Chicago Bears 2024 NFL Draft Preview

Chicago Bears 2024 NFL Draft Preview

2024 NFL Draft – Detroit, MI

Round 1 (Thursday, April 25, 7pm), Rounds 2-3 (Friday, April 26, 6pm), Rounds 4-7 (Saturday, April 27, 11am)

‘The Writing Is On the Wall’

Has the ‘writing on the wall’ ever been more clear than this year’s #1 overall draft pick? I think we all knew the #1 pick over a year ago, maybe all the way back to the 2022 college season, when presumptive superstar quarterback Caleb Williams was busy winning the Heisman Trophy. Despite a “down” year in 2023 (3633 passing yards, 68.6%, 30 TD’s, 5 INT’s, and 11 rushing TD’s for a 7-5 Trojans squad) for Williams and USC, there is little doubt that he provides the closest thing we can get to a “sure thing” when it comes to drafting NFL-ready quarterbacks. Williams has been at the top of his class for years now. Then when the Bears ended up with the top selection again, thanks to Carolina finishing last in the world, it became even more obvious.

So now the Chicago Bears, after trading their top selection last year to Carolina (who picked Bryce Young/QB/Alabama) in exchange for picks and stud WR D.J. Moore, are finally ready to pick their franchise quarterback. Right?

Just watch the Bears mess this up, as they have for over 70 years at the quarterback position. Maybe the ‘Writing on the Wall’ will be erased, or at least smudged. All joking aside, GM Ryan Poles will draft a QB #1 on Thursday night, and we’re 99% sure it will be Williams. But the question remains, will he be good???

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2024 Mock NFL Draft:

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams/QB/Oklahoma/USC/6-1 215/NFL Comparison: Patrick Mahomes/6-2 225 – Williams’ abilities are similar to Mahomes in that he can throw off-base and throw accurate passes despite extreme arm angles. Plus, he is slippery in the pocket. Somehow, he often escapes pressure to throw deep downfield passes well after the protection, and the receivers routes, have unraveled. People nitpick Williams, but bottom line is the kid has proven he can do it all and win with two different big-time college programs in Oklahoma and ‘SC. Is he perfect? No, of course not. Is he a prima donna? Possibly. Overall, Williams offers too much for GM Ryan Poles and the QB-starved Chicago Bears franchise to NOT run to the podium the second Commissioner Roger Goodell says “The Chicago Bears are on the clock”.
2. Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders/Redskins again?: Jayden Daniels/QB/Arizona St./LSU
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye/QB/North Carolina
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison/WR/Ohio State
5. L.A. Chargers: Malik Nabers/WR/LSU
6. N.Y. Giants: J.J. McCarthy/QB/Michigan
7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt/OT/Notre Dame/6-8 315/PS#78/NFL Comparison: Kolton Miller/Las Vegas/6-9 325 – In my opinion, Joe Alt is one of the safest picks in this ’24 Draft. His father, John Alt, is a Kansas City Chiefs franchise Hall-of-Famer. He played OT on the Chiefs from 1984-1996. So he has the bloodlines. Ok great, but can Joe play? Yeah, he was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and was named to the 2023 College Football All-America team as a unanimous selection. Ok great, but is Joe smart? PS Joe majored in mechanical engineering at ND. Joe fills all the buckets. Very similar to Peter Skoronski last year (drafted 11th overall to Tennessee), Alt is a safe, solid pick for your Offensive Line.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner/EDGE/Alabama
9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze/WR/Washington/6-3 201/PS#57/NFL Comparison: Larry Fitzgerald/Arizona/6-3 218…..
   • OR Olu Fashanu/OT/Penn St./6-6 321/PS#50/NFL Comparison: Tristan Wirfs/OT/Tampa Bay/6-5 320
   • OR Laiatu Latu/EDGE/Washington/UCLA/6-5 265/PS#38/NFL Comparison: Maxx Crosby/EDGE/Las Vegas/6-5 255
   • OR Brock Bowers/TE/Georgia/6-4 240/PS#4/NFL Comparison: George Kittle/TE/San Francisco/6-4 250
   • GM Ryan Poles has plenty of options here at the ninth overall selection. I believe Joe Alt is THE pick here…. IF!
   • IF Joe Alt somehow falls to #9, or the Bears move up to get him, I think the BEST move for Poles is to nab Joe Alt (see my writeup at Tennessee’s #7 above). If Alt is already gone, the Bears have other intriguing options as well. Now that he improved the receiving corps amazingly over the last two drafts by trading for D.J. Moore from Carolina and then Keenan Allen from Los Angeles, Poles isn’t desperate for a rookie WR. However, Allen is getting old (32 years old, 11 full NFL seasons) and another weapon never hurts.
   • IF Rome Odunze is there at #9, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bears take him. Of course, Poles might also go OT or OLB/EDGE pass rusher. In my mock, those would be Fashanu or Latu.
   • IF the Bears brass has done their homework and determine that Olu Fashanu is as good as Alt, then go ahead and take the best OT available. Fashanu is known for his pass blocking, and when you’re looking for a LT, that’s what you want. In many ways, Fashanu might be a better prospect than Alt. Or maybe Poles and the Bears like Washington’s Troy Fautanu or Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga. I trust Poles’ judgment here since he’s a former offensive lineman, plus, he did a solid job with last year’s #10 overall selection, Bears RT Darnell Wright.
   • IF they think the most important asset for our team right now is pass rusher, take Laiatu Latu from UCLA or Jared Verse/EDGE/Florida St./6-4 253. Teaming up with last year’s mid-season trade acquisition Montez Sweat would be sweet action on a revamped Bears defense that finished in the top 5 defenses in the NFL over the last half of ’23 (8 of 17 games).
   • IF superstar TE Brock Bowers/Georgia falls, I’d be tempted to take him, despite Cole Kmet improving each and every season, especially in 2023. Again, dynamic weapons are how you win NFL games, so why not take another TE, especially one that has hybrid WR skills? In my opinion, Bowers was THE best player in college for three straight years. He can do it all. He can play in-line TE, or split out wide, or play in the Slot. This kid is so fast with his long strides, it was fun to watch UGA hand off to the big fella and watch him run 75 yards to the house. Yeah, you read that right. A Tight End that can outrace DB’s over 75 yards! Bowers career stats over three years: 175 catches, 2535 receiving yards, 26 receiving TD’s, 19 carries, 193 rushing yards, 5 rushing TD’s. I guarantee you Bowers will be at least a solid NFL Tight End, if not a Hall of Famer.

