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The 2024 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away. Tyson Bagent (No. 17) days to be exact.
As it stands today, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has just four draft picks. Despite the low number, Poles isn’t stressing about his limited draft currency.
“The way this is set up and [with] some of the draft capital we’ve been able to create in the first two years, I feel pretty comfortable about it,” Poles told ESPN. “It’ll be boring if we don’t do any trades, but I feel pretty good about where we’re at.”
This mock draft will be on the boring side and simulate how things could potentially go if Poles elects to not trade back.
Here is my Bears Mock Draft 1.0:
Don’t know how much explanation is really needed with taking Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall. One thing that has been cleared up since the pre-draft process started is all of the narratives and really more so rumors about Williams’ character. Whether it’s been teammates, coaches, Bears general manager Ryan Poles, coach Matt Eberflus or plenty of others, they have all said positive remarks about Williams.
On the field, Williams is obviously a special talent. He can make every throw from arm angles that don’t make much sense. Williams also has the ability to keep plays alive and will break tackles with his lower body strength when he chooses to run or deliver a pass to an open teammate downfield. Playing in structure and limiting fumbles are two areas to work on at the next level, and the Bears’ offensive talent should help Williams become better in those two areas in his rookie season.
This is where things get interesting for the Chicago Bears. Instead of taking a receiver (if one is available at nine), I have Poles upgrading the defense with Jared Verse. The defensive end position is the biggest need on this Bears roster. However, this pick isn’t a reach by any means because Verse is more than qualified to be a top-10 pick.
The 6-foot-3, 254-pound defensive lineman wins with a quick get off combined with the power he generates on his rush. His bullrush is violent, and he will occasionally use offensive tackles as projectiles to sack the quarterback. He also plays with a high motor, which will allow Verse to have a smooth transition to Eberflus’ H.I.T.S principle. He has a tendency to work up field and that allows runs to occur to his side. Still, Verse would make for a great compliment on the opposite end of Montez Sweat.
Ricky Pearsall is one of “My Guys” in this 2024 Draft Class. He really impressed me at the Senior Bowl with his route running and soft hands. Pearsall wins at the top of his route with precise footwork and generating power off of his breaks to create separation from defenders. If Pearsall is able to get his hands (or hand) on the ball, there is an extremely high chance he will make the reception. According to Pro Football Focus, Pearsall had 146 targets and only three drops over the last two seasons.
Florida lined up Pearsall primarily in the slot, but he was utilized all over the Gators’ offense. Seeing how he would handle press coverage at the next level is one area I am curious about with Pearsall. Also, he did at times round off some of his deeper inbreaking routes. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron gets another weapon at his disposal in Pearsall — who runs a 4.41 40-yard dash and has a 42-inch vertical.
To finalize the Bears’ 2024 Draft Class, I have Poles taking Ruke Orhorhoro. The Clemson defensive tackle finished the 2023 season with 25 total tackles, five sacks and a pass defended. Orhorhoro displayed burst on his get off and has some power behind his hands. The Clemson Tiger also shows great effort on his pass rushes, and will consistently attempt to swat down passes if he can’t get to the quarterback.
Orhorhoro does need to work on his anchor when battling double teams and continue to find ways to get off blocks. Still, Orhorhoro fits what Poles is looking for when it comes to the physical characteristics of prospects. He scored a 9.91 RAS, which ranks him 16 of out 1,735 DTs dating back to 1987. The Bears add another athletic interior defensive lineman to go along with second-year players Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens.
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