Bears have lots of options with No. 7 pick
What should the Bears do with the seventh overall selection Thursday night in the first round of the NFL draft?
They would like another edge rusher, and there are plenty available this year, although the supply could evaporate by the time the Bears pick in the second round (39th overall) on Friday night. Players who can get after the quarterback almost always are overvalued in the draft because NFL offenses continue to throw the ball more frequently and defenses must find a way to respond.
Florida's Dante Fowler, the consensus top pass rusher, should go in the top five. But there are several elite pass rushers the Bears could select, players who fit as outside linebackers in a 3-4 or defensive ends in a 4-3. Nebraska's Randy Gregory, Clemson's Vic Beasley, Kentucky's Bud Dupree and Missouri's Shane Ray have all been mentioned as top-12 picks, and one or more will be available when the Bears make their first pick.
Depending on how far Ray falls due to his recent marijuana problems, he could last until the second round.
The Bears also need a wide-bodied, blocker-absorbing, run-stuffing anchor at nose tackle in their conversion to a 3-4 defense. This draft has an abundance of massive space-eaters, and because many of them are slightly flawed, an excellent prospect could last until the second round.
Washington's 6-foot-2, 339-pound Danny Shelton is the best nose man available, but he may not be worth the seventh pick because he is not projected as an effective player on passing downs. Players such as Nebraska's Jordan Phillips (6-foot-5, 329) and Iowa's Carl Davis (6-foot-5, 320) could last until Friday, when the second and third rounds will be held.
On the other side of the ball, the Bears could use a replacement for departed receiver Brandon Marshall, whose string of seven straight 1,000-yard seasons was snapped in an injury-plagued 2014 before he was traded to the Jets. The Bears added 5-foot-10, 185-pound, veteran slot receiver Eddie Royal in free-agency, but he is not the same threat as the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Marshall. Unproven Marquess Wilson is the projected starter across from Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.
Some analysts consider this year's wide receivers class to be the best ever. Eight wideouts could be taken in the top 40 picks and most boast impressive size and speed.
West Virginia's Kevin White and Alabama's Amari Cooper could be gone by the time the Bears pick, but it's possible they could be available. Both are over 6 feet tall, more than 200 pounds and run under 4.4 in the 40.
Just a notch below those two are Louisville's DeVante Parker and Central Florida's Breshad Perriman. Both of them are at least 6-foot-2 and over 200 pounds. Parker is a 4.45 guy, while Perriman ran a blazing 4.24 at his pro day.
For the Bears, the most interesting of many possible draft-day scenarios might be: What if Oregon's Heisman-Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota is still on the board when their pick rolls around?
That probably won't happen, but it would make for great theater.
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