10 best Chicago Bears draft picks of the Ryan Pace era

2. Darnell Mooney, 173rd overall

Getting Darnell Mooney in the fifth round will go down as one of the best things that Ryan Pace did. There is a chance that by the time this season ends he is already looked at as the best draft pick. The only thing holding him back is that he is only entering year three.

This year will be huge for Mooney because he is now in-line to be the number one wideout, although he technically was that last season. From a fifth-round pick to a day one starter, to the top wideout is a heck of a climb and would make him the top draft pick of the Pace era.

The Chicago Bears did trade up for Mooney, but as noted in a previous slide, they used the pick they acquired for Jordan Howard to make the move. The Eagles traded back and wound up Quez Watkins.

Watkins has been fine, and while you would typically not want to trade up in the fifth round when the difference in prospect is that of Mooney and Watkins but is clear that the Bears were correct to covet Mooney much higher.