With the NFL Combine in the rearview and free agency approaching, most experts and insiders believe that the Chicago Bears will trade away Justin Fields and move forward with a rookie quarterback. The consensus says that the quarterback will be Caleb Williams.
That decision will be the biggest for GM Ryan Poles this year– and possibly for his entire tenure leading the Bears front office. But it is just one of many that he’ll need to make in the draft, let alone the rest of the offseason.
Here’s my latest mock draft as we continue to gear up for the real thing in late April. As always, this mock draft is not an attempt to predict what the Bears will actually do when they’re back in the War Room next offseason. That’s impossible.
Nor is it meant as a recommendation of what the Bears should do. This mock draft is meant to be a fun way to discuss wild ideas, dig into some of the intriguing college prospects this season, and project how those players may fit in Chicago.
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NO. 1: CALEB WILLIAMS - QUARTERBACK - USC
We’ve known for a long time that Williams is as good of a prospect as any in recent memory. There are practically no flaws in his game and he can make every throw on the field. But the Bears got to know Williams personally for the first time last week. Character matters a lot to them. If they like Williams as a person, they’ll pick him at the top of the draft. If they find red flags there’s a chance they trade the pick away and select someone else. But that feels unlikely at this point.
For all our coverage on the QB phenom, click here.
Chicago Bears
NO. 9: DALLAS TURNER - EDGE - ALABAMA
There’s been a lot of talk about the Bears using their second top-10 pick to bring in a dynamic pass catcher to jump start their offense with Williams. In this mock, however, Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze and Brock Bowers all came off the board before the Bears were back on the clock. So the Bears take Turner to bolster their pass rush.
Draft experts call Turner explosive off the ball, and that was before he ran a blistering 4.47 second 40-yard dash at the Combine. That type of speed opposite Montez Sweat should have the Bears drooling. Turner’s not a one-trick pony, though. Watch five minutes of highlights and you’ll see Turner win both by running past blockers or running right through them. His relentless pursuit of the ball is noticeable too, and the Bears will love that. Even though he’s listed as an outside linebacker, Turner has plenty of experience rushing with a hand in the dirt, which is important to play defensive end in Matt Eberflus’ scheme.
In 58 games with the Crimson Tide, Turner racked up 23.5 sacks, 33.5 TFLs and 117 total pressures. He was named a Chuck Bednarik award finalist in 2023, which recognizes the top defensive player in the nation.
TRADE! BEARS SEND JUSTIN FIELDS, 2025 FIFTH-ROUND PICK TO FALCONS IN EXCHANGE FOR PICKS NO. 43 AND NO. 79
Last week, Adam Schefter shared that he believes Fields will go for a package somewhere between what the Jets received for Sam Darnold (second, fourth and sixth-round picks) and what 49ers received for Alex Smith (two second-round picks). So I’ve got the Bears recouping a second and third-round pick in exchange for Fields and a future fifth (the fifth to make the mock draft simulator happy).
NO. 43: DARIUS ROBINSON - DEFENSIVE LINEMAN - MISSOURI
The last time I mocked Robinson to the Bears, I had him going in the fourth round. Since then, his draft stock has skyrocketed thanks to strong showings at the Senior Bowl and the Combine. There’s even been talk of him going in the first round. Here we’ve got the Bears using a top-50 pick to add him to their young defensive line.
Robinson prides himself on being able to play any position on the line, from nose tackle to defensive end, and the Bears love versatile linemen like that. He had nine sacks and 42 total pressures in 2023 to go with a 17% pass rush win rate.
NO. 75: JOHNNY WILSON - WIDE RECEIVER - FLORIDA STATE
Whether or not the Bears and Darnell Mooney come together for a next contract, the team needs to add playmakers at wide receiver. If they could add a big target for their QB to complement DJ Moore, even better.
Wilson is a big dude who measured 6’6” and 231 lbs. at the Combine. His 84.5” wingspan was by far the longest among wideouts. In fact, no other receiver topped 80”. Wilson played second fiddle to Keon Coleman at FSU last season and caught 41 passes for 617 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. If there’s a knock on his game it’s that he had several drops.
NO. 79: SEDRICK VAN PRAN - CENTER - GEORGIA
The Bears didn’t get enough out of their centers this year, whether it was Cody Whitehair or Lucas Patrick, and protecting their new QB will be paramount to the team’s success. Van Pran was a three-year starter at Georgia, and per PFF he only gave up one sack and one hit in 1,419 pass blocking snaps. Van Pran was First-Team All-SEC and Second-Team All-American, and he was a finalist for the Rimington trophy which recognizes the best center in the country.
NO. 111: DADRION TAYLOR-DEMERSON - SAFETY - TEXAS TECH
The Bears need a rangy free safety with ballhawking ability to replace Eddie Jackson in the back of the defense, and complement Jaquan Brisker who is called upon to be a big hitter in the box. Taylor-Demerson fits that bill and brings a touch of versatility, too. According to PFF, Taylor-Demerson played over half of his snaps at free safety last season, and about 40% either in the box or in the slot. His tackling improved from an 18.7% missed tackle rate in 2021, to 17.2% in 2022 and finally 9.9% last year. Most importantly, he has a consistent track record of takeaways. Since 2021, Taylor-Demerson intercepted 10 passes for the Red Raiders, forced two fumbles and recovered two more.
NO. 123: COOPER BEEBE - GUARD - KANSAS STATE
Beebe could be another player to climb draft boards, like Robinson did over the past couple of months. He’s also another player who ticks all the boxes for the Bears. Beebe is an athletic lineman– an absolute must for Poles. His unofficial Relative Athletic Score is a 9.49 out of 10. That’s elite. Further, Beebe has experience playing every position on the offensive line except for center. For a team that needs improved depth across the line, that versatility would be invaluable. In 49 games dating back to 2020, Beebe only surrendered five sacks and 35 pressures per PFF. He won Big-12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2022 and 2023.
NO. 143: TAHJ WASHINGTON - WIDE RECEIVER - USC
The Bears have looked for an explosive wide receiver for several seasons without much luck. Tyler Scott could be that guy, but didn’t have the type of rookie campaign to preclude the Bears from adding another prospect who can take the top off of a defense. Washington is more of a speed demon than either Moore or Wilson, and was one of the premier playmakers in the nation last season. His 86.7% catch rate on balls thrown 20 yards or farther was the best mark in all of college football among players with at least 10 targets. So was his 39.7 yards per route run, and his perfect 158.3 QB rating when targeted on deep balls. Washington was able to win even if he didn’t burn his defender deep, too. He caught an impressive 75% of his contested targets. In three seasons at USC and one at Memphis in 2020, Washington caught 206 passes for 3,192 yards and 21 touchdowns. His familiarity with Williams from their time together at SC is a bonus.
