NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

Chicago Bears Mock Draft: Build trenches, compile victories

By Sravan Gannavarapu

Houston Texans mock draft: Will Anderson Jr. #31 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Houston Texans mock draft: Will Anderson Jr. #31 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 7
Next
Chicago Bears
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 26: Charlie Jones #15 of the Purdue Boilermakers on the field after a win over the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on November 26, 2022, in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

Round 5: Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue

Those slot receivers that are unknown tend to be the guys that make the plays and move the chains. As much as Darnell Mooney has been an explosive player for the Bears, he’s more of an outside player that is equally dangerous inside as he is outside. But Chicago needs that slot wideout to make plays with Mooney and Claypool, Velus Jones Jr, and newly acquired Rakim Jarrett.

Look no further than Purdue and wideout Charlie Jones. A name that sounds simple but has a significant upside. A playmaker in college, Jones has shown an ability to fight for the football despite his size at six feet tall. Not to mention, Jones is very good at running routes and having the physical and mental toughness to line up and make a play when his number is called.

So why is it late in the draft? As good as he is with initial quickness, Jones doesn’t have breakaway speed and is primarily someone who can help move the chains in certain situations. It’s not the end of the world, but that may sometimes limit him with the Chicago Bears. Still, he will be worth the selection if Chicago chooses to add him to their roster.

Round 5 via trade (Ravens): Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan

After what we saw against Ohio State, Michigan football players need to be given more attention, particularly the offensive line. The Wolverines racked up 45 points, and the bully-ball mentality that they showed against a Buckeye team that going into the contest was high scoring. But the Chicago Bears aren’t looking for flash; they are looking for a mean-streak player. That would be Ryan Hayes.

Sure, Hayes may not get the credit other offensive linemen will likely get this season, but he has been a fundamentally sound blocker and has the ability to switch inside to guard or play right tackle if necessary. That makes life all the more easier for the Bears if they decide to let Cody Whitehair walk, allowing Hayes to potentially slip inside to left guard with Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, John Michael Schmitz, and Blake Freeland.

Hayes is a low-round pick because of questions of whether or not he can play fast consistently enough to stick at tackle, but if he moves inside to guard, the questions will decrease, and the Bears will have another large building block in front of Fields. The only question is whether or not a Michigan player will be happy with protecting an Ohio State quarterback, but for the sake of this pick, let’s say they become best friends.

Home/Chicago Bears