles than went with a receiver with Pick 133 later in Round 4. He decided to take Tyler Scott, a burner from Cincinnati that will be a serious deep threat in this offense, potentially starting out as high as Wide Receiver 4 on our depth chart. He caught 54 passes last season for 899 yards and 9 touchdowns. The Bears decided to turn back to the defensive side of the ball with their fifth round selection at Pick 148, taking Oregon LB Noah Sewell. The younger brother of Lions Offensive Tackle Penei Sewell, Noah played as an off-ball linebacker at Oregon, with 55 tackles and 1.5 sacks this past year, a drop off from his 114 tackles, 4 sack season in 2021. Something tells me the Bears could try him at edge, as his change of direction isn't great. Poles stuck with defense the next pick, and took Cornerback Terell Smith from Minnesota, a guy Poles said stuck out to them at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Smith had 38 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks, and 5 passes defended last year at Minnesota. With no sixth round pick, Poles had to wait until the first pick of the seventh to make another selection. He took another Defensive Tackle, Travis Bell, with the 218th Pick of the Draft. Bell became the first player to ever be drafted from Kennesaw State in Georgia, with Ryan Poles even saying that he didn't want to leave Halas Hall after his Top 30 visit with the team. Bell recorded 34 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks in his final year with the Owls, registering 11 sacks (3rd in program history) and 24.5 TFLs (4th in program history) across five years. With the Bears final pick at 258, the second to last pick of the draft, they selected Safety Kendall Williamson from Stanford. Williamson recorded 51 tackles, a force fumble, and an interception in his final season with the Cardinal and should be an immediate special teams contributor similar to Elijah Hicks last year.
Now that the Bears 2023 class is done, attention turns towards season prep. The schedule will come out in about a week and a half, and than we'll get rookie minicamp, OTAs, and Training Camp before Preseason and than, the Regular Season. The Bears have also made some UDFA signings already, snagging players such as WR Thyrick Pitts Jr. and K Andre Szmyt to compete for spots on the roster. For now though, we do enter a dead period of the offseason. Hopefully the Front Office can continue to make moves to improve this roster for next season, such as potentially signing Edge Rusher Yannick Ngakoue to help out after passing on that position in the draft.
The Bears took Texas RB Roschon Johnson with the 115th Pick of the Draft