2014 NFL Mock Draft: C.J. Mosley slips to Chicago Bears
Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker C.J. Mosley (32) on the sidelines against the Colorado State Rams at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated Colorado State 31-6. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bears defense has been absolutely abysmal this season, and rookie linebackers Khaseem Green and Jon Bostic have been part of the problem. Bostic came in as a starter when veteran D.J. Williams was lost for the season, and Green started when star Lance Briggs missed a chunk of time. Both haven’t had the immediate impact that the Bears were hoping for, though it’s definitely too early to give up on either of them. Still, the Bears defense has been so bad that they absolutely have to address it in the offseason, and drafting a middle linebacker or safety high in the 2014 NFL Draft makes perfect sense.
NFL Mocks’s Erik Lambert has the Chicago Bears selecting C.J. Mosley with the 21st pick in his latest 2014 NFL Mock Draft, and I would highly recommend checking out his explanation and the full mock draft here.
Mosley unsurprisingly won the Butkus Award as college football’s best linebacker this year, and he is just such a dominant player for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He can play at any linebacker position, and he is an obvious first-round pick. Mosley would be a steal, too, with the 21st pick in the draft, so the Bears would almost have to take him at that spot and patch up the need at LB. He’s a better player than both Green and Bostic, though there’s still plenty of hope that both players can come around and be legit pieces in the future.
He finished his 2013 campaign at Alabama with 102 tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven hurries, and five passes defended. Mosley simply does it all at the linebacker position, and the Bears desperately need that sort of all-around playmaker. This is a guy who can stuff the run, do a solid job in coverage, and he can even blitz when needed. He’s also an incredible leader, and intangibles are a big key at the middle linebacker position. Mosley knows what he’s doing out there, and he’s polished enough to have a great chance of making an immediate impact for the Chicago Bears at a difficult position.
What makes Mosley so incredible is his ability to excel in run defense and in coverage, and he’s already been compared to some of the best all-around linebackers in the game, with Sean Lee, Luke Kuechly, and NaVorro Bowman being lofty and notable comparisons. If Mosley is anything like those guys, then he’s a must-pick for the Bears and would be a massive upgrade. If Mosley’s available with the 21st pick, then Chicago absolutely has to snap him up, and I hope this is a guy Phil Emery is dying to draft; the fit seems perfect. Now, the Bears just have to hope Mosley can slip past the top 20, and a misleading Combine performance would do just the trick.