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Chicago Bears 2022 mock draft: Ryan Poles rebuilds and redefines the culture

By Sravan Gannavarapu

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 10: Jamaree Salyer #69 of the Georgia Bulldogs holds the National Championship trophy after the Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 10: Jamaree Salyer #69 of the Georgia Bulldogs holds the National Championship trophy after the Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 7: Rasheed Walker #53 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Beaver Stadium on November 7, 2020, in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 7: Rasheed Walker #53 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Beaver Stadium on November 7, 2020, in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

4. Fifth Round: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State

Chicago has two fifth-round picks. They opt to go with one here. The other? Well, we’ll get to that in just a bit. Their first pick needs to address protection in the trenches once again. Teven Jenkins, Larry Borom, and Jamaree Salyer are a good group. However, for Cody Whitehair and James Daniels, it may be wise to let them both walk or trade them for other assets for all the good they have done.

That’s why Penn State’s Rasheed Walker comes into play. Given Whitehair’s age and Daniels looking for a hefty extension, and the looming Roquan Smith deal, it’s best to have a cheaper option on the offensive line. Walker is that guy and would be a big boost. At 6’6″ 325, his best comparison would be former Dallas Cowboys tackle Erik Williams. While Walker isn’t as intimidating as Williams was, his physique and technique are mirror images.

Walker knows how to jump off the line and clear running lanes, but his pass protection needs refining. Given how Ryan Poles is a former offensive lineman and knows a thing or two, don’t be surprised to see the general manager even offer some words of wisdom to help Walker’s development. Help can come from different places, no matter how strange it may be.

TRADE: Chicago sends their 2022 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for two 2022 fifth-round picks and a sixth-round pick. 

5. Fifth Round via trade with PHI: Tyree Johnson, DE, Texas A&M

Trading down here nets two areas of need in one shot. But we’ll get to that other need in a second. Right now, the Bears need to study San Francisco and see that their defensive strength is in the trenches. Granted, Chicago can’t draft defensive linemen in the first round with no top pick, so it’s often looking for diamonds in the rough like Texas A&M’s Tyree Johnson.

The Aggies have a good recruiting class coming in this year, but Johnson is not part of that. Instead, he’s heading to the league with an underrated yet productive resume. Against Alabama in an upset, he recorded two sacks. On the year, he had 8.5. Finding a player like that this late in the draft is fortunate.

Johnson has a chance to make an impact right away if the coaches give him an opportunity. Once you let a dog go hunting, he won’t stop until his hunger is satisfied. Johnson is a humble and intelligent young man, but on the football field, he will get to the quarterback, and Chicago needs guys like that right now. Age is hitting the Bears defense, and young blood needs to arrive as soon as possible, and Johnson is what the doctor ordered.

6. Fifth Round via trade with PHI: Kevin Austin Jr, WR, Notre Dame

Allen Robinson’s future is in question, and Chicago added David Bell in this mock draft to compensate. Even with Darnell Mooney, the receiver cupboard is realistically bare. Free agency may change this pick, but right now, Chicago goes to the Irish and grabs Kevin Austin Jr. The Notre Dame receiver is a sneaky receiver that makes plays on a consistent level.

Last season, Austin Jr broke out with 48 catches for over 880 yards and seven scores. Against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl, he caught six passes for over 100 yards and a score. Additionally, at 6’2″, 225, he is the typical wide receiver of height and weight. His best trait is his route running and ability to be consistent. The Chicago Bears have been struggling at wide receiver for years, and they need changes to be made.

Given that Chicago needs new weapons on the field, this may be one of the late-round picks that automatically gets the start on Day One. If Robinson were to depart, the best guess would be Bell and Austin Jr, along with Mooney, get the starting gigs. Realistically speaking, that would work.

But even if Robinson were to return, Austin Jr will likely get several reps with the first team; he is the type of playmaker that can be a reliable target for Justin Fields. Sounds pretty good for this part of the draft

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