Chicago Bears Selections (Four selections)

1st Round, #1 Overall

1st Round, #9 Overall

3rd Round, #75 Overall – Bralen Trice/DE/Washington/6-3 270/NFL Comparison: Carlos “Boogie” Basham/EDGE/N.Y. Giants/6-3 274 – Bralen Trice is ranked #59 overall on this list provided by the 33rd Team website, which has an excellent Big Board. Could the Bears take Trice at #75? Why not!? Trice would do well as the DE opposite Montez Sweat. PS The “33rd Team” has Caleb Williams at #2 overall, Joe Alt at #3 overall, Odunze at #5, Bowers at #8, Fashanu at #9, Latu at #11, and Verse at #19.

4th Round, #122 Overall – Brenden Rice/WR/USC/6-3 210/NFL Comparison: Jerry Rice/WR/San Francisco/Retired – Brendan Rice is the son of the NFL’s all-time leading WR, Jerry Rice. Brenden flashed at USC, as he teamed up with Caleb Williams. If the Bears haven’t already drafted a WR such as Odunze, why not grab Rice here at #75 overall? He has chemistry with Williams and he has his dad teaching him the intricacies of the position, one that he perfected better than anyone in football history. PS The “33rd Team” has Rice at #96 overall.

Obviously these later picks are predicated on what happens at #9 overall. You’re certainly not going to take a second player at the same position as what you took at that first round spot. In other words, if the Bears take Alt or Fashanu, then they will look at WR or EDGE rusher with the 3rd and 4th round picks. If they take a WR, then they might look at OT or EDGE rusher. If they take an EDGE, then they will certainly look for WR or OT with their 3rd and 4th picks. Other positions to nab might be Safety, interior OL, or interior DL.

Favorite Players in this 2024 Draft:

Joe Alt/OT/Notre Dame

Brock Bowers/TE/Georgia

Troy Franklin/WR/Oregon

Keon Coleman/WR/Michigan St./Florida St.

Bucky Irving/RB/Minnesota/Oregon

Sam Hartman/QB/Wake Forest/Notre Dame

Bo Nix/QB/Auburn/Oregon

Braden Fiske/DT/Western Michigan/Florida St.

Payton Wilson/ILB/N.C. State

Tyler Nubin/S/Minnesota

Tory Taylor/P/Iowa – HUGE leg!

Will Shipley/RB/Clemson – The next Rex Burkhead, Shipley is solid if not spectacular. He could have a long career as a backup RB or 3rd down RB in the right system.

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Thank you to the fine people at Lindy’s, Athlon’s, and the 33rd Team for all of their insight in helping us compile this year’s Chicago Bears mock NFL Draft. Their comprehensive information helped the Dutch Lion with his 2024 NFL Draft research.

That’s it for this year. Have fun and enjoy your role as armchair GM this weekend!