Chicago Bears 2023 NFL Draft: Bears address the trenches and trade down in full mock

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
8 of 13
Chicago Bears, Dorian Williams
Chicago Bears, Dorian Williams | Naomi Skinner/Times Record News / USA

Chicago Bears Draft Pick No. 136: Dorian Williams, LB

The next five on the board:
Roschon Johnson
Andre Iso
SirVocea Dennis
Tyler Scott
Tyler Steen


This Chicago Bears draft pick might anger some people. I would have traded down potentially here and then traded up in the near future, but this is what came about. Williams was sitting too long. If a talent on the board is too long, I expect Ryan Poles to grab them. Do the Chicago Bears need a linebacker this early after signing two during free agency? Nope. However, depth is too important in the NFL, and talent should always be selected.

When Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles first took over, they brought in extra box players for this defense. They did not use them as much as expected, but there is a reason they had them. Williams is one of the draft's best coverage linebacker prospects. He is built like a big nickel and can play that position easily. Williams is 6'1 and 228 pounds. He runs a 4.49 40-yard dash. As a pure linebacker, Williams isn't the best-run defender. However, he wouldn't need to be with Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards, and Jack Sanborn.

The linebacker's room would now be complete with Williams on the roster. Don't take the weak vs. middle linebacker to heart, but this would be something it could look like:

WLB: TJ Edwards, Sterling Weatherford
MLB: Tremaine Edmunds, Dorian Williams
SLB: Jack Sanborn, Dylan Cole

Schedule