Schrock's Final Bears Mock Draft: A blueprint to successful draft
Schrock's Final Bears Mock Draft: A blueprint to successful draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The waiting, prognosticating, analyzing, and mocking is over -- well, almost.
Come Sunday, we will have a full grasp of what general manager Ryan Poles has done to solidify the foundation of the Bears’ rebuild and put them in position to take a step forward this fall.
That starts at No. 9, where the Bears will go on the clock needing to add elite, blue-chip talent to a roster bereft of true difference-makers at premium positions.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the first eight picks, this promises to be the most chaotic firs round in recent memory. Conversations with people around the league have yielded a multitude of answers about who the Bears are targeting at No. 9. Ohio State left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., and Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright are the assumed favorites, with Jalen Carter looming as a realistic possibility should he fall into the Bears' lap at No. 9.
RELATED: Inside Wright's impressive Bears visit, pre-draft rise
Dread it, run from it, Draft Day arrives all the same. With it, the final Bears mock draft of what has been a chaotic few months, with just a few minor tweaks from the 7.0 version.
ROUND 1
TRADE!
I had the Bears trading with the Tennessee Titans in the latest mock, but I think there's a good chance the Titans look to climb higher to get one of the falling quarterbacks. No matter, a new trade possibility has emerged, with reports suggesting the Houston Texans could look to move down or up from No. 12. I think Houston takes Will Anderson at No. 2 and then calls the Bears for a slight move to secure Anthony Richardson or C.J. Stroud.
Houston sends No. 12 and No. 73 to the Bears for No. 9 and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Make it so.
No. 12 – Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
It has been trending this way for a while, and I feel there’s a good chance this will be the selection come Thursday night, especially with the belief that Carter and Johnson are both gone by this point.
Wright is a big tackle at 6-foot-5, 333 pounds, but also has great athleticism for that size. He had the second-best athleticism score among tackles to test at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The 21-year-old is coming off a brilliant senior season that saw him allow just eight pressures and zero sacks for the Vols. NFL Media draft expert Daniel Jeremiah called Wright a “plug-and-play” right tackle option for the Bears.
Wright can start immediately and has what many see as a limitless ceiling.
“I think in five years we will look back and he’ll be the best tackle in the class,” an AFC scout told NBC Sports Chicago. “He can be an All-Pro right tackle but has the ability to flip over to left if you need. He’s big, strong, athletic and smart.”
Wright took a pre-draft visit to Halas Hall and told NBC Sports Chicago he believes he impressed Poles and formed a quick connection with offensive line coach Chris Morgan.
Moreover, Wright knows there’s no telling how great he can be with the right tools at his disposal.
“The main thing I tell them is, ‘You see what I have done in a year and a half of just really, really focusing in and really trying to be my best self,” Wright told NBC Sports Chicago. “You see what I did at the combine, you see pro day, you see Senior Bowl. You see like with just a little more attention to detail and a little more focus you can see how far I’ve gotten. I don’t even feel like I’ve scratched the surface. If this is where I’m at now, I’m excited to see where I’ll be at when I’m 25, 24.”
Drafting Wright allows the Bears to leave Braxton Jones at left tackle and give him another season to show he’s a legitimate building block on that side of the line while Wright locks down the right side.
ROUND 2
No. 53 – Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame
I thought about going with center Joe Tippmann or defensive tackle Keeanu Benton here, but I don’t want to risk losing out on a player I love who feels like a perfect fit for the Bears.
Foskey is a long, explosive edge defender with great size and speed. He’s a sure tackler who was fourth in the nation last season with 12 sacks. He has 23 sacks on 65 pressures over the past two seasons.
Foskey might be available a bit later in the round but passing on him isn’t worth the risk. He will give the Bears valuable snaps at edge on Day 1.
No. 61 – Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn
With a true 4-3 edge-setting end in the bag, the Bears double down on the pass rush and add Hall late in the second round.
Another long, explosive, aggressive edge rusher, Hall has the strength to take on much bigger players and the burst to get around the edge and collapse the pocket in a heartbeat.
“He’s got a lot of Carl Lawson in him,” an AFC Scout told NBC Sports Chicago. “He’s a true power rusher who is a nightmare to block. He has to get better at defending the run, but he’ll get to the quarterback.”
