Todd McShay Mock Draft continues trend of Bears taking versatile offensive lineman

The ESPN NFL Draft analyst continued the growing trend of the Bears selecting Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski in the first round.

It isn't a bad pick by any means. Skoronski would be the Chicago Bears' most talented offensive lineman by a wide margin. But questions about his ability to play offensive tackle in the NFL have lingered because of his short arms.

McShay says it won't dissuade the Bears from making the pick.

"Chicago allowed a sack on 11.5% of dropbacks last season, the highest rate we've seen since the Raiders" 12.6% in 2006," McShay wrote. "I like the Braxton Jones. Jenkins is a better fit on the interior. And while there are concerns about Skoronski's 32¼-inch arm length, his quickness, balance and snap in his hands stand out."

Indeed, Skoronski's traits are fantastic. There's no denying that. But his physical shortcomings will cause him to lose some reps in an NFL game when facing edge rushers with 34-inch arms. Hopefully, those lost reps won't be the difference between a sack and a Justin Fields touchdown pass.

Todd McShay suggests in his mock draft that the Chicago Bears could choose an edge rusher with the ninth pick. He cites Lukas Van Ness (Iowa) as an option. I think it's a fair point. But with the premium the Bears have placed on Fields this offseason, I have a hard time believing they'll use the selection on any position other than the offensive line.

At this point in the draft process, I prefer Paris Johnson Jr. and Broderick Jones over Peter Skoronski. Both offensive tackles are on the board in McShay's mock draft when the Chicago Bears are on the clock.

Regardless of who the Bears end up with at No. 9, the offensive line is destined for a massive improvement in the 2023 NFL Draft.