Here we go Chicago Bears fans. I was looking at how the Bears can land Chris Olave in the 2022 NFL Draft and still finish with three picks in the top 100 — one of those picks being used to draft Olave obviously. Before we get into the how let’s take a look at why the Chicago Bears would be lucky to have a wide receiver like Chris Olave on the roster.
There are currently five receivers in this draft that I have graded as first-rounders. No, George Pickens is not one of them. Bears fans have a tendency to lock onto a player or two and over-hype them a bit. We saw it earlier this offseason with David Bell who is now projected to go between the third and fourth rounds. We are now seeing it on social media regarding Pickens. If you say anything negative about Pickens, watch out.
This is not to say that I don’t love Pickens as a prospect. He is a fringe first-rounder but projects better as a second-round prospect. As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, I am all about using tiers in my rankings. Pickens falls into my tier three. None of the receivers in this draft would be above Ja’Marr Chase or Jaylen Waddle if they had come out in 2021. That said, Garrett Wilson is at the top of this WR class in my opinion and Jameson Williams is number two. They are the only receivers in my top tier.
The Chicago Bears must consider trading up for Chris Olave if he falls
My next tier has Drake London, Treylon Burks and Chris Olave. These three are the three that round out the last of my first-round grades and although in the same tier, Chris Olave is locked in as my WR3 as the draft approaches in less than two days.
Now, forget the connection he would already have with Justin Fields. I am not even taking that into consideration right now. Instead, I am focused on how well Olave runs routes. I am focused on his excellent hands. I am focused on his ability to gain yards after the catch. I am focused on his football intelligence and how well he uses his intelligence and speed to separate from defenders. He has the potential to become one of the best receivers in the NFL.
Now for the trade that can make it happen should fate be on the Chicago Bears’ side once again and then the follow-up trade needed to make it all worth it in the end.