What do analysts project for Bears’ first round picks?
While NFL free agency is by no means over, the biggest names already have made up their minds. Players such as Kirk Cousins, Danielle Hunter and Chris Jones all found homes.
The NFL attention is quickly turning to the draft. On Wednesday, all 32 teams were present for USC’s pro day in Los Angeles, where Caleb Williams showed off his arm for about 20 minutes. Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus stood a few yards behind Williams as he worked out. They are widely expected to select Williams with the No. 1 overall pick.
Additional pro days are on the horizon for some of the top college football programs across the country. The draft is just over a month away. Draft season is officially here. With it comes endless mock drafts.
This will be a big draft for the Bears, who hold both the No. 1 and No. 9 overall picks. The Bears haven’t had two first-round picks since 2003.
Here’s what the experts throughout the NFL media landscape think the Bears will do on April 25.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Jeremiah (on March 19): “The Bears have cleared the runway by trading Justin Fields. I’ll be stunned if Williams isn’t their choice at No. 1.”
No. 9: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Writes Jeremiah: “The Bears could go pass rusher here after adding Keenan Allen at receiver, but I can’t resist the prospect of playing Odunze alongside Allen and DJ Moore to give projected first overall pick Caleb Williams a Bengals-like receiving corps.”
Mel Kiper, ESPN
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Kiper (March 19): “The Bears are going to take a passer with this pick, and all signs point to it being Williams, my top-ranked prospect.”
No. 9: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
Writes Kiper: “Before the trade for Keenan Allen, I would have said the Bears should do everything they could to try to get one of the top three wideouts in this class. That’s no longer necessary.”
Field Yates, ESPN
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Yates (March 16): “Williams has an incredible skill set and would afford the Bears the chance to reset the financial clock at quarterback.”
No. 9: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Writes Yates: “I know, I know. The Bears just traded for Keenan Allen. But Bears fans should be downright giddy over this potential outcome.”
Yahoo Sports
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald (March 8): “This pick seems just about done by all intents and purposes.”
No. 3: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State (via trade)
Writes Yahoo Sports: “The Bears make the first big in-draft trade by moving up with the Patriots to secure the best wide receiver in this class.”
The Athletic beat writers
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain (March 21): “[Williams will] take over an offense that now features Keenan Allen, DJ Moore and Cole Kmet, along with free-agent additions D’Andre Swift and Gerald Everett. It’s hard to find a better situation, personnel-wise, for a rookie quarterback.”
No. 9: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
Writes Fishbain: “With the three top receivers off the board, the Bears hoped to move back. … The consolation prize is the best defensive player in the draft, which would have to delight head coach (and defensive play caller) Matt Eberflus.”
Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Trapasso (March 20): “The Bears will do plenty of research on Williams’ demeanor, but if everything checks out there, he’ll be the pick at No. 1. They can’t trade out of the No. 1 pick again.”
No. 9: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
Writes Trapasso: “Turner is too talented to not be a top-10 pick. The Bears now have the size and length of Montez Sweat on one end of their defensive line and the bend and explosiveness of Turner on the other.”
Luke Easterling, Sports Illustrated
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Easterling (March 21): “Now that Justin Fields has finally been traded, we can go ahead and etch this one in stone.”
No. 9: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Writes Easterling: “Landing Keenan Allen via trade was a huge win for the Bears, but that move shouldn’t keep them from spending this pick on another receiver if one of the top three prospects in this year’s loaded class falls to them here.”
Nate Davis, USA Today
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Davis (March 19): “His arm, vision, ability to make off-platform throws and otherwise vast potential make him tantalizing.”
No. 9: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Writes Davis: “Luxury pick, you say? If he’s still on the board, the value seems exceptional.”
Danny Kelly, The Ringer
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Kelly (March 20): “The Bears grab a marvelously talented passer, improviser, and playmaker in Williams.”
No. 9: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
Writes Kelly: “The Alabama star is clearly a top-tier athlete, and he also brings excellent length, sporting ridiculous 34 3/8 — inch arms.”
Connor Rogers, NBC Sports
No. 1: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Writes Rogers (March 18): “He walks into an offense with an excellent wide receiver duo in D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen.”
No. 9: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Writes Rogers: “This offense could be quite scary quickly.”