Chicago Bears 7-round mock draft with a double trade back
By Joseph Herff
Chicago Bears Round 1 | Pick 9: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR
Talk about a great fit for the Chicago Bears. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is, in my opinion, the obvious WR1 of this NFL draft class. Granted, this is a weaker class, but that doesn't sell Smith-Njigba short that he is a wide receiver with both an incredibly safe floor and ceiling. Pair that with his familiarity with Justin Fields, and he is a great fit.
In 2021, Smith-Njiba had a monster season despite playing alongside two 2022 first-round picks in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Smith-Njiba finished the season with 95 catches, 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns. He additionally broke the Ohio State record and Rose Bowl record for receiving yards in a game with 347 yards. He added three touchdowns that game as well. 2022 for him was hampered by injuries, so he didn't get to play much paired with the idea of saving himself for the combine and NFL Draft.
Smith-Njigba fits the Bears' wide receiver core perfectly. He operates best out of the slot and it would allow for both Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney to play on the outside and open him up underneath. Smith-Njigba could have a Amon-Ra St. Brown type of breakout for the Bears and could have the ceiling of becoming a top 10 wide receiver in the NFL. Pair him with Fields for the next 10 seasons.