Bears mock draft: Caleb Williams replaces Justin Fields at QB For the second year in a row, Bears GM Ryan Poles can’t resist taking a quarterback with the first overall pick.
As the offense continues to struggle, it’s evident that something needs to be done on that end of the field. In this mock draft, we’ll look at a scenario in which GM Ryan Poles decides a change at center is necessary.
This mock draft, as always, is not an attempt to predict what the Bears will do when they return to the War Room next offseason. That is not possible. It is also not intended to be a recommendation of what the Bears should do. This mock draft is intended to delve at some of the more intriguing college prospects this season and how those players might fit in Chicago.
CALEB WILLIAMS – QUARTERBACK – USC – NO. 1
Last year, Ryan Poles skipped on a new quarterback and instead gave away the No. 1 pick for DJ Moore and a slew of other draft picks. He can’t pass up the chance to bring in another young, gifted quarterback. There are grounds to believe Justin Fields may be a successful NFL quarterback, but he’ll need to be paid soon, and the Bears aren’t nearly ready to compete for Super Bowls yet. Poles chooses to trade Fields, pick Williams, and give the Bears more room to succeed with a rookie quarterback.
Williams possesses the same big-play potential that Fields does. He can score with his legs, has a great deep ball, and can transform bad plays into explosive gains with his off-the-cuff improvisations. With nine fumbles this season, ball security worries arose, although Williams has taken excellent care of the football throughout his career. He also works well as a rhythm and timing passer. There’s a reason he’s one of the most highly regarded quarterback prospects since Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
TRADE: THE BEARS SEND THEIR NO. 5 OVERALL PICK AND 2025 FIFTH-ROUNDER TO THE TITANS IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR NOS. 9, 41 PICKS, AND 2025 FOURTH-ROUNDER.
The Bears hoped to match Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers with their new quarterback, but both excellent wide receivers were taken before the Bears’ next pick. Poles trades back and acquires a second-round pick in the process since he still has several high-impact players on his board. The addition of a second-round pick is also significant, given the Bears gave their own second-round pick to Washington in the Montez Sweat trade.
ROME ODUNZE – WIDE RECEIVER – WASHINGTON NO. 9
Poles ends up with the second best wide receiver on the board after dropping four spots. Odunze is a big-bodied deep threat who can complement DJ Moore incredibly well. Odunze isn’t a burner, but he makes good use of his 6’3″ size to catch balls over defenders. He also showed excellent attention while catching, dropping only three balls entire season, according to PFF.
According to the website, his 20 long catches was first in the country, and his 655 deep yards ranked second. His 17 contested receptions tied for top place. Odunze isn’t just a one-year wonder either. Odunze has 197 receptions for 2,988 yards and 24 touchdowns dating back to 2021.
ADONAI MITCHELL – WIDE RECEIVER – TEXAS NO. 41
What could be better for your offense than drafting a quarterback and a wide receiver? Taking a quarterback and TWO wide receivers in the draft. Mitchell is another guy noted for his ability to make big plays down the field, but scouts attribute his ability to get open on his releases at the line of scrimmage and superb footwork for creating separation.
Mitchell also has above-average physicality for his 196-pound frame, and Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian praised him for buying in as a perimeter blocker. That is a must-have for the Bears. Mitchell has also proven to be effective as a supplementary option in the attack.
Texas signed Mitchell to supplement No. 1 option Xavier Worthy, and Mitchell ended up putting up equal numbers this season. Mitchell finished the season with 51 receptions for 813 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Worthy had 73 receptions for 969 yards and five touchdowns.
T’VONDRE SWEAT – DEFENSIVE TACKLE – TEXAS NO. 69
The Bears return to Texas in search of more Sweat for their defensive line. T’Vondre and Montez aren’t related, but they might be best friends rushing the quarterback next to each other.
T’Vondre is a massive player who uses his size to halt opposition ball carriers. The Longhorns list him at 6’4″ and 362 pounds, but he’s more than simply a bulky run stuffer. His pass rush victory rate of 15.2% ranks third among all interior linemen who have played at least 250 pass rush snaps. His six batted balls rank second in the country.