The NFL Draft is finally upon us, and while the Chicago Bears don’t have a first round pick, they do have two second round picks that they are looking to use to improve their roster for the 2020 season.
While G.M. Ryan Pace has a reputation for aggressively moving up the draft board, there is also a possibility he could use one of his two second round picks, at 43rd and 50th overall, respectively, to move back down in the draft to obtain more picks in the later stages of the selection show.
As the draft nears, here is how a variety of NFL Draft experts see the 2020 second round playing out for the Bears:
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report:
43rd Pick: Noah Igbinoghene, Cornerback Auburn
50th Pick: Jeremy Chinn, Safety Southern Illinois
Get used to seeing Chinn’s name, as the Saluki safety has been extensively linked to the Bears in all sorts of mock drafts.
Local
Chinn, a 6-foot-3 senior safety, registered 48 solo tackles last season. He also had four interceptions, a career high, and seven passes defended for the Salukis.
Miller also has the Bears taking cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, who started his career as a two-way player for the Tigers but converted to a full-time corner role in the last two years. In the 2019 season, Igbinoghene had 42 total tackles and seven passes defended.
The cornerback also returned some kicks for Auburn, with nine returns for 317 yards and a touchdown during his junior year.
Chad Reuter, NFL Network:
43rd Pick: Cesar Ruiz, Center Michigan
50th Pick: Jeremy Chinn, Safety Southern Illinois
Reuter also has the Bears taking Chinn in the second round, but adds Cesar Ruiz into the mix. The 6-foot-4, 319 pound center out of Michigan started all 13 games of his junior season with the Wolverines. According to Pro Football Focus, Ruiz was ranked as the top pass blocking center in the country, and he could be a big boost to a Bears offensive line that struggled badly last season.
Benjamin Solak, The Draft Network:
43rd Pick: Jeremy Chinn, Safety Southern Illinois
50th Pick: Robert Hunt, Tackle/Guard Louisiana-Lafayette
Solak is also on the Chinn bandwagon for the Bears, but has Chicago reaching into this year’s deep pool of offensive line talent and snagging Hunt in the second round.
From The Draft Network’s evaluation of Hunt:
“Robert Hunt is a prospect who makes your face light up right away when talking about him. He has the tape that will make you grind your teeth and feel sorry for the defenders that he’s matched up against. That’s the type of play violence and strength that he brings to the table.”
RJ White, CBS Sports:
43rd Pick: Noah Igbinoghene, Cornerback Auburn
55th Pick (trade with Baltimore): Jeremy Chinn, Safety Southern Illinois
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports:
43rd Pick: Grant Delpit, Safety LSU
50th Pick: Jacob Eason, Quarterback Washington
Wilson has the Bears going in a significantly different direction than most other mock drafts. Delpit was the defensive leader of the Tigers squad that captured the national championship earlier this year. In 14 games, Delpit registered 65 total tackles and two sacks. He also had two interceptions during his junior season in Baton Rouge.
The Bears already acquired Nick Foles in a trade this season, but Wilson has them grabbing a quarterback early in the draft. After transferring from Georgia, Eason had a strong season for the Huskies, completing 64.2 percent of his passes for 3,132 yards and throwing 23 touchdown passes.
