The Chicago Bears began the 2024 NFL Draft with only four selections, finished with five, and may have ended the weekend with the most important draft class in franchise history.
The first round kicked off with the selection of USC QB Caleb Williams, the top quarterback prospect to enter the NFL in over a decade, as the first overall pick. It was followed by the selection of Washington WR Rome Odunze, a player whose skill set has been compared to Larry Fitzgerald, at No. 9.
The pair of elite talents felt like enough to make the Bears big winners in this year's draft, and they're certainly a big reason Chicago is scoring high marks on post-draft report cards, including the one issued by Pro Football Focus.
PFF gave the Bears an 'A' for their 2024 NFL Draft.
"The sixth-ranked player on the PFF big board falls to Chicago at the back end of the top 10. Odunze is able to tilt the scales on 50-50 balls and brought in 21 of his 28 contested targets last season," PFF wrote. "That’s a nice weapon for new quarterback Caleb Williams, who will have one of the better wide receiver trios in the NFL as a rookie — D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze."
But the Chicago Bears' draft class extends beyond just Williams and Odunze. They added a developmental offensive tackle in the third round in Yale's Kiran Amegadjie, who PFF ranked as the No. 57 overall prospect on their Big Board. Chicago landed him at No. 75.
Someone cooked here 👨🍳 pic.twitter.com/tkvF6wbKIv
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 27, 2024
The Bears' decision to draft Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round might have spoiled a chance at an 'A' grade, but Poles' aggressive move to trade back into the fifth round to land Kansas edge rusher Austin Booker put Chicago's draft haul near the head of the class.
"After trading back into the draft, the Bears pick up a high-upside pass-rusher," PFF wrote. "Booker racked up 38 pressures and nine sacks in 2023 while posting a 14.8% pass-rush win rate. He has instant upside as a designated pass-rusher and could develop his play strength to become a three-down player."
As for the rest of the NFC North's 2024 NFL Draft grades? Pro Football Focus gave the Green Bay Packers a B+, the Detroit Lions snagged an A, and the Minnesota Vikings earned a B+.