Well, here we are in mock draft season. While eight other teams are preparing to continue their quest for a Super Bowl win, the Chicago Bears are preparing for the 2023 NFL Draft.
In the process of trading away veterans with big contracts, Poles picked up some draft picks. He noted in his first press conference after he got hired that he wanted to build the team through the draft.
As a result of the Bears’ 3-14 record, they have the top overall pick in this year’s draft. Poles can pull the trigger on a deal for the pick and amass a number of additional picks. Not only could he amass more picks for this year, but he could also get some for next season as well. He has the opportunity to trade the top pick, acquire some more, and still have a top-10 pick to use. This is something rare for the Chicago Bears. They haven’t had a first-round pick in three of the last four drafts.
Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles ready to wheel and deal in the 2023 NFL Draft
In addition, he has other valuable picks he could trade. Remember, in last year’s draft, he started with just five. He finished the weekend with 11 picks. Seeing as he has a number of more valuable picks, we can expect more of the same this year.
So in the first mock of the season, I have Poles doing just that. He enters the draft with eight picks. By trading some of those valuable picks, he finishes the draft with 13 picks. This is something that Bill Belichick did with the New England Patriots. He did a great job of acquiring picks. In the same four-year period, the Patriots picked 38 times with 3 first-round picks to the Bears’ 30 picks and just one in the first round.
Poles wants to change that. The 11 picks in his first draft were the most by the Chicago Bears since 2008 when they had 12. He wants a repeat performance so he can hasten the rebuild.
Here, then, is our first Chicago Bears mock draft of the season.
Chicago Bears pick Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
With the Chicago Bears not needing a franchise quarterback, they are in the driver’s seat. There are a few teams who need a quarterback who covet the top overall pick.
The Indianapolis Colts are one of those teams. With their division rivals, the Houston Texans, ahead of them with the second overall pick, the Colts pay a handsome price to pick ahead of Houston. They give up three picks in this draft and their first and second-round picks in next year’s draft.
The Bears want to go back to what the defense did best — plug up the middle to shut down the run and pressure the quarterback. By pressuring the quarterback up the middle it forces him to move around, hopefully into the arms of a Bears pass rusher.
Jalen Carter is a monster. He is coming off back-to-back titles with Georgia. He helps the Bears plug up that middle while also helping put more pressure on the quarterback.
The top three teams aren’t in need of a defensive tackle. Indianapolis and Houston will pick quarterbacks and the Arizona Cardinals have DeForest Buckner, so they likely go after an EDGE rusher.
While there are no guarantees that a prospect will succeed, Carter is the closest thing to it. At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, he has the size you want. In addition to his size, he has elite quickness and athleticism. He draws comparisons to Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp.
Carter carries his weight well and he generates incredible power. He is a disrupter who wreaks havoc on an opposing offense. He’ll fit right in with the Bears and will help bring back the Monsters of the Midway.
Chicago Bears pick Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
Quarterback Justin Fields needs weapons to throw at in order to succeed. He had a great season running the ball but he had trouble trusting his receivers to make plays. The subpar receivers had trouble creating separation and making catches in key situations.
Rice is quick-footed and twitchy. He does a great job of getting open right away. That helps Fields when he needs to find a receiver quickly.
Rice has elite athleticism. That helps him in different phases but becomes especially valuable after the catch. Once he makes the catch, he can be deadly getting more yards. He does a great job of jump-cutting after the catch, making defenders miss. Once that happens, he uses his ability to accelerate quickly and make a big play.
Rice has some fantastic catching instincts. He does a great job of contorting his body to make incredible catches. When Fields throws to him he can be sure that Rice will more than likely make the catch, even if it isn’t a perfectly thrown pass. In that vein, he reminds people of another Chicago Bears second-round draft pick, Alshon Jeffery.
Rice will make a number of circus catches and will turn a lot of short passes into big plays. He’ll become a fan favorite (not to mention a Fields favorite) quickly.
Chicago Bears pick Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State
Poles continues to get Fields some help by finding some protection. Cody Mauch is exactly the type of lineman Poles wants on his team. He has a high motor, constantly hustling to his assignments. Additionally, he has a mauler mentality. This is what Poles looks for in linemen.
