Identifying top 38 locks before Chicago Bears in 2022 NFL Draft

With the Chicago Bears picking 39th, it is hard to say who exactly will be on the board. However, the best thing we can do is find out who will not be on the board. From there, we can work back and see what options are most realistic. With that in mind, who are the locks to be gone by pick 39 of the 2022 NFL draft?

We will go position by position to look at players who will surely be gone.

Quarterback (2)

Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis feel like locks, although they may go later than some think. If they go higher, the names such as Sam Howell, Matt Corrall, and Desmond Ridder start to jump into the top 32 discussions. Every name that goes before Chicago at this position is a big win, but for now, we can only name two locks.

Running back (0)

You could argue that Breece Hall would likely be gone by pick 39. Still, he could also fall into the 40s range, it is too hard to call him a lock, although both Hall and Kenneth Walker can at least join our close tier.

Wide Receiver (5)

Drake London, Garret Wilson, Chris Olave, Treylon Burks, and Jameson Williams are locks to be gone. Like the quarterbacks, if these guys go higher, there will be more locks. Still, none of Christian Watson, Jahan Doston, Skyy Moore, or George Pickens can be listed as a lock to be off of the board.

Tight End (0)

Another win would be a team getting excited about Trey McBride or Greg Dulcich enough to draft them in round one, but right now that seems unlikely.

Offensive Line (7)

This one is tough. Ikem Ekwonu, Evan Neal, Charles Cross, Trevor Penning, and Tyler Liderbaum are five locks. Then, we have a group of players right on the edge. Tyler Smith, Bernhard Raimann, Zion Johnson, and Kenyon Green are likely to be gone, but we cannot say for sure right now. In the case of Green, the Bears brought him in, so even they think he may be around at pick 39. We will say two of these four are locks and seven linemen will be gone, with the chance that eight and nine are gone as well. For this exercise will say that Smith and Johnson are gone, while Raimann and Green are right on the edge.

Defensive Line (3)

The two Georgia linemen Jordan Davis, and Devonte Wyatt are going to be gone, but Travis Jones is just as likely to join them. His combination of height, weight, speed, and power is too rare to see him fall into the 40s. Logan Hall could be in range for the Chicago Bears.

Edge Rushers (5)

Travon Walker, Aidan Hutchinson, and Kayvon Thibodeaux are all in the top ten discussions while George Karlaftis and Jermaine Johnson make far too many first-round mocks to think that they will fall. Arnold Ebekietie and Boye Mafa may join them, but there is a chance they fall to the Bears’ pick as well.

Linebacker (2)

Nakobe Dean and Devin Lloyd will both go early enough that the Chicago Bears will not have to worry about him. Too many debates come around LB3 to see one be a lock.

Cornerback (4)

Sauce Gardner, Derek Stingley, Andrew Booth, and Trent McDuffie appear to be the locks here. That leaves us with Kaiir Elam and Kyler Gordon. Both could be gone, but we could see both fall as well.

Safety (3)

Kyle Hamilton and Dax Hill have been locked this whole time, but an elite combine and a lot of pre-draft buzz has Lewis Cine going in the first round, and possibly higher than Hill. He should not be on the board by pick 39.

Just like that, you add up the locks and we have 31 players who are locked into going before pick 39.

3 QBs, 2 RBs, 4 WRs, 2 TEs, 2 OL, 2 EDGE, 1 DL, and 2 CB are the closest players to being locks. That gets us players 31-49.

Players Chicago Bears want to get drafted before them

Sam Howell, Matt Corrall, Desmond Ridder, Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Trey McBride, Greg Dulcich, Arnold Ebeketie, and Boye Mafa. 

Players that Chicago Bears hope will fall to them

George Pickens, Skyy Moore, Christian Watson, Jahan Dotson, Bernard Raimann, Kenyon Green, Logan Hall, Kyler Gordon, Kaiir Elam. 

Will the Chicago Bears draft one of the names above pick 39? At least one of these players will be available.