The 2023 NFL Draft process is winding down, with just 15 days left until the Carolina Panthers go on the clock at No. 1 overall to kick off the affair.
We've been churning out mock drafts, big boards, features, analysis, and player profiles for almost three months. The NFL Scouting Combine came and went. The pro days served their purpose, and teams will wrap up their top-30 visits over the next week or so.
The Bears have brought in an interesting crop of prospects to Halas Hall, from Jalen Carter and Paris Johnson Jr. to Gervon Dexter Sr. and Dontayvion Wicks.
I'll have one more in-depth mock draft with pre-draft intel and analysis from scouts, but this will serve as a half-measure between 6.0 and 7.0.
For this version, I elected to look at several different predictive models, including ESPN's Draft Day Predictor and PFF's Mock Draft simulator, to gauge where certain prospects are expected to go. I took my list of players the Bears have had in for top-30 visits, had formals with at the combine, and that I am a fan of and cross-referenced it with the predictive tools to find the best-case prospect who will likely be available for the Bears at each spot.
So with no trades in this version, guys like Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Joe Tippmann, Adetomiwa Adebawore, and others get crossed off due to the likelihood they'll be available at that selection.
(Note: If the ESPN predictor gives a prospect less than a 50 percent chance of being available at a spot, I crossed them off, As we get past Round 4, the analytics tools are less helpful, so I had to rely more on simulations and mocks to gauge the perceived value of late-round prospects.)
NFL
Here's Bears Mock Draft 6.5: Finding the best players to fill Chicago's numerous holes:
No. 9 overall
Pick: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
I mocked Wright to the Bears in the first round of my latest mock draft, and the Tennessee right tackle is gaining steam as the draft approaches. I had the Bears selecting Wright at No. 19 after a flurry of draft trades, but I think there's a good chance he's the choice at No. 9 if the Bears stand pat.
Either way, I think Wright makes a lot of sense for the Bears at this early stage of the rebuild. At 6-foot-6, 333 pounds with 33 3/4 inch arms and explosive athleticism, he has the traits and tape of a right tackle with All-Pro potential.
Last season, Wright allowed just eight total pressures and did not give up a sack while surrendering a pressure rate of just 1.7 percent. His best games came against Alabama's Will Anderson and LSU's B.J. Ojulari, both of whom are expected to be top-40 picks.
The Bears currently have a gaping hole at right tackle. While the idea of selecting a left tackle at No. 9 and flipping Braxton Jones to the right side does have merit, I think the Bears would prefer to see how Jones improves during his first NFL offseason before moving him off the left tackle spot.
You can make a great case for several prospects at No. 9, including Jalen Carter, Paris Johnson Jr., and Broderick Jones. But Wright gives the Bears a franchise right tackle and supplies them with some runway to see what Jones can become on the other side.
Round 2
No. 53
Pick: Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
By either missing out on or passing on Jalen Carter in Round 1, the Bears must immediately address the defensive line on Day 2 of the draft.
ESPN's draft predictor says it's unlikely that Anudike-Uzomah and Adebawore will be available at No. 53, so two of my draft crushes are off the board.
But the predictor says there's more than an 80 percent chance that Benton is available at No. 53, and I don't think the Bears can gamble and try to get him at No. 61.
Benton is a versatile defensive tackle who excels at shedding blocks and penetrating upfield. Over the past two seasons, Benton racked up eight sacks and 49 pressures in 482 pass-rushing snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Benton also was one of the standouts at the Senior Bowl, and we learned last year that the Bears like players that pop in Mobile.
I thought about Benton's teammate, center Joe Tippmann, here, but the predictor says there's a less than 40 percent chance that the fast-rising center is available at No. 53. Benton is the first piece in what should be a defensive line makeover in the draft.
No. 61
Pick: Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame
Defensive line. Check. Senior Bowl standout. Check.
Foskey is a long and fast edge rusher who is built to get after the quarterback and is a sure tackler. Those are two things the Bears' defensive line struggled with last season.
Foskey notched 12 sacks and 33 pressures last season and will provide the Bears with a true 4-3 defensive end who can defend the run and collapse the pocket.