Poles had a great find in the FCS with Braxton Jones. He could have another one in Mauch. North Dakota State has done a good job of sending quality offensive linemen to the NFL. The school has produced Billy Turner, Joe Haeg, Dillon Radunz, and most recently, Cordell Volson, who have had good careers.
In addition to his 6-foot-6, 303-pound frame, Mauch is extremely athletic. That comes from being a converted tight end. He has great bend and has no problem moving his body, moving well either laterally or forward. He is explosive and gains ground upfield quickly.
Mauch has great raw power. He surprises defenders with his two-handed punch. He uses good leverage and momentum to move defenders out of the way, opening up holes in the running game.
In pass protection, Mauch uses his length to wall off pass rushers. This is where his athleticism really helps. He uses his quick feet and opens up his hips fast so he stays square.
With Jones at left tackle, Mauch can be the right tackle. That would give the Bears good, young, and athletic bookends on the line. Mauch helps open holes for the running game and can give Fields the much-needed pass protection he’s lacked so far.
Chicago Bears pick Luka Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
Lukas Van Ness helps the poor Chicago Bears pass rush. The Bears ranked dead last in sacks and 31st in quarterback pressure.
Many people were surprised that Van Ness entered the draft since he is just a redshirt sophomore. He burst onto the scene in Iowa as a redshirt freshman in 2021. Despite playing in a rotational role, he had 7 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. In 2022, he had 10.5 tackles for loss and 6 sacks. He did that in spite of not being a starter.
Van Ness measures in at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds. He seems like a freak of nature built in a laboratory. In addition to his size, he is incredibly athletic. He is explosive and has great build-up speed. He rockets off the snap and shocks blockers with great force.
Van Ness isn’t just all about power. He uses great technique as well by lowering his pads, leveraging his hips, loading his base, and extending inside the torso. He does a good job of faking a move inside before quickly going back outside while maintaining his power. Additionally, he has good bend and that helps him get away from blockers.
Since he was just a redshirt sophomore, Van Ness still has room to improve. He still needs to add more moves to his repertoire. However, there are many defensive coordinators salivating at the chance to have Van Ness on their units.
Chicago Bears pick AT Perry, WR, Wake Forest
Poles continues to make deals and he also continues to give Fields some help. Here he picks up another target in A.T. Perry.
Perry measures in at 6-foot-5 and he weighs 210 pounds. He adds another receiver with speed and explosiveness. He has the speed and body movement to separate from the line quickly. Additionally, he accelerates well in the open field.
Perry is another one of those tough-minded players that Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus love. He only weighed 164 pounds on a 6-foot-4 frame coming out of high school. He redshirted his freshman season. He barely played in 2019 and in 2020 he caught 15 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown.
In 2021, Perry’s hard work started to pay off. He exploded, becoming the favorite target. He had 71 catches for 1,293 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led the Demon Deacons to an ACC Championship appearance. That put him on the map.
In 2022, Perry had 81 catches for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Perry is another receiver who can elicit trust from Fields. He has great hands and body control and can be trusted to make plays. His addition would really improve the wide receivers corps.
Chicago Bears pick Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
One of the most improved units on the Chicago Bears was in the secondary. The unit went from a big liability to an asset.
Poles continues to tinker with the unit here. He selects Deonte Banks from Maryland.
At 6’2″, 205 pounds, Banks has a lean, compact frame with good mass and above-average length. In terms of his skills, he isn’t elite in anything. However, he is good at just about everything. He doesn’t flash like other players. He is just solid in ability and skill. In coverage, he has enough acceleration to keep up with receivers downfield.
At the line, Banks has the hip fluidity to sink and redirect in response to out-breaking routes. He has a low stance and uses his feet to match the receiver’s release. To that end, he uses patience and discipline so he doesn’t overreact to a move and get burned. He transitions well from inside to outside so he rarely finds himself out of place.
Banks can be a physical player. He uses the inside jam to move the receiver’s hand and pinch him to the sideline. He uses his length to alter routes.
Banks can be a good addition to the cornerbacks room. He adds smarts and toughness. He will fit in perfectly with Eberflus’ HITS principle.
Chicago Bears pick Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
Poles dips into the FCS pool once again here. He solidifies the tight end unit which also helps Fields even more. This time he goes to South Dakota State and selects Tucker Kraft.
