For weeks now, it's been assumed that the Chicago Bears would end the year with the No. 1 overall pick int he 2024 NFL Draft (thanks to the Carolina Panthers), and the Jaguars' 26-0 smackdown of the Panthers in Week 17 made it official.
For the second year in a row, the Bears will enter the offseason in complete control of the NFL Draft.
The debate around what the Bears should do with this pick will be louder than last season. Justin Fields ended the 2022 season nearly breaking Lamar Jackson's single-season rushing record for a quarterback and was locked into the starting role in 2023, even with quarterback prospects like Bryce Young and CJ Stroud available with the first pick. Now, one year later, Fields' season has been a mixed bag, and while he's on a bit of a heater right now, prospects like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye could be too talented for GM Ryan Poles to pass on this year.
Has Fields done enough to give Poles confidence that he has his franchise quarterback? For this mock draft, we say yes, he has.
As a result, the Chicago Bears trade the first overall pick to the New England Patriots, who, entering Week 18, have the third overall pick. In addition to the No. 3 overall, the Bears get their second-round pick, a Day 3 pick, and their first and second-round picks in 2025.
Not a bad haul, right?
With a bevy of additional draft capital and a plan to build around Justin Fields, who could Poles select? Let's get to the three-round Chicago Bears 2024 mock draft.
1.03 (via CAR, NE) Marvin Harrison Jr. - Wide Receiver, Ohio State
I've said it before, and I'll double-down here: Marvin Harrison Jr. will join his father in the Hall of Fame when his career ends. Roger Goodell could give him his gold jacket on draft night, and I wouldn't bat an eye. That's the kind of prospect he is. Truly, unquestionably generational.
Pairing Harrison with DJ Moore, who is coming off career highs in receiving yards and touchdowns, would give Chicago arguably the best receiving duo in the league. Even if Justin Fields never reaches that elite tier of quarterbacks, a pair of pass catchers who could make legitimate All-Pro claims would help him.
MARVIN HARRISON JR YOU ARE RIDICULOUS
— Swift Sports Network (@SwiftyNetwork) November 25, 2023
ONE HANDED GRAB WHILE BEING TACKLED BY THE DEFENDER OH MY GOODNESS
PLEASE RYAN POLES BRING HIM TO CHICAGO!!#BEARS #OSUvsMICH #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/SzJTUJzIKp
1.10 Jared Verse - EDGE, Florida State
Verse had a rough start to the 2023 college football season, but he hit his stride after a few weeks and finished the year with nine sacks and a forced fumble. He's not the biggest or the fastest pass rusher in this draft class, but his bend, hand usage, and explosive first step are without a peer.
The biggest downside to Verse as a prospect is his age, as he's already 24. But we routinely see pass rushers play at high levels well into their thirties, so that shouldn't be a deal-breaker. Plus, pairing Verse with Montez Sweat would make this Chicago defensive line sinister.
2.34 (via NE) Sedrick Van Pran - Center, Georgia
I didn't want to draft a center this high, but looking at the prospects available and where the Chicago Bears pick next, I thought this would be worth the reach.
Van Pran is the top center in this class and probably would have been the top center in last year's draft class had he declared. He's built like a wrecking ball at 6'3" and 310 pounds, and he plays like one, too.
Best of all, Van Pran is cerebral. He's the quarterback of the offensive line who diagnoses defenses and makes adjustments before the snap. Center is arguably the Bears' biggest need heading into the offseason, and Van Pran would be as big of an upgrade as they can get.
3.75 Cole Bishop - Safety, Utah
Sadly, it seems like Eddie Jackson's time in Chicago is coming to an end. The Bears need to find his replacement, and they can have that in Utah's Cole Bishop.
Standing an impressive 6'2" and 207 pounds, Bishop is an imposing figure in Utah's secondary and has improved every year. He's reliable in coverage and is more than a willing defender in run support. He offers upside as a blitzer, too.
The only weakness of Bishop's game is tackling, as he generally fails to wrap up and finish. He also may need to add a few pounds to his long frame. Thankfully, tackling can be taught, and spending time in an NFL workout program should do wonders for him.
What do you think of this Chicago Bears mock draft? Give it a grade in the comments, or better yet, publish your own mock draft! The comments section is free to use for a limited time! Bear Down!