ESPN's predictor has Foskey available at No. 61 almost 70 percent of the time. Lock it in.
Round 3
No. 64
Pick: Byron Young, DE, Tennessee
This feels like the right spot for Young, who just screams H.I.T.S principle.
The 24-year-old was late to football but made it out of JUCO to Tennessee thanks to an intense work ethic and competitive desire.
While Young still needs some molding as a pass rusher, he recorded nine sacks and 42 pressures last season for Tennessee. He has an elite first step and a motor that never stops.
I know he might profile more as a 3-4 outside linebacker, but the Bears love traits and Young ran 4.43 40 at 250 pounds while recording an 11-foot broad jump.
With Foskey, Young, and DeMarcus Walker, the Bears' pass-rotation suddenly has some teeth.
Round 4
No. 103
Pick: Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
The Bears sufficiently addressed the defensive line, so it's time to head to the other side of the ball.
Finding a way to move up into the third round and get either Tyler Scott, Cedric Tillman, or Jonathan Mingo would be ideal since all three receivers likely will be gone before 103. But if the Bears can't move up, I like the idea of adding Reed, who is an excellent route-runner with the versatility to play outside or in the slot.
The Bears had Reed in for a top-30 visit, and it's easy to see the Chicago native being a Day 3 target for Poles.
Take the crisp route-running and add in the ability to separate downfield, and you get a Swiss Army knife that can be useful to an evolving passing attack.
No. 133
Pick: Ricky Stromberg, IOL, Arkansas
Tippmann, John Michael-Schmitz, and Luke Wypler all will be gone by the time the Bears go on the clock in Round 4. That's OK because the Bears can still get one of the best centers in the class, and one who is perfect for their scheme, at this spot.
Stromberg is a high-IQ center with over 3,000 snaps of experience in the SEC. Stromberg gave up just 11 pressures and zero sacks last season while recording nine big-time blocks, per PFF.
He can start immediately or serve as depth for one season at center and guard before taking over as the long-term center in 2024.
Round 5
No. 136
Pick: Carter Warren, OT, Pittsburgh
It's time to go back to the offensive line in Round 5, and the predictor is out of prospects who could be available here, so I'll just look over the simulations and shoot from the hip.
I thought long and hard about Oklahoma defensive tackle Jalen Redmond at this spot or any number of cornerbacks. But I think the Bears will look to add young depth to the offensive line on Day 3.
I really like Warren, who is a long tackle with great feet, hands, and 35.375-inch arms. Warren gave up just one sack and four total pressures last season before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 4.
He's a bit of an older prospect at 24, but he has all the tools to be an above-average NFL tackle, especially in a zone scheme. The Bears will look for toolsy linemen on Day 3, and Warren fits that mold.
No. 148
Pick: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
The Bears must add more depth in the running back room behind Khalil Herbert and D'Onta Foreman. Abanikanda is a home-run threat with the speed to be a major weapon in the Bears' one-cut-and-go zone scheme.
The 20-year-old had 782 yards before contact last season, which ranked second in FBS. He still needs some polish, but he has the combination of size and speed the Bears want in their backs.
Round 7
No. 218
Pick: Viliami Fehoko, DE, San Jose State
Here's another one of my Day 3 favorites.
Aggressive and chippy with a nose for the football, Fehoko feels like a player the Bears will target on Day 3 to round out their pass-rush rotation. He's strong and tough, with good hands and a powerful bull rush.
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Fehoko notched 44 tackles for loss and 22 sacks over the last three seasons.
He might end up only being a sub-package edge rusher, but the Bears have a need for a man with his skill set and tenacity.
No. 258
Pick: Cameron Brown, CB, Ohio State
Given the way the draft board fell and the Bears' mountain of needs, general manager Ryan Poles doesn't address the corner need until the final pick. It's not ideal, but it's not the worst outcome, given the other needs that have been filled.
The seventh round is the right place to take a flier on a guy like Brown, who has good size, strengths, and instincts but struggled with injuries during his career at Ohio State.
Brown profiles as a depth corner who can help on special teams. He is comfortable in man or zone coverage and has good ball skills.