Bears Draft Needs: Where Does Chicago Need Help Most?

The Chicago Bears currently hold the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft; it's a good place to be for a team that has more than a handful of holes to fill on the depth chart.

Chicago hasn’t held a first-round selection as high as No. 7 since 2005, when running back Cedric Benson was selected out of the University of Texas with the No. 5 selection.

When the commissioner takes the stage to announce the Bears’ pick, he’ll be doing so in the city of Chicago, a city that hasn't held the NFL draft since 1964.

“This is going to be great for the NFL and it's going to be great for the NFL's greatest fans here in Chicago,” team chairman George McCaskey said of the announcement. “It's going to be a very fan-friendly event. We're going to get people involved. It's going to be exciting."

Excitement is exactly what Bears fans need following one of the more dysfunctional and disappointing seasons in the organization’s history. The Bears finished the 2014 season with a 5-11 record, which led to the dismissal of general manager Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman, among others.

It has been a week since Emery and Trestman were let go, and the clock is ticking for the Bears to hire replacements before the draft scouting season begins. The East-West Shrine Game kicks off Saturday, Jan. 17, followed by the Senior Bowl on the following weekend.

The new regime won’t have a lot of time to assess the current roster and decide who will be re-signed and who will be let go before putting together a draft strategy. So let’s help them out. Here’s a look at five important positions the Bears should look to fill in the draft.

1. Safety

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The Bears have a lot of needs, but none of them is bigger than the safety position. Starters Chris Conte and Ryan Mundy left a lot to be desired this season at the back end of the Bears defense. With Conte set to hit free agency and unlikely to return to Chicago, Mundy will be the only starting-caliber safety left on the roster.

Mundy will enter the 2015 season with one year left on his contract and holds a cap hit of $1.5 million. Given his low salary number, there’s no guarantee Mundy will even be on the roster when the season begins.

The Bears can’t afford to pass up a safety in the first round for a second straight year, which happened in 2014 when they selected cornerback Kyle Fuller.

Landon Collins out of Alabama is the best safety on the board. The Crimson Tide product is an aggressive and athletic safety who plays the position like a linebacker. He’s strong against the run and is a feared hitter over the middle.

Barring something unforeseen, Collins would be a great selection for the Bears at No. 7 overall. Remember it was only in last year's draft when the Bears passed on another Alabama safety, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, at No. 14 overall. He went to the Packers at No. 21 overall.

2. Linebacker

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There's a good chance Chicago will lose all three starting linebackers from this past season. Free agents Lance Briggs and D.J. Williams are unlikely to return, and struggling Shea McClellin is a candidate to be cut now that the general manager who drafted him is no longer with the team.

With defensive coordinator Mel Tucker all but out the door the moment a new head coach takes over, it’s not yet known what kind of defensive scheme will be run in 2015. That means versatility needs to be the No. 1 attribute from any linebacker prospect.

For that, look no further than Washington Huskies outside linebacker Shaq Thompson, who took home the Paul Hornung Award for the player who shows the most versatility in the country.

Thompson's four defensive touchdowns led the nation; he had a 36-yard interception return and fumble returns of 32, 52 and 100 yards. He also spent time at running back, collecting 456 yards on 61 carries for an average of 7.5 yards per attempt.

Mississippi State’s Benardrick McKinney looks like a good fit for the Bears at inside linebacker. He plays like a brick wall against the run and carries above-average coverage skills.

McKinney finished the season with three sacks and eight tackles for loss. His 61 total tackles in 12 games led the Bulldogs.

3. Defensive End

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Jared Allen, Willie Young and Lamarr Houston are more-than-capable starters at defensive end. The only problem is Young (Achilles) and Houston (ACL) will be coming off major injuries, and Allen might not even be on the roster due to his contract.

Young played brilliantly in his first season with the Bears, recording a career-high 10 sacks. The season didn’t go as well for Houston or Allen, though. Houston didn’t record his first sack until Week 8 and then tore his ACL while celebrating. Allen finished the season with the worst sack total of his career, 5.5.

What all of this means is there is a definite need for a pass-rushing defensive end who can be a cornerstone for this franchise. In last week’s mock draft, conducted here, the Bears selected Missouri’s Shane Ray with the No. 7 overall pick.

Ray is one of the more versatile players in the draft who can play either defensive end or outside linebacker, which happens to be another major need for this team. The Missouri Tiger was a beast during the 2014 season, leading the team with 14.5 sacks. Because it’s not yet known what kind of defensive scheme the Bears will be running in 2015, drafting versatility makes the most sense.

Depending on which round the Bears elect to select a defensive end, DeForest Buckner out of Oregon is another player to watch. NFL Media analyst and former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah listed Buckner as one of his "players to watch" in the College Football Playoff Championship Game. Bleacher Report NFL Draft Lead Writer Matt Miller listed him as a future starter in the NFL.

4. Quarterback

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This need pretty much speaks for itself. The Bears need to draft a quarterback regardless if they keep Jay Cutler around for another season.

His issues with the Bears organization are well-documented, but the salary-cap number he’ll cost the Bears in 2015 is going to make it difficult for the team to move him anywhere.

Sure, the Bears could re-sign backup Jimmy Clausen or even try to develop 2013 sixth-round pick David Fales, but neither of those guys is the long-term answer. In this draft, Chicago needs to take a quarterback in the first three to four rounds.

In the latest mock draft, the Bears selected UCLA Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley in the fourth round. Hundley still has a lot of developing to do, but he has the required skills to be a quality starting quarterback in the NFL. He’s fluid on his feet and possesses better-than-average arm strength.

On the other hand, Hundley needs to get better at reading defenses, feeling pressure in the backfield and timing on his throws. The NFL is a much different place than the Pac-12.

With the right coach, Hundley likely can be someone whom the Bears can depend on in the future.

5. Cornerback

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Charles Tillman is arguably the best cornerback ever to don a Chicago Bears uniform. Sadly, he has played his final game in Chicago. So the Bears will need to find a replacement—someone who can last more than a few years in Chicago.

Replacing Tillman isn’t the only area of concern for the Bears. Kyle Fuller is locked in the 2015 starting lineup, but it’s not yet known where veteran Tim Jennings will play.

Jennings finished a season with zero interceptions for the first time in his five-year career with the Bears after picking off 16 passes in his first four seasons. He was a liability in coverage all season long and more than likely will have to compete for his spot in the starting lineup in 2015.

Finding a dependable cornerback isn’t a top priority for the Bears, so don't expect the new general manger to take one in the first round.

Someone the Bears could target in the second to third rounds is Stanford’s Alex Carter. The Cardinal cornerback plays big and strong at 6'0", 202 pounds. Bleacher Report NFL Draft Lead Writer Matt Miller loves Carter’s talent: "Not only does Carter have NFL bloodlines, but he also has NFL instincts in coverage and very good anticipation skills. He may not be an elite sprinter or have top-end speed, but Carter is a smooth cover man with all the tools to be a starter in the pros."

Another player the Bears might want to take a look at is Doran Grant out of Ohio State, who happens to be the fastest player on the Buckeyes' depth chart.

Grant has been one of the rising stars of this 2014 team and will be in the spotlight in the College Football Playoff Championship Game against the Oregon Ducks. His performance Monday night will go a long way in determining where he fits among all of the other draft-eligible cornerbacks.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. College football statistics obtained from CollegePressBox.com.