The Chicago Bears are in a good spot sitting in the top ten. The feeling is that three, and potentially four quarterbacks are going to get drafted, leaving the team with one of their five top options. Beyond that, there really is not a set consensus, so mostly anyone in that top five could be there. The odds that Will Anderson falls to nine are low, but any other prospect could be in play.
With that in mind, who are the five players most likely to be drafted by the Chicago Bears with the ninth overall pick.
5. Chicago Bears will debate Peter Skoronski in the 2023 NFL draft
One of the first names linked to the Chicago Bears has been Peter Skoronski. To be fair, that is mainly because the Northwestern pro day was one of the first on the circuit this year. Still, the Bears sent the house to meet, greet, and workout Skoronski.
There are some other Northwestern guys worth seeing, but it is clear that they wanted to get a vibe for what type of person Skoronski is. There is no doubt that he is going to be in play for the ninth pick.
He is probably regarded as the safest prospect, and he has the fewest question marks on tape. Skoronski would be the hometown kid that fans would immediately flock to.
The only reason he is not a lock for number nine is his arm length and question of whether he should play guard. Arm length is not something he can improve in the NFL, so it will always follow him, and limit his upside. On the flip side, at guard, his upside remains uncapped. Do the Chicago Bears view him as a guard or tackle? If they view him as a guard, do they view the potential best guard in the league as being worthy of a top-ten pick, or do they think that tackle is just more valuable to take a chance on? We will see soon.
4. Chicago Bears still have to work out Jalen Carter
About two months ago we were debating Will Anderson and Jalen Carter for the first pick. Now, Anderson is still a top-five lock, but Carter is getting discussion for the ninth overall pick. Things change.
I do not need to fill many of you in on the situation. Carter got misdemeanor fines for speeding, but the bigger questions come from his attitude and how he responds to this. First, teams have to make sure this was just a kid making a small mistake. Beyond that, it appears the incident that took two friends' lives has hurt his ability to stay in shape.
He gained weight and looked out of shape at his Pro Day. Now, teams need to know if he is just mourning and will be fine with time, or if his passion for this game is leaving him. On paper, he is the easiest pick at number nine on the board. There is a lot more to it than that at this point. It is impossible for us to speculate, but we can admit the Chicago Bears will do their due diligence.
They already have him scheduled to visit with the team before the draft.
3. Is Lukas VanNess a sleeper for the Chicago Bears?
It is hard to say for sure that Lukas Van Ness is a top-five or six player in the draft class. The Chicago Bears would have to believe that for this to be realistic. I am not saying I think that, but I could easily see the Chicago Bears think that.
The top ten is about taking a home run swing. The good players in college can be fine in the NFL, but the freaks of nature are the guys who dominate the NFL. Van Ness is one of those players that we may look back and realize we just saw the tip of the iceberg.
Below you can see how he compares to your standard edge rusher from past NFL combines.
The bench press is low, but that is so easy to excuse when your arms are as long as Van Ness has. The most important things to look at are the height, weight, length, 40, and agility such as 3-cone and shuttles.
To be that size, and move that good is stunning. The 3-cone is so valuable for pass rushers because it shows who can bend and change directions without losing speed. For an edge rusher who needs to turn the corner around elite tackles, they need to excel here. For Van Ness to put up an elite time at such a heavyweight, and being so much taller than others is freaky.
His tape is inconsistent, but he has moments against Skoronski, and Ohio State left tackle Paris Johnson that make you see just how good he can be. The Chicago Bears have such an obvious need here, they love the inside-outside versatility, and they love the power he plays with. I am just saying it is still more realistic than some may think.
2. Will the Chicago Bears rank Broderick Jones high in the 2023 NFL draft?
The Chicago Bears went straight from the Northwestern pro day to the Georgia pro day. It was interesting to see that some buzz was brewing around Broderick Jones being the top tackle in the 2023 NFL draft. Considering the Bears saw both up close, they may agree.
We noted the flaws of Skoronski, they are the opposite of Jones. Broderick Jones is raw. However, his body, his length, and his potential is the highest in the entire class. He has all of the physical tools, he is just not there yet technically, and it makes sense because this was his first full season as a starter,
He fits the mold of a player who gets in an NFL weight room and takes off. He can add a little power, and once he gets his stance right, it is over. Jones is aggressive as anyone in the run game, and some of his best highlight tape comes 10 yards down the field pulling in space. When it hits with him, the peaks are stronger than Skoronski. The missed come more frequently though, so the team has to decide for a bigger swing or a safer hit.
1. Paris Johnson Jr. is perfect for the Chicago Bears
You could almost say that the debate between Broderick Jones and Peter Skoronski is not worth it because the right answer is Paris Johnson. Johnson has a little bit of the best of both worlds. His tape is more consistent, like Skoronski, but is not as flashy as Jones.
Still, he does have the upside that Skoronski does not, mainly because his arm length is over 3" longer. Johnson is even a good bit longer than Broderick Jones, who checks every box in measurements.
Johnson can add a little power to his punch and can be a bit better with his anchor. Still, like Jones, this is his first full season starting. So, he is not as refined as Skoronski but may be a bit more technically ready than Jones.
The Chicago Bears were just at the Ohio State Pro day, and after all three of the top tackles worked out, he may have the lasting impressions. An Ohio State tackle for the Ohio State quarterback could be the fit for a long time coming.