The 2024 NFL Draft is already going to be a success for the Chicago Bears. We know this, because, the Bears are going to draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
It's a pretty easy call at this point. This isn't even an assumption. Chicago's next quarterback will be Caleb Williams, period.
But what happens if the rest of the draft doesn't exactly go as planned for the Bears? How does general manager Ryan Poles respond? Should the Bears still feel just as good about the 2024 season if everything beyond the first pick goes a bit different than fans expected?
Let's try and see what the Bears' draft class might look like if fans saw something different than what most have in their heads.
The Bears select Caleb Williams no. 1 overall in this mock draft, but the rest of the way, things are questionable at best
Again, we know Williams is going number one. Everything leading up to this point says the Bears are drafting Williams. The team has met with them as though they're already trying to familiarize him with coaches, teammates, personnel and even the gameplan.
Williams is the best quarterback prospect we have seen coming out of college in maybe a decade, and the Bears are going to be lucky enough to get him. He's been self-described as both a surgeon and a magician, just as Ryan Poles likes to label different types of quarterbacks.
Whether it's extending plays or making throws with pinpoint accuracy, the film shows all. Williams is ready for the NFL and he's ready to take Chicago to places they haven't been in quite some time.
Now, here comes the real test. What happens when the Bears don't see things go the way they wanted?
At pick no. 9 overall, many would like to see the Bears do one of two things: either trade back and net some additional draft capital or address one of offensive line or wide receiver. In this instance, Ryan Poles doesn't see an offer he likes enough to sacrifice the pick. So, he opts for what he views as the best player on the board that fills a need.
There were still a couple of cornerbacks on the board, but the top three receivers and tackle Joe Alt were gone at this point. Poles passed on the top corners to go with a kid who won't have to travel far in Illinois defensive lineman Jer'Zhan Newton. He isn't a pass rusher, so fans might not be thrilled. Newton is also a guy who could end up going between picks 15-25, so this could be viewed as a bit of a reach.
Still, Newton is arguably the best interior defensive lineman in the draft, along with Texas' Byron Murphy II.
Newton could come in and start next to Andrew Billings, forcing Gervon Dexter back into a reserve role. He's a bit smaller than Dexter, but his strength more than makes up for the size question marks. Newton is active in both the run and passing game. He's effective against both.
At the very least, the Bears are set with some interior line depth on defense. But, it still leaves fans with much to be desired out of this draft.
In the third round, the Bears finally address the pass rush. This is an area fans likely would have appreciated being addressed in Round 1, but the Bears didn't do that. So, they take the best available pass rusher on the board, who happened to be the best player available at pick no. 75 in Washington's Bralen Trice.
At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Trice has decent size for the position and is more of your prototypical defensive end with his hand in the dirt. His sack production wasn't quite as high as some might like to see it while in college, but don't let that take away from how often he disrupts plays.
Over anything else, Trice is consistent in disruptions and plays with a high motor. Trice has an ability to win by getting lower than his man and has a tendency to collapse pockets with ease. So, even though he might not pad the sack numbers, he influences plays in a big way, and that's something the Bears need next to Montez Sweat. Trice is good enough, as a third-round pick, to where he could come in and start right away.
The worst-case scenario has officially come to fruition for Chicago, as they are unable to trade back and acquire any additional draft capital. Not only that, but the best player available at pick no. 122 happened to be Ohio State tight end Cade Stover.
And, for the sake of taking the best player available, that's the route the Bears go, here. Chicago doesn't necessarily need another tight end at the moment, with Cole Kmet locked down under contract for the next few years and Gerald Everett recently signing.
But, Stover gives them the ultimate depth at the position, and that's not necessarily a horrible thing. Standing 6-foot-4 and being your prototypical receiving tight end without any spectacular athletic traits, Stover is a guy who will simply do his job. He runs solid routes and possesses a good pair of hands. He's not going to blow you away in any specific area, but he'll be a valuable pass-catcher in key situations.
The real bummer here is the fact that the Bears don't address offensive line whatsoever. Because of that, they better hope a guy like Braxton Jones is cut out to be the guy on the left side. Additionally, the interior of their line should hopefully be set for this year, at the very least.
Stover, meanwhile, should allow the Bears to not have to worry about tight end for years to come, play