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The most out-of-touch Chicago Bears first-round mock draft to date

This is one of the most out of touch first-round mock drafts I have seen this offseason. I'm all for unique mock drafts — offense only, defense only or others — but this one makes zero sense for the Chicago Bears.

By Rob Schwarz Jr

Chicago Bears, Malik Nabers
Chicago Bears, Malik Nabers / Jonathan Bachman/GettyImages
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The Chicago Bears select Joe Alt with the first-overall pick in the draft

Look. I am a huge Joe Alt fan. He is the third-highest-ranked prospect on my current draft board. The only two prospects I have ahead of him are Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Caleb Williams. He is a slam dunk left tackle who not only has size and strength, but he's very young. I'd love to see him in Chicago. The problem I have is that taking him first overall makes zero sense. Absolutely zero.

I understand that Cynthia Frelund isn't accounting for trades in this hypothetical 2024 mock draft, but even her process doesn't make sense. She talks about adding wins to next year's win total. Braxton Jones is a top-15 left tackle at worst. DJ Moore is a legit WR1, but you need a solid WR2 in this league to have any chance of succeeding. Some teams even have two WR1s. Darnell Mooney was not a WR2 in 2023 and I fear he has lost a step. His burst off the line looks slightly slower and he wasn't getting in and out of his breaks as well this season. Adding Harrison would make more sense.

Not taking Caleb Williams or Drake Maye first overall also seems strange. I understand that rookie quarterbacks are usually not one to help with a win total in their first season, but if we are to compare where Braxton Jones ranks among other left tackles to Justin Fields to other quarterbacks, the resume says Jones is better — this is coming from a Justin Fields supporter. I am just floored by the idea of anyone considering Joe Alt first overall without trading down for him. This move makes this mock draft completely out of touch.

Frelund talks about how Alt is a high-floor prospect who has plenty of experience and is only 20 years old. She mentions how Harrison is very close to being her pick here, but brings up how the Bears' offensive line allowed their QBs to be pressured at the highest rate in the league last season (45.1%). The problem with that is most of that pressure came from the interior of the line.

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