3 Players the Chicago Bears Should Pursue on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is officially over, and the Chicago Bears walked away with two budding stars in Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze. Still, the Bears have an opportunity to further improve their roster this weekend, even if they are currently slated to have just two remaining selections.

Day two of the draft kicks off Friday at 6 p.m. CST, and while the Chicago Bears sit with the 75th overall pick in the third round, there is still a lot of talent on the board. Specifically for the Bears, who have remaining needs along both the offensive and defensive lines, there are still a lot of players to be excited about, but the team might have to be proactive to add them to the roster.

Nonetheless, here are three players the Chicago Bears should be targeting on day two, and how they could help the team moving forward.

1) Zach Frazier - C, West Virginia

The first round of the NFL Draft saw just one interior lineman selection in Duke's Graham Barton, who played the majority of his collegiate career at tackle. That means that West Virginia center Zach Frazier is still available, and the Bears should seriously look at adding him to address their recent woes in the middle of the offense.

Frazier started 46 games in college, including 37 consecutive starts at center, and was a member of the 2023 Mountaineers offense that led the Power 5 in rushing, a feat that Frazier certainly had a hand in. Additionally, the center failed to allow a sack last season, a testament to his consistency and his leadership in the middle.

Frazier also enjoyed a decorated high school career, a feather in his cap as it pertains to his understanding of leverage. Leverage is not only important for a center in terms of his individual assignments, but it helps inform protections for the entire offensive line when looking at where potential blitzes could come from and where the holes could open in the run game. Regardless of what metrics or stats you can find, Frazier is a formidable presence at the center position, and adding him to the Chicago Bears' line would help iron out some consistency issues and keep Caleb Williams upright.

2) Marshawn Kneeland - EDGE, Western Michigan

Kneeland did not receive a lot of public hype throughout his pre-draft process, but the Western Michigan product has the tools of a traditional powerhouse at the defensive end position. Listed at 6'3" and nearly 270 lbs, Kneeland has a long, imposing frame that fits into the Bears' mold of defensive lineman.

In four seasons at Western, Kneeland recorded 13 total sacks. While that production is not the most eye-popping, the former Bronco is a relentless player in both the run and pass games, and he should benefit greatly from taking a step up to a higher level of coaching.

Kneeland may not be available by the time the Bears are back on the clock, but it could make sense for Poles and company to aggressively pursue a player who could immediately fill out a position of need opposite of Montez Sweat. With long and physical players up and down Chicago's defensive line, Kneeland fits the team's defensive identity, and he should be on the team's radar, even if it means surrendering future draft capital.

3) Brandon Dorlus - DL, Oregon

The story of the first round was the run on offensive players, as just nine total defenders were selected on Thursday night. However, that does not suggest that there are no hidden gems on the defensive side of the ball in this class, and Brandon Dorlus certainly falls into that category.

Dorlus is a tweener defensive lineman who can split time inside and outside as he did throughout his collegiate career. A three-year starter at Oregon, Dorlus produced just 10 sacks, but his traits and versatility suggest that there is a role for him in the NFL, especially on the Bears.

Alongside Sweat and 2023 rookie Gervon Dexter, Dorlus could serve as a "chess piece" defensive lineman who can play on the edge in rushing situations while providing penetration up the middle on passing downs. Dorlus is even able to affect the passer without getting home as he led the all Pac-12 defensive linemen last season with 12 batted balls, an impressive feat for a player who measures in at a modest 6'3".