The NFL Mock Draft circuit is about to kick into overdrive. The NFL Combine is a few weeks away, and with it comes more clarity on the 2023 NFL Draft class. Some prospects will rise; others will tumble. And 2023 mock drafts will evolve along the way.
ESPN published a new two-round mock draft this week, and it continued an expected theme at the top of round one. The Chicago Bears trade out of the No. 1 overall pick with the Indianapolis Colts, who jump up to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. The Bears received quite a haul for the slide down to No. 4 overall. Chicago receives the Nos. 4 and 35 picks, a fourth-rounder, and a 2024 third-rounder.
Some Bears fans may be unhappy with a trade that doesn’t include a first-round pick in 2024, but Chicago may have difficulty drawing that kind of a return because of the league-wide understanding that GM Ryan Poles isn’t targeting a quarterback with the first pick. We’ll see.