Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft 2.0

DRAFT DAY TRADE:

• Bears Receive: Pick Nos. 17, 48, 114, Fourth Round (2025)
• Jaguars Receive: Pick No. 9

In this mock draft, neither Rome Odunze nor Malik Nabers was available at No. 9. Had one been available, it would've been difficult to pass on making a selection. But the Bears have created a dilemma by still needing to add starting-caliber talent at wide receiver, center, and EDGE. Therefore, we have a trade to acquire the draft capital to fill two of those needs.

Round 1, Pick 17 (via Jacksonville): Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson

There are only two centers in this class I'd be comfortable starting with a rookie quarterback. The first is Zach Frazier out of West Virginia. Frazier offers the highest floor of any center in the class, and I feel confident plugging him into the starting lineup. Had I gone that route, I likely would've targeted Adonai Mitchell in this spot and Frazier in the second round. But that's not what I did.

Instead, I went after the center prospect with the highest ceiling in Jackson Powers-Johnson. While the Oregon product has a higher ceiling than Frazier, he also has a very high floor. His physical style of play, youth, athleticism, and mean streak fit Ryan Poles' desired traits like a glove. Is it that big of a mystery why the Bears sent such a large group of scouts to Oregon's pro day?

DRAFT DAY TRADE:

• Bears Receive: Pick No. 38
• Titans Receive: Pick Nos. 48, 122

Get your big boy pants on, Ryan Poles. Because if you want to add surefire starting-caliber wide receiver talent, you likely need to move up (*GASPS*) in the second round. Players like Troy Franklin and Keon Coleman came off the board in the top 45 in most of my mock draft attempts. This means it's prudent to get as close to the top 40 as possible to secure your man.

Round 2, Pick 38 (via Tennessee): Florida State WR Keon Coleman

I planned to attack center and wide receiver with the top two picks after No. 1 overall. With the center already in tow, I needed to secure my wide receiver of choice. Troy Franklin was also available, but I prefer the transformer-sized receiver out of Florida State.

Keon Coleman offers imposing size and excellent agility, a combination you don't see all that often. Some will say this is an overdraft with Coleman's ADP sitting at 48.9 on the PFF simulator, but he kept going inside the top 45 in my other attempts.

What really sold me on Coleman's tape was his ability to take over in big moments. Against Clemson, one of the better secondaries in the country, Coleman logged up five catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns. That included the 24-yard one-handed game-winning touchdown catch in overtime against single coverage. Opposite DJ Moore, Coleman should see opportunities to use his size, leaping ability, and ball skills against single coverage.

Round 3, Pick 75: USC WR Brenden Rice

The Bears failed to make a significant wide receiver addition in free agency. While that's not the ideal situation for a rookie quarterback, Ryan Poles can still fill out the depth of the room with a high-floor player whom Williams is familiar with. To do that, we're adding USC wide receiver Brenden Rice in the third round.

The son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, Brenden uses a high football IQ and good route running technique to win. While his physical traits don't blow you away, the nuance he brings to the position gives him a high floor in the NFL. Meanwhile, his familiarity from playing at USC with Williams for the last two seasons should bode well for both players.

DRAFT DAY TRADE:

• Bears Receive: Pick Nos. 124, 176, 211
• 49ers Receive: Pick No. 110

With only two fourth-round picks remaining, the Bears need to move down to accumulate some more picks in the later rounds. Day 3 of the draft is a volume game. The more picks you have, the more likely you'll hit on an overlooked prospect. This deal gives the Bears two extra picks by moving down 14 spots in the fourth round.

Round 4, Pick 114: LSU DT Maason Smith

With an offensive selection in each of the Bears' first four picks, Matt Eberflus is pulling his hair out by now. There goes the new-look Flus. Just outside the top 100 picks, we finally get our first defender in defensive tackle Maason Smith.

The LSU product's player profile has a lot of similarities to 2023 draft pick Gervon Dexter Sr. His potential to play any given down regardless of whether it's a pass or run is valuable in Eberflus's scheme. With Smith's size, strength, and athletic profile to play either spot on the interior, you (potentially) won't worry about how to handle offensive motions that change his alignment.

Round 4, Pick 124: Houston EDGE Nelson Ceaser

Back-to-back defenders! We're late here in adding EDGE help, but late is still better than never. The reality is that EDGE prospects outside the first round have a much lower hit rate. Because of that, it may be a better strategy to target more developmental players later in the draft than to attack the position on Day 2.

Nelson Ceaser offers pass-rush upside but limited experience and success with his hand in the dirt. You need to make calculated bets at this point in the draft, and I'm betting that Ceaser can learn to play with a hand in the dirt as a pass-rush specialist. He offers long arms (33.625") in a 254-pound frame with adequate quickness and bend but a limited strength profile. As a situational pass rusher, the Bears could develop him into an asset for the defense.

Round 5, Pick 176: Penn State C Hunter Nourzad

Hunter Nourzad, NO MATTER WHAT! Nourzad is an experienced and versatile interior offensive lineman who could play a valuable swing role for the Bears. Why do I love him so much as a prospect? He played every position on the offensive line in college, graduated from Cornell, has few glaring weaknesses in his game, and fits well into an outside zone blocking scheme. Why doesn't the NFL love him as much as I do?

Nourzad lacks any elite traits and will turn 25 years old as a rookie. In the fifth round, I can live with that. Even though the Bears have already added depth to their offensive line via free agency and trades, I believe you can never have enough good blockers. And there's value in this pick.

Round 6, Pick 211: Oregon State S Kitan Oladapo

The Bears have added two safeties in free agency between Kevin Byard and Jonathan Owens, but it'd still be wise to take some shots on youth later in the draft. In Oladapo, they're getting a physical and instinctive safety who was the captain of the Oregon State defense. While he doesn't possess high-end athletic traits, the hope here is that he can make up for that with his instinctive style of play.

Updated Offensive Depth Chart

Offensive Depth Chart

Updated Defensive Depth Chart

Defensive Depth Chart