No. 64 – Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina
Another guy the Bears can’t let get away. With Jalen Carter, Calijah Kancey, and Benton off the board, it’s imperative the Bears address the three-technique with Pickens.
An athletic defensive tackle with a quick first step who excels at getting upfield and causing disruption? That’ll work in Matt Eberflus’ defense.
Pickens is one of the best athletes at his position in this class, and the Bears should be able to unlock what is a deep well of talent.
At the very least, Pickens will give them good rotational minutes in Year 1 while developing into the best version of himself.
The Bears have revamped the defensive line with three straight Day 2 picks.
No. 73 – Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
With the defensive line looking serviceable now and offensive tackle addressed, the Bears need to get another playmaker for quarterback Justin Fields.
Chicago native Jayden Reed is the ideal target. While most mocks have him in the Round 4-5 range, he’ll likely go much earlier with smart teams like the 49ers and Steelers circling. If those front offices have a player circled, it’s for a reason.
Reed is a versatile wide receiver who can play in the slot or out wide. He also can play on special teams, which is a must for any wide receiver that the Bears draft.
“He’s insanely competitve,” the NFC scout said. “He’s a little undersized but that doesn’t seem to affect him. Good route-runner who can make guys miss once he has the ball in his hands. He’ll go higher than people realize.”
ROUND 4
No. 103 – Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama
As is the case with the draft process, you often end up right back where you started.
Ricks has been one of my draft crushes for the entire process. He was a star as a freshman at LSU before dealing with injuries. During this past season at Alabama, he gave up just six catches and 77 yards on 19 targets, per PFF. He's a tall, lanky corner with great man coverage skills who some people are sleeping on late in the process.
No. 133 – Ricky Stromberg, IOL, Arkansas
It’s easy to see the Bears being tempted to draft a center in the second round. Joe Tippmann and John Michael-Schmitz are tremendous talents, and the Bears need a long-term answer in the middle of their line.
But there is value to be found on Day 3, and Stromberg is a good fit for the Bears’ scheme.
At 6-foot-3, 306 pounds, Stromberg is a strong, athletic center with tremendous instincts, awareness, and a high football IQ.
Sprinkle in the versatility to play guard, and Stromberg is precisely what Poles is looking for in a Day 3 pick.
ROUND 5
No. 136 Davis Allen, TE, Clemson
I had Oklahoma tackle Wanya Morris here in the latest version, but I'm beginning to think he won't last until Round 5.
In that case, the Bears address another need by adding a pass-catching tight end who can be a long-term fit alongside Cole Kmet.
Allen isn't a field stretcher -- he ran a 4.84 40 -- but he has excellent ball skills and is a contested catch savant.
"Allen consistently wins 50/50 balls," the AFC scout told NBC Sports Chicago. "The route-running has to get better, but when the ball is in the air, he's going to find a way to go up and get it."
No. 148 -- K.J. Henry, EDGE, Clemson
The Bears top off the revitalization of their edge group with Henry.
The Clemson is a long edge rusher with terrific upfield burst. He's a disruptive run defender but needs to get a stronger to consistently set the edge.
A good value in Round 5, and he'll pair nicely with Foskey and Hall.
ROUND 7
No. 218 – Jake Witt, OT, Northern Michigan University
Like Morris, I no longer think Oklahoma defensive tackle Jalen Redmond -- the 7.0 pick here -- will be available at the projected slot.
That's OK. With Morris not being available in Round 5, the Bears need to find a developmental tackle to add depth to their OL room.
Witt is an intriguing prospect. He's only been playing tackle for less than two seasons but is a great athlete with ideal length. The former tight end needs to get stronger and spend at least a full season polishing his raw technique.
He's the perfect sleeper for the Bears to take a chance on at 218.
No. 258 -- Xazavian Valladay, RB, Arizona State
We round out the mock with a Chicago native who could find a way into the Bears’ running back room.
Valladay is a back who can accelerate quickly and is at his best when attacking the edge of a defense.
He has the speed and one-cut explosiveness the Bears covet in their backs.
When drafting late on Day 3, you’re just trying to find one trait that can be useful, and Valladay’s explosion fits that to a tee.
“Valladay has a slight frame and is a straight-line runner, but the acceleration and decisiveness are pluses,” the AFC scout said. “Sixteen touchdowns last year. His speed off the edge is a weapon.”
