It is officially Draft Day! The first round of the NFL Draft is tonight, and yesterday, we published our first and last full first-round mock draft. You can check that out here.
Now, let’s get Chicago Bears-focused completely, and let’s take a look at what the Bears could do with all their picks over the entire weekend.
For this exercise, while we mocked TJ Parker to the Bears in our first round mock, we will go with a different player this time around to give the mock draft a little different feel.
Round 1, Pick 25: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
I used the way my mock draft played out to make this pick, but went a different direction. TJ Parker was my selection on my first round mock, but for this one, I’ll say the Bears go offense and take Lomu. Lomu has athleticism and good feet (but they are inconsistent). He isn’t the most aggressive blocker, but he makes the right blocks, even if he isn’t the strongest run blocker. He has the ability to step in and start week one.
Round 2, Pick 57: Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona
Stukes may not make it this far, but with only two safeties going in round one, perhaps Stukes can make it to 57. If he does, this would be an interesting fit for the Bears. Stukes is an older prospect; he will be 25 in September, but he’s been a guy getting a lot of buzz the last couple of weeks. He has the versatility that Dennis Allen loves with his safeties, and can come up to the line of scrimmage and make tackles and cause headaches for offenses.
Round 2, Pick 60: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois
Jacas is a guy you could see the Bears absolutely loving. He’s the high football character guy, team captain, smart player, checks all the boxes. Beyond that, he has put together some excellent tape and loves contact. He needs better discipline, containing the edge, and needs to vary his rush moves more often, but he has all the potential to be an absolute star and would be an excellent pick here.
Round 3, Pick 89: Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State
We all figure the Bears are taking a center at some point in this draft, and the pick in round 3 or round 4 is going to be the ideal spot. Hecht makes a lot of sense for what the Bears are looking for. Hecht isn’t the biggest guy in the world, but he can use his rookie season to beef up behind Garrett Bradbury. He has a great work ethic, and scouts say he’s a really smart guy, which we know Ben Johnson loves out of his center to handle line calls.
TRADE: Round 5, Pick 150: Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama
The Bears would love to acquire another pick or two this draft, but it didn’t come together for them until day three. They decide to move down with the New Orleans Saints and pick up a 6th round pick in the process. The Bears add a Cornerback to their secondary with Jackson. Jackson can be the physical player that Dennis Allen likes and has the size and measurables you are looking for at outside CB in the NFL. Unfortunately, he still needs a lot of coaching, but he could be an excellent developmental pick.
Round 6, Pick 190: Landon Robinson, DT, Navy
The Bears use their extra pick to finally draft a defensive tackle, and it’s Navy’s Landon Robinson. Robinson doesn’t have the best measurables, but he’s one of those guys you love to take on day 3. He’s strong and can disrupt a game, and he’s a high-class character guy that works hard and is the type of guy you love to have in the locker room. He may not have the highest ceiling, but he could be a solid rotational DT.
Round 7, Pick 239: Daqun Wright, TE, Ole Miss
We know Ben Johnson loves tight ends and used 13 personnel frequently, but he doesn’t really have a 3rd TE on the roster. Enter Wright, who has some ability as a pass catcher and is a strong, willing blocker, but needs significant coaching in that area. If the Bears can coach Wright into an above-average blocker, he has the chance to be a solid tight end.
Round 7, Pick 241: Noah Whittington, RB, Oregon
The Bears don’t really have an RB3 on the roster right now if you consider Roschon Johnson to be the team’s RB4 and largely a special teams player. Whittington could step in and return kicks immediately and has the type of skillset that Ben Johnson could utilize. He’s already going to be 25 before the season, and he’s limited as a pass catcher, but he could prove to be a decent backup running back with some special teams ability as his career progresses.
Hang out with Bill tonight on 2nd City Gridiron for a Bears-centric discussion of the first round!
