Chicago Bears Mock Draft (Rounds 1-3)

It’s officially draft week so it’s time for my final Bears 7-round mock draft. I’m starting with rounds one through three today to give a little more space for the Bears top three picks and then I’ll cover the other six tomorrow.

The Bears have nine total picks, which is a lot, but it’s still not enough to fill all of the Bears needs so please understand that before you comment on how I could forget a tight end, cornerback, guard, etc.

The draft is impossible to predict accurately, but I’ve done decently in my last two first round mocks with six right in each. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s harder than it sounds. Last year in my final Bears 7-round mock, Amos was the only pick I called correctly though I had him going a round earlier. We’ll see if I do better this season.

First Round

OLB Leonard Floyd, Georgia (6’6 | 244 | 4.59)

This was a tough pick at eleven for the Bears when there are really only seven or eight top-tier prospects in the draft. Almost anyone left feels like a reach here which may tempt the Bears to trade back, but with multiple teams trying to do the same thing there may be no takers for the eleventh pick. If the Bears end up keeping it, I think the pick will be Floyd, who has the most upside as an edge rusher among the net-tier of players.

I’ve had Bama defensive end Jarran Reed as the Bears first pick for the last few weeks, but with so many quality DLs available some of them will drop to round two and the Bears should be able to get one of them in round two. While defensive line is probably the strongest position in the draft, edge rusher might be the weakest. The Bears management team has repeatedly stated the need for an explosive edge rusher and also noted how hard they are to find. There are a few potential impact edge rushers in the draft, but none without question marks.

There is a lot to like about Floyd; He has ideal length, excellent burst off the snap, a 40″ vertical, 127″ broad jump, great agility for his height, and has surprising bend and flexibility off the edge. For most of his college career Floyd has been just a pass rush specialist, but he showed progress against the run and in pass coverage last season. Floyd’s athleticism, pass rush ability, and improvement as an all-around OLB make him an intriguing prospect, but his lack of strength and bulk is a concern and Floyd may need to spend a season or two in the weight room before he can be effective at the NFL level.

I would feel a lot better if the Bears took Floyd about five picks later, but that’s how I feel about most of the players likely available with the eleventh pick. Floyd has more upside than most players outside of the top ten and could fill a need for an edge rusher that the Bears won’t be able to find in the later rounds. His unique ability and potential to get to the QB is worth rolling the dice on at eleven.

Top options that could drop: DE DeForest Buckner, Oregon; DE/OLB Joey Bosa, Ohio St; OT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame

Other options if Floyd is gone: OLB Shaq Lawson, Clemson; DL Jarran Reed, Alabam; DL Sheldon Rankins, Louisville; OL Jack Conklin, Michigan St

Next: Round 2