The Chicago Bears are one of 30 NFL teams whose season is now over. Only the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers remain standing, which means free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft are the priorities for most fanbases.
It's especially true now that the first big NFL Draft event is upon us: the 2024 Senior Bowl. We know that Ryan Poles pays close attention to prospects who participate in the game; he drafted four of them in the 2023 NFL Draft and signed quarterback Tyson Bagent as a priority free agent.
Bears Talk is on location in Mobile, Alabama, covering the practices, so make sure you've upgraded to a premium account to access our updates on some of the most exciting prospects (with a Chicago Bears spin) from the Senior Bowl.
For now, let's kick this week off with a 3-round Chicago Bears mock draft.
For this mock draft, I had Chicago trade Justin Fields to the Las Vegas Raiders, who, just last week, interviewed former Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to be their OC.
Chicago gets a second and fourth-round pick in return.
The fourth-round pick won't come into play for this mock, but that second-rounder provides a big boost for the offense.
Let's get to the picks.
1.01 (via CAR) Caleb Williams - Quarterback, USC
If the 2023 playoffs have proven anything, it's that teams without an elite quarterback face an impossibly steep climb to the Super Bowl. With this pick, the Bears will hope they've finally landed such a talent. Williams has been a lock to go first overall since he stole Spencer Rattler's starting job at Oklahoma two years ago, and he's never looked back.
The former Heisman winner put together a stellar college career, earning comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, and honestly, I can see it. Obviously, no one is comparing the two in terms of overall talent, but it's impossible to ignore the similarities when you watch the two play. Even Kliff Kingsbury, who has coached both, has said as much.
You can check out Bryan Perez's scouting report on Williams here for a deep dive into his strengths and weaknesses. I won't tell you he's a sure thing, but you can't deny his superstar potential. I think moving off of Fields and selecting Williams is one of the easiest decisions Ryan Poles will make as GM.
1.09 Laiatu Latu - Defensive End, UCLA
I'll be blunt: this draft class does not feature much talent at defensive end. After the top two or three prospects, the pool gets pretty shallow. And while the Bears definitely need more offensive weapons, those can be found on Day 2 of the draft. So, with their own first-round pick, I have Chicago getting Montez Sweat a pass rush partner.
Latu's medical history will scare many teams away, but I don't think it should be overblown. Yes, he was medically retired back in 2021 due to a neck injury, but Latu's played two full seasons since then and has been a one-man wrecking crew. He's got terrific size and blistering speed, almost like a younger version of Sweat.
In two years at UCLA, Latu racked up 23.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and a ridiculous 34 tackles for loss. We'll get a closer look at Latu at the Senior Bowl.
The Bears' defense took a big step forward when they added Sweat via trade last season. Pairing him with Latu could make this one of the most fearsome defensive fronts Chicago has put together in years.
2.44 (via LV) Ladd McConkey - Wide Receiver, Georgia
It's tough to generate much buzz as a wide receiver in a draft class as stacked as this one, but McConkey should be able to turn heads at the Senior Bowl. He's on the smaller side, standing just six feet tall and weighing 185 pounds, but he's impressed the NFL enough to earn a spot on Mel Kiper's top ten list of wide receivers for the upcoming draft.
What he lacks in size, McConkey more than makes up for with nearly flawless route running. Unfortunately, some injuries this past season prevented him from racking up some eye-popping stats, but the tape doesn't lie. He also has experience as a punt returner, giving him that coveted trait of versatility.
3.74 Sedrick Van Pran - Center, Georgia
Unfortunately, it was announced on Monday that Van Pran would not participate in the Senior Bowl. The reason was not disclosed. But make no mistake, he's arguably the top center in this year's draft.
A starter for Georgia's back-to-back national championship squads, he was recently awarded the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 2023, given to the best blocker in the conference. Built like a wrecking ball at six-foot-four and 310 pounds, that's precisely how Van Pran plays.
He's strong, with powerful hands and good technique. He displays above-average athleticism and is a cerebral player, too. Van Pran is the kind of center scouts call a 'quarterback of the offensive line.' He reads the defense before the snap and helps his quarterback make adjustments.
I don't know if he'll fall this far in the draft. He could come off the board in the second round. But if he's available when the Chicago Bears are on the clock in the third round, then this pick would be a no-brainer.
What do you think, Bears fans? Give this mock draft a grade by creating a free user account and share your opinion in the comments. You can level up to a premium account for just $3.49/mo or $29.99/yr to have an ad-free Bears Talk and gain access to all of our exclusive content. Bear Down!