At 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, Kraft has the size you want in a tight end. In addition, he has the skills of a running back. That is the position he played in high school. He also played some at linebacker, punter, and quarterback.
Kraft can be a dual threat for the Bears. He has the speed to be a threat down the field. However, he can catch a short pass and run the ball like a running back. He has the moves and abilities of a running back. He could even line up in the backfield. He can run over defenders or use a one-cut to get away from them.
Kraft does a good job of catching the pass-through contact. He also uses his length to his advantage by extending well for the ball and using his body to keep the defender away from the ball. He has great hand-eye coordination to secure the catch with a defender coming at him.
With his size, physicality, and athleticism, it will be tough for defensive backs to bring Kraft down. Combining him and Cole Kmet together would give the Chicago Bears a much stronger tight ends unit.
Chicago Bears pick Joe Tippmann, OL, Wisconsin
Once again, Poles is going to try to put Fields in the best possible situation. That means finding him targets and protecting him.
After picking up one offensive lineman in the third round Poles finds another in the fourth. He picks up Joe Tippmann from Wisconsin.
Tippmann is a big mauler who makes an impact whenever he is on the field. He is 6-foot-6 and weighs 320 pounds and uses every bit of that body.
I may be off but I feel Poles is ready to part ways with guard Cody Whitehair. His body is breaking down and he isn’t as effective as he was earlier in his career. He could be a trade candidate so the Bears could pick up another pick or he could just get cut and the team could add about $9.9 million into the salary cap.
Poles stated his desire to have mean nasty guys on the line. That is what he got with Mauch and that is what he gets with Tippmann.
In high school, Tippmann was so dominant and was such a great leader that he was named MVP. That is just an example of the type of player and leader the Bears could pick up.
Tippmann was a good guard when he played there. He then moved over to center and he just dominated. He could be perfect to work with Fields. The QB/Center relationship has to be a great one and Fields and Tippmann could be a great duo.
Tippmann is a freak athletically. He has a 1.65 10-yard split. That would have led all linemen in the 2022 NFL Combine. What that stat means is that he can pull or get to the second level very quickly and blow up the defender. He can get to the linebacker, square him up, then obliterate him. That helps the running game. If he does that, the Chicago Bears’ rushing attack can be even better than in 2022.
While Tippmann’s athleticism and mobility are impressive, his strength is something to behold. He can maintain his anchor even if he is knocked off balance. When anchoring, he absorbs the rush. Additionally, when he gets worked back he has the recovery strength to keep the rush away.
Tippmann is a tall, athletic and powerful lineman who could be a cornerstone lineman for the Bears.
Chicago Bears pick Mike Morris, EDGE, Michigan
Poles has to do what he can to improve the Chicago Bears’ pass rush. Here he picks up another edge rusher.
The Michigan Wolverines have done an excellent job of producing edge rushers. They’ve had eight of them in the league since 2015, including Frank Clark, Rashan Gary, Kwity Paye, Taco Charlton, and 2022 second-overall pick Aidan Hutchinson.
At 6-foot-6, 292 pounds you’d expect someone like Mike Morris to play on the inside. However, he has the athleticism to play on the outside. That gives defensive coordinator Alan Williams some flexibility. He can move Morris inside or out. As we see with Poles, flexibility is a big key in the new era of Chicago Bears football.
Morris has the power to knock offensive linemen back. He should have an easy time blowing past tight ends who try to block him. He also has fluid hips so he can move around them quickly and get in the backfield.
Against the run, Morris is able to get his pads low and gain leverage. He has the strength to avoid getting locked on a block. He sheds the blocker quickly and is able to get to the ball carrier.
While Morris doesn’t have elite speed, it is above average. He uses his long strides in pursuit to run down some runners. He has the athleticism to finish in the pocket and get to the quarterback.
Morris fits best in a 4-3 defense. He has the strength to overwhelm guards and tight ends and the quickness and initial power to stun and get around tackles.
Chicago Bears pick Zacch Pickens, DL, South Carolina
With all the additional picks Poles acquired he is able to address the many holes on the roster. With this pick, he gets more help along the defensive line.
