BEARS ADD WR FOR CALEB
After taking Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, GM Poles could get him a solid target — Washington receiver Odunze — with 9th selection
The Bears are zeroing in on what they want to do in the draft. “Every day I feel like we get more and more clarity as we move forward,” general manager Ryan Poles said last week. “We’re excited about where we’re going — and everything looks promising.” That’s easy to say when you have the first and ninth picks in the draft. Here’s a look at whom Poles could take at each spot on April 25 — and where the rest of the league is headed — in the Sun-Times’ mock draft:
1. BEARS (VIA PANTHERS)
USC QB CALEB WILLIAMS
The sense at the NFL’s annual meetings — from people inside and outside the Bears — was that Williams coming to Chicago had become inevitable. He visited Halas Hall on Wednesday.
2. COMMANDERS
LSU QB JAYDEN DANIELS
If “everyone knows what Chicago is going to do at No. 1,” according to Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, then things get trickier at No. 2. Washington goes with the more mobile quarterback.
3. PATRIOTS
North Carolina QB DRAKE MAYE
Maye is the third-best quarterback in this draft but is probably better than any passer available next year. By that rationale, the Pats can’t afford to look elsewhere.
4. CARDINALS
Ohio State WR MARVIN HARRISON JR.
Harrison’s refusal to participate in the NFL’s industrial draft complex — he didn’t do drills at his pro day or the scouting combine — doesn’t change the fact that he’s the best wideout.
5. VIKINGS
(PROJECTED TRADE WITH CHARGERS) Michigan QB J.J. MCCARTHY
The Vikings dealt for the Texans’ first-round pick for the ability to move No. 23 again — in our mock, alongside their No. 11 overall pick — to try to find Kirk Cousins’ replacement.
6. GIANTS
LSU WR MALIK NABERS
The Vikings jumping ahead of the Giants takes away the last top-tier option at quarterback, so they’ll take a standout wide receiver to pair with Daniel Jones.
7. TITANS
Notre Dame OT JOE ALT
One year after taking Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, the Titans draft the surest thing among this year’s left tackle prospects. Signing Calvin Ridley took them out of the receiver market.
8. FALCONS
Alabama EDGE DALLAS TURNER
After signing Cousins and adding wide receivers Darnell Mooney, Rondale Moore and Ray-Ray McCloud, the Falcons take the first defender off the draft board.
9. BEARS
Washington WR ROME ODUNZE
The Bears could give extensions to DJ Moore and fellow wide receiver Keenan Allen in the next few months. Odunze, who visited Halas Hall on Thursday, can learn under them.
10. JETS
Georgia TE BROCK BOWERS
The Jets signed tackles Morgan Moses and Tyron Smith this offseason, taking away the motivation to give Aaron Rodgers a blocker in the draft.
11. CHARGERS
(PROJECTED TRADE WITH VIKINGS) Oregon State OT TALIESE FUAGA
Fuaga, a mauler who fits best on the right side, pairs wonderfully with Rashawn Slater entrenched on the left. Right tackles are having their moment — the Bears took one 10th last year.
12. BRONCOS
Washington QB MICHAEL PENIX
There are reasons to worry about Penix’s health — he has torn the same ACL twice — but the Broncos are one of the few teams with a starting job there for the taking.
13. RAIDERS Oregon QB BO NIX
Nix is old — less than a year younger than Justin Fields — and his ceiling is limited. But after starting a record 61 college games, he can play right away for a team with a bad QB room.
14. SAINTS Penn State OT OLU FASHANU
Caleb Williams’ former high school teammate and the reigning Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, Fashanu would be good value seven picks after Alt goes off the board.
15. COLTS Iowa CB COOPER DEJEAN
The Colts need a way to slow down the pass game in an AFC South that has added wide receivers Stefon Diggs (to the Texans) and Calvin Ridley (to the Titans) in the last month.
16. SEAHAWKS Texas DT BYRON MURPHY
GM John Schneider has a well-earned reputation for trading back in Round 1 — he did so in 2014 and 2016-19 — but Murphy would give new coach Mike Macdonald a gritty defensive piece.
17. JAGUARS Toledo CB QUINYON MITCHELL
Like the Colts, the Jaguars need to prepare to face a higher level of receiver play in the AFC South. A franchise that has won more than nine games once in 16 years needs to win now.
18. BENGALS Alabama OT JC LATHAM
Latham is a right tackle, but that works fine in Cincinnati, where Orlando Brown is manning the left side. Protecting Joe Burrow is never a bad idea.
19. RAMS UCLA EDGE LAIATU LATU
No one will replace Aaron Donald. But the Rams need to improve their pass rush nonetheless. Latu had 34 sacks the last two years at UCLA, just a few miles up the 405 from SoFi Stadium.
20. STEELERS Georgia OT AMARIUS MIMS
He’s a project — Mims started only eight games in college, six of them in 2023 — who will benefit from playing for perhaps the most stable franchise in the NFL.
21. DOLPHINS Oregon C/G JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON
He started only 17 games for the Ducks — and 13 at center, all last year — but is the clear-cut top interior lineman prospect in the draft. The Bears visited his pro day last month.
22. EAGLES Alabama CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY
The Eagles need to prioritize the position, as they haven’t drafted a cornerback in Round 1 since Lito Sheppard in 2002. The Bears aren’t much better; they’ve done so once.
23. CHARGERS (PROJECTED TRADE WITH VIKINGS) LSU WR BRIAN THOMAS
The Bolts, who could have kept the fifth pick and had their choice of wide receivers, land a pretty good one to replace the departed Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
24. COWBOYS Washington OT TROY FAUTANU
After starting 27 games at tackle the last two years, Fautanu would fit well on a team looking to replace their left tackle. The Cowboys had a quiet offseason. Too quiet maybe?
25. PACKERS Penn State EDGE CHOP ROBINSON
Demeioun Robinson was nicknamed “Pork Chop” as a kid, and that alone should be enough justification for him to go to Green Bay. The Packers need pass-rush help, too.
26. BUCCANEERS Florida State EDGE JARED VERSE
Verse could be picked 15 spots sooner— the Bears could even trade back and land the highmotor edge — but his advanced age and lack of ideal size land him here.
27. CARDINALS Missouri EDGE DARIUS ROBINSON
The Cardinals had one sack — one! — over their last six games of the season. That’s unacceptable. They signed two former Bears defensive tackles, Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols.
28. BILLS Texas WR ADONAI MITCHELL
The Bills traded Stefon Diggs earlier this week. They need to give Josh Allen help — their top three wide receivers are Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir and Mack Hollins. Woof.
29. LIONS Alabama CB TERRION ARNOLD
The Lions thought they covered their needs in free agency, but then cut cornerback Cam Sutton in late March when there was a warrant out for his arrest.
30. RAVENS Oklahoma OT TYLER GUYTON
After losing Morgan Moses in free agency, the Ravens need a tackle. Guyton looks the part — the onetime TCU transfer stands 6-8 and weighs 322 pounds.
31. 49ERS Illinois DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON
If teams are comfortable with his medical records — Newton missed combine drills after having surgery to fix a partial Jones fracture in his foot — he’d be a steal.
32. CHIEFS Georgia WR LADD MCCONKEY
Even before Rashee Rice’s car crash this week — he escaped healthy but might be in trouble — the Chiefs knew they needed more help at wide receiver. ✶