The Chicago Bears are in the midst of preparations for the 2024 NFL Draft and will likely be the team that controls the entire weekend.
The Bears currently have eight selections in the draft, including the first and ninth overall picks in the first round. Early reports suggest the Bears might be adding more to that arsenal by the time April arrives.
Chicago’s front office and mainly general manager Ryan Poles will have a critical decision to make with the top pick in the draft and quarterback Justin Fields before the draft takes place.
The Bears can opt to either trade the number one overall pick for the second consecutive season or trade away Fields and restart at the position. For the sake of this mock, we will be predicting the Bears’ choose the latter. If you’d like to see what the Bears 2024 draft could look like if Fields remains the starter, click here to see last week’s Bears Mock Draft Monday. With that being said, let’s get started.
1st Overall Pick: QB Caleb Williams
A new era could be on the way for the Bears’ offense, and one that will be led by USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams is one of the most coveted prospects the league has seen at the position since potentially Andrew Luck.
The Bears will have an extremely tough decision to make, but trading out from the top pick in the second straight draft is a bold move to make. The team should look instead to land their franchise quarterback and begin building around his future.
Williams threw for 10,082 passing yards, 93 passing touchdowns and just 14 interceptions during his three year collegiate career at Oklahoma and USC. He’s as polished and elite of a prospect that you could ever find.
9th Overall Pick: WR Rome Odunze
The Bears now have their quarterback of the future, the next order of business needs to be surrounding him with talent. That can come from a new skill-player or by adding more talent on the offensive line.
With Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze still on the board, let’s give Williams another option in the passing game to complement wide receiver DJ Moore in the new offense expected to be on the way.
Odunze had a stellar 2023 season with the Huskies, who went on to face Michigan in the National Championship Game. He set career-highs in receptions (92), receiving yards (1,640) and receiving touchdowns (13). Any other year, Odunze would be the top wide receiver in the class and the Bears can get an early steal here at nine.
73rd Overall Pick: S Tykee Smith
Carrying over a player from our previous mock draft just because of how strong of a fit he can be in Matt Eberflus’ defensive scheme. Tykee Smith was a beast on Georgia’s all-star loaded defense and is finally set to enter the draft.
Smith can slide right into the Bears young secondary and be an immediate replacement for Eddie Jackson, whether it’s this year or next year. His ball skills and play-making ability is elite at the position, meaning even more turnovers in the future for the Bears defense.
Smith had eight interceptions, 12 pass deflections, 5.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one defensive touchdown during his four full seasons at West Virginia and Georgia.
109th Overall Pick: C Sedrick Van Pran
Double dipping in the same prestigious program, the Bears can now added some needed protection up-front for Williams. The Bears need an upgrade at the center position and this pick in the draft is the prime spot to land one.
In the first go-around, I had the Bears selecting Alabama center Seth McLaughlin with this pick. Sedrick Van Pran is also another viable option. Multiple draft experts view both McLaughlin and Van Pran as interchangeable top prospects at the position.
Georgia has had nine offensive linemen drafted in the last four draft classes combined. The program breeds starting-caliber NFL offensive lineman and Van Pran is no different. According to PFF, Van Pran allowed 0 sacks and 12 pressures in 2023.
125th Overall Pick: LB Tommy Eichenberg
Another program rich with NFL talent the Bears could look to dip into once again. Linebacker isn’t at the top of the list of needs for the Bears heading into the draft after having great seasons from Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards in 2023 plus still having Jack Sanborn under contract for a while.
However, it’s hard to pass up this kind of talent to add to the defense as a potential depth piece in case anyone were to go down. Tommy Eichenberg was a monster at Ohio State racking up 268 total tackles and 21.0 tackles for a loss during his four years.
Eichenberg is very instinctive and has great quickness meaning he can be used in a variety of different ways on defense and on special teams. Over time, there’s a lot you can eventually unlock out of his size and athleticism.
146th Overall Pick: OG Cooper Beebe
Going with another repeat prospect although at a later pick since he was still on the board. Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe has a wide range of where he could potentially land in the draft making him a prospect worth looking at once you get into the mid-rounds at any pick.
The Bears will need an upgrade at the guard position as well has a depth piece and potentially even as a starter with the future of Nate Davis and Cody Whitehair in question after disappointing seasons in Chicago.
Pro Football Focus credited Beebe with just one sack, zero QB hits, eight hurries and nine pressures allowed while starting every game at guard and even right tackle (for two games) for the Wildcats in 2023.
187th Overall Pick: WR Malik Washington
The Bears wide receiver room is looking bone thin heading into 2023 barring any re-signings or additions made through free agency. Right now, the room will consist of Moore, Tyler Scott, and Velus Jones Jr. Scott and Jones weren’t able to really show definitive signs in 2023 of being major contributors next season.
We’ve already added Odunze to the mix in round one, now let’s add another weapon to give Williams in the passing game. Virginia’s Malik Washington is perhaps the ACC’s most accomplished wide receiver and would be a gem of a late round pick for Poles.
Washington set career-highs in receptions (110), receiving yards (1,426) and receiving touchdowns (9) during the 2023 season. The 5’9 192 pound wide receiver will add a different style of receiver to the Bears room to make it a more well-rounded group.
230th Overall Pick: DE Zion Tupuola-Fetui
This is much later than I’d like to add another pass rusher on defense but in this scenario let’s imagine the Bears add the starting piece to line up opposite Montez Sweat through free agency.
With that in mind, it’s still not a bad idea to add yet another horse to the pass rushing stable at some point in this draft. The way the board fell, the Bears could come away with another productive Husky as well.
Zion Tupuola-Fetui recorded 16.0 sacks and five forced fumbles in his career at Washington while helping lead the team to a National Championship appearance earlier this month. Tupuola-Fetui needs to skill work toward refining his skills and playing behind Sweat plus a free agent signing can allow him to focus on doing so.
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