Zacch Pickens has quick enough hands to defeat offensive linemen to their initial punch. He has good, but not great, athleticism that allows him to stay on track and prevent them from recovering. When he beats the blocker quickly he is able to wreak havoc on the quarterback. This is something the Bears seriously lack.
Against the run, Pickens has the ability to break down blocks. He dominates against reach blocks and one-on-one zone blocks. He has the power and, at 6-foot-4, the length to press, read, and shed blockers. He is a disruptor at or behind the line of scrimmage.
His play at times demands a double-team. While he struggles against those double teams, the fact that offenses have to double-team him makes life easier for the other players on the line.
Pickens might not be a dominant force on the line but he is consistently good. He has the tools to be a good player. He’ll be a good contributor in a rotational role early on and could eventually be a good three-down player.
Chicago Bears pick Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State
In last year’s draft Poles made the Chicago Bears’ secondary a priority. He made a number of deals to add to the roster but kept his two second-round picks to use on the secondary.
In this draft, Poles adds players to add depth to the secondary. Jammie Robinson does just that.
Robinson started out his career at South Carolina before transferring to Florida State. At Tallahassee, he became an impact player.
Robinson gave the Seminoles a lot of flexibility. He lined up at free safety, strong safety, nickel corner, and linebacker. Again, this is the flexibility that the Chicago Bears want and need.
Robinson is a quick twitch, explosive athlete. He has a high motor and usually finds himself around the football. He plays with a lot of passion and was an emotional leader of the Florida State defense.
Robinson is a beast closer to the line of scrimmage. There, he could use his instincts and athleticism to make plays at or near that line. He does a good job in coverage also near the line of scrimmage.
Robinson can provide great depth for the Bears. We saw how injuries wreaked havoc on the defense in 2022. Robinson can help in a number of positions and could even find himself on special teams.
Chicago Bears pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA
Yes, the Chicago Bears appear to have their franchise quarterback in Fields. However, they still need help behind him.
Poles will pick up a veteran free agent to back up Fields. However, Poles can still pick up a young quarterback who can sit and learn the system and the NFL. He can then become a quality backup in case something happens to Fields in the future.
One thing previous general manager Ryan Pace promised when he took over was that he’d always look for a quarterback in the draft even if he already had one. He never fulfilled that promise. Now, Poles can do that.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson is a mobile quarterback with an above-average arm. He can move around the pocket and extend plays. Then he can use his legs to take off or he can move out of the pocket and make strong throws.
One ability Thompson-Robinson has is his timing. He has great precision and ball placement. He puts the ball right where the receiver can make a play. Additionally, he has good awareness. He’ll go through his progressions and go to his check-down.
Thompson-Robinson is a confident passer who trusts his arm to make plays. When rolling out, he keeps his eyes downfield looking to throw the pass.
Thompson-Robinson has to improve on some of his mechanics. He throws off his back foot too much sometimes. Additionally, at times he tucks his elbow so he’ll miss passes high.
Thompson-Robinson is a project. However, he has the tools to be a good quarterback. He could eventually be a good backup to Fields.
Chicago Bears pick Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, Minnesota
As mentioned earlier, the Chicago Bears had the best running game in the NFL in 2022. They want to continue that into 2023.
Mohamed Ibrahim can be a big pickup for Chicago. He suffered an Achilles injury early in 2021 but came back strong in 2022. He had a career-high 1,665 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.
With running backs being so undervalued Ibrahim will go late in the draft. After a couple of lower-leg injuries, teams will stay away from him. However, he showed in 2022 that he was over his injuries. Also, in Chicago he won’t have to worry about his workload. He could be a health risk with a big workload. That won’t happen in Chicago. The Bears have a strong running game, especially if they keep David Montgomery.
Ibrahim is a similar runner to Montgomery. He has great contact balance and does a great job of setting up would-be tacklers. Also, he can break tackles the same way Montgomery has in his career.
Ibrahim likely won’t become a starter. He doesn’t have the speed or explosiveness to be one. Additionally, he doesn’t provide much help catching passes out of the backfield. However, he can be helpful in taking some snaps and he can be a good pass blocker. Furthermore, he’ll be especially helpful in short-yardage situations.
Ibrahim could be a nice pickup. He could be a great asset in a rotation, providing enough help to give the starters some rest.