It's April, so we are now officially just weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft. It feels like a good time for another mock draft with the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine, and most Pro Days in the rearview mirror.
For this mock, the Chicago Bears trade back from 9th overall, but not very far. They swap first-round selections with the Las Vegas Raiders and add a second-round pick in the process. Later, in the fourth round, Chicago swaps picks with San Francisco to pick up a sixth-rounder. This leaves them with six total picks and three in the Top 50.
Now let's get to the picks!
1.1 (via CAR) Caleb Williams - Quarterback, USC
This will be the pick for the Chicago Bears on April 25th. Williams, the player, has already blown away the Bears' front office, and it sounds like Williams, the person, has done the same in each meeting with the Bears. There's nothing to stop them now from drafting one of the most exciting quarterback prospects this century.
1.13 (via LV) Brian Thomas Jr. - Receiver, LSU
Is Thomas Jr. the best-kept secret of this draft class? While he's yet been unable to break into the Top 3 receivers, it's hard to argue that he's not worth a Top 15 pick. At the NFL Combine, he clocked a blistering 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash and showcased impressive explosiveness: a 10-foot-6 broad jump and a 38.5" vertical leap. He may not be quite the prospect that his teammate Malik Nabers is, but Thomas Jr. could very well end up being the steal of the draft.
2.44 (via LV) Adisa Isaac - Defensive End, Penn State
The Bears miss out on the top pass rushers of this year's class, but with Isaac, they can land a prospect with as high of a ceiling as anyone. A defensive captain at Penn State, Isaac plays tough and has a motor that never stops running, a perfect fit for Matt Eberflus' H.I.T.S. principle. He'll need to get bigger and stronger and work on his technique at the next level, but Chicago has a great defensive coaching staff, and Isaac would have a Pro Bowl mentor in Montez Sweat.
3.75 Cole Bishop - Safety, Utah
Earlier this offseason, the Bears released Eddie Jackson and replaced him with Kevin Byard. While Byard is a quality starting safety, he is not a long-term option, so I have the Bears taking a flyer on a decent safety class this year. Standing an impressive six-foot-two 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 his size and physicality.
4.135 (via SF) Gabe Hall - Defensive Tackle, Baylor
I tried to go offensive line with this pick, but I didn't love the options available. So, instead, I go back to the defensive line with a low-floor/high-ceiling pick. Hall didn't exactly stuff the stat sheet at Baylor, but his traits and athleticism are incredible. At the NFL Combine, Hall posted a 9.2 RAS and some good measurables, most notably his 34.5" arms. He's a project who likely would not see the field much, if at all, as a rookie, but good coaching and mentoring in Chicago could get him to one day be considered a draft steal.
6.211 (via SF) Tory Taylor - Punter, Iowa
Taylor is the reason I made this trade with San Francisco. I like Trent Gill, the Bears' current punter, a lot. He's fine as a punter and seems like a great guy. But 'fine' won't cut it for a team looking to make a playoff push and Tory Taylor is an impressive prospect well worth a draft selection. He's a big dude at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds with kicking power to match. Bears fans would hope not to see Taylor take the field very often in 2024, but when he does, he has the kind of leg that can totally flip field position and cut short the opposing team's momentum.