Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft 2.0
In the second edition of our seven-round mock draft, how do the Chicago Bears handle a different first round pick
As the days tick down until the NFL draft, we will use a couple different mock drafts to see some situations in which the Chicago Bears should be looking at during the draft weekend. As always, the discussion should be aimed at how specific players fit in certain spots, rather than whether or not they will be there at that particular time. To find a pool of players, we will use fanspeak.com.
In the last draft, Quenton Nelson fell to the eighth overall pick. Today, not so much. This is not too tough of an option, though. It appears in most cases that Edmunds and Nelson will fit on the board when the Bears select eight overall.
Edmunds checks the boxes for what Ryan Pace has been going for in the first rounds of his drafts. He is shooting for the stars, and betting on upside. There may not be more upside in the draft as Tremaine Edmunds.
First, let us remember that Edmunds is going to be a linebacker, not an edge rusher. Many project him to the edge because of his size and speed combination. However, he is extremely limited in pass rushing nuance, and is best off of free releases shooting gaps up the middle.
, Edmunds can attack downhill and sideline to sideline. He is the youngest player in the draft and has some of the more elite athleticism.
While Edmunds will not line up on the edge, he is the perfect complement to Leonard Floyd in skill set. The two can shuffle around and mix blitzing and dropping into coverage. They both can cover ground in space, and get into the backfield quick.
Edmunds still has some room to grow, though. His diagnoses and understanding will have to be worked on. It is a good thing that Danny Trevathan will be able to keep him in place and have him grow behind him.
The Bears get upside, and a scheme fit with a home run swing at pick number eight.
Despite missing on Quenton Nelson early, the team still has to address the guard position. At the moment, Bradley Sowell will be competing with Eric Kush for starting guard reps. The Bears clearly came into the draft knowing they need to address this position.
Even if they are to miss on Nelson, they should be thinking guard early. Fortunately for them, Will Hernandez lands to them. Depending on whether you consider Connor Williams a guard or tackle, Will Hernandez could be considered the third or fourth best bet in what is a very top heavy guard class.
As we profiled, Hernandez is a power blocker who excels in power running. He tested in the 97th percentile in the bench press and is not afraid to bully his opponent.
He comes in with short reach and that does limit the upside of what he can do. Hernandez also has some technique issues coming out of stance. He can shoot out too quick, and end up losing some of his power. With work, he can become a strong starter in the NFL. He also should be able to jump into the starting lineup next season. Overall, the combination of Edmunds and Hernandez may be a better haul than Nelson and the top linebacker available at this point.
The Bears are bringing back Sam Acho and Lamarr Houston. They also signed Aaron Lynch, someone familiar with Vic Fangio. That does not mean this position has been addressed by any stretch.
Kimono Turay is an upside bet on a raw pass rusher. Turay does not have much experience in football, only playing two years in high school. He also dealt with injury during his run at Rutgers.
However, he is a pass rusher who can win with speed, and when he puts it all together, he is a formidable threat.
You can see in the play below, he is able to use his speed and hand usage to get free from the tackle and get around the edge to hit the quarterback in a hurry.
His feel for the game will need to be worked on, as well as counter moves. However, putting him in a room with Leonard Floyd and three veterans could certainly help. His long speed and hustle can show up on special teams and on obvious pass downs off of the edge. In the long run, the team can try to pull out an every-down edge defender.
The Bears went all-in on pass catchers during free agency. Their signing of Trey Burton clearly pushed tight end off of the board when it comes to needs. However, despite signing Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel, there is a chance the overall feeling is that the team will add to this spot at some point.
Cameron Meredith is still a free agent today, and Josh Bellamy and Kevin White round out the bottom of the depth chart. There is room to add more.
St. Brown could very well have the highest upside in the entire class. He possesses the size of a jump ball receiver but plays at the style of a finesse slot receiver.
If a team can put some muscle on him and make him a more physical threat, his combination of size and route running is a lot to handle. His quick feet can translate to the slot, and he could be a quick fix to the Cameron Meredith questions. Over time, the team can hope to develop a player with the upside of Allen Robinson to step in four years from now.
While the Bears brought back Prince Amukamara and Kyle Fuller, Bryce Callahan is still a restricted free agent. Cre’Von LeBlanc can hold down the slot, but it seems as though in the long term, the Bears are not comfortable with their slot cornerback play.
Wallace is a walk-on turned starter at Alabama. That has to go a long way when it comes to the type of pedigree he had to break to get a chance. This is a player dedicated to his craft, and worth betting on. He is slight in frame, but tall enough with long enough reach to make it in the NFL.
Levi Wallace is a great bet at this point because of his versatility. He can line up outside but does not have the long speed to hang. Wallace is strong at jamming in press and using his quick feet to break down quick routes. His length and size are great in the slot, and with his dedication, is a great bet to get something out of him in the fifth round.
The Bears were able to find a gem in Charles Leno late in the draft and now could be hoping to find a starting right tackle in a similar fashion.
Jones-Smith is a pure right tackle, who may not be a great mover, but has the reach to potentially become a starter in the NFL. His length and reach are worth betting on at this stage.
Warren is interesting because he can be used in a variety of ways.
At Texas, he shifted between a tailback and h-back role. He would often find himself blocking from the fullback spot, motioning out as an extra tight end, and catching passes behind the line of scrimmage.
On top of that, he is your typical short yardage back. At this moment, the team lacks any sort of power if Jordan Howard were to go down at any point. Warren brings power if Howard is injured, and brings versatility if Howard is healthy. It makes him worth the late round shot.