Chicago Bears: Final 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft

The prevailing thought with this pick is that the Bears will use it on a running back. They have Mike Davis as the main back and Tarik Cohen and Cordarrelle Patterson as gadget backs. Both of them can go out at wide receiver and play in the backfield. They also have Ryan Nall and Taquan Mizzell but those players are just fill-ins. They can play some snaps to relieve the other players.

The Bears need another running back to share the snaps with Davis. Do they find that guy here? I say no. This draft is deep with running backs. The Bears can wait it out and still get a quality back. Remember, they don’t need a back who takes the bulk of the snaps. Nagy likes to spread the wealth.

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With that being said, I think the Bears nab a safety with this pick. Yes, they have Ha Ha Clinton-Dix playing beside with Eddie Jackson. That makes the safety slot very tough. The only thing is, Clinton-Dix is playing on a one-year deal. Playing in this elite defense, he should have a great season. If so, he’ll probably price himself out of Chicago. He’ll love playing in Chicago, but how much of a home discount will he give the Bears?

If that’s the case, the Bears need to have a backup plan for the future. Amani Hooker is that backup plan.

In the Bears’ system, Hooker can thrive. He can play either safety spot and even play the nickel. He has great instincts and a good nose for the ball. He only played four games in his first year for the Hawkeyes but played 21 games in his final two seasons. In those 21 games, he intercepted six passes and defended nine others while making 121 tackles. He does a good job of baiting the quarterback into making bad throws.

Hooker also has great instincts. He can diagnose a play and play off his man and make the play at the right time. While his burst isn’t great and his speed is just okay, his instincts make up for that. Additionally, Hooker is a good tackler. He is fundamentally sound, wrapping his arms around the ball carrier and going through him. He is an aggressive tackler without being sloppy.

Should the Bears pick Hooker up and end up parting ways with Clinton-Dix, he’d still be an upgrade from the departed Adrian Amos. He’d be a good complement to Jackson and the future of the Bears’ defensive back position would be in good hands with those two.