Chicago Bears: 7-Round 2019 mock draft in early April

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 24: Mike Weber #5 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks for room to run in the second quarter as Khaleke Hudson #7 of the Michigan Wolverines closes in at Ohio Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Michigan 62-39. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 24: Mike Weber #5 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks for room to run in the second quarter as Khaleke Hudson #7 of the Michigan Wolverines closes in at Ohio Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Michigan 62-39. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 30: Max Scharping #73 of the Northern Illinois Huskies celebrates after defeating the Buffalo Bulls 30-29 to win the MAC Championship at Ford Field on November 30, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 30: Max Scharping #73 of the Northern Illinois Huskies celebrates after defeating the Buffalo Bulls 30-29 to win the MAC Championship at Ford Field on November 30, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Round 4, Pick 126: Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois

One area the Bears could really improve in 2019 is along the offensive line. Not one of their five starters really stood out as overly impressive last season and they could look to start overhauling the unit. They don’t have the draft capital to accomplish all of that in one offseason, but they do begin the work with Max Scharping out of Northern Illinois.

A mammoth tackle at 6-6 and 327 pounds, Scharping is a high IQ player who started at both the right and left tackle positions for Northern Illinois. Even with that experience, he may be best suited for the right side where he can handle bull rushers — as stated by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

"Ascending tackle prospect with impressive combination of size and functional athletic ability. Scharping has the ability to handle bull-rushers and finds ways to recover and get guys blocked after getting beat early. However, NFL rushers will look to exploit the inconsistent footwork and balance that shows up when his pass sets become hurried and unfocused against true edge speed. He might get a shot at left tackle, but might be best-suited on the right side where he has the potential to become an above-average starter."

Due to the level of competition Scharping faced, he may last a lot longer than his talent suggests. In this mock, that’s a great thing for the Bears who find a potential starter during day three.