2015 Draft Sleepers Who'd Fit Perfectly with the Chicago Bears

The NFL draft is now officially less than two weeks away, and the Chicago Bears are likely narrowing down their big board and focusing on those players who they think will be available once the draft begins on April 30.

Much of the focus right now is centered on who the Bears will select with their first pick in the draft at No. 7, but they could find some less heralded players later in the draft who could end up being long-term contributors for the team.

While Chicago's first three picks will all be expected to make contributions in 2015, picks four through six could also make an impact if the Bears can find some sleepers later in the draft.

In the past, guys like Tom Brady, Wes Welker and former Bear Richard Dent have all proven that talented players can be available in every round.

Here are five 2015 draft sleepers who would fit perfectly with the Chicago Bears. 

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

Dean Hare/Associated Press

The Bears appear to be set for the near future at cornerback with Tim Jennings and Kyle Fuller, but the team lacks much depth behind them.

Demontre Hurst, Al Louis-Jean and Sherrick McManis were all re-signed to one-year deals this offseason, but the Bears will likely be looking to add to the position in the draft.

While guys like Michigan State's Trae Waynes or Washington's Marcus Peters could be options for the Bears in the early rounds, Oregon's Ifo Ekpre-Olomu could be a sleeper pick later in the draft.

Ekpre-Olomu started the 2014 season with big expectations, but he suffered a knee injury prior to the College Football Playoff and missed Oregon's final two games of the season.

While at Oregon, he displayed great footwork, fluidity in both his backpedal and hips and had the ability to play both man-to-man coverage and zone. He is a tough and gritty defender, and despite measuring in at the NFL Scouting Combine at 5'9" and 192 pounds, he does not let his diminutive size get in the way of being productive.

Ekpre-Olomu does not always use the best technique and got away with relying on his athleticism at Oregon, but some think he has the chance to thrive in the NFL.

"He's tough and has ball skills. He's just being asked to go play right now but he'll get the right technique work in our league and watch how good he becomes then," an AFC South area scout said, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. "He's going to be great."

If the Bears were to take Ekpre-Olomu in either the fourth or fifth round, he would have an opportunity to learn and grow under defensive backs coach Ed Donatell, and he would not be forced into a starting role with Jennings and Fuller already on the roster. 

His size and aggressiveness lend well to the nickelback position, and as long as he is healthy, he could earn some playing time in 2015 in certain sub-packages on defense.

Titus Davis, WR, Central Michigan

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

After trading Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets earlier this offseason, the Bears have a need at the wide receiver position.

Eddie Royal was signed in free agency to play out of the slot and complement Alshon Jeffery in the passing game, but the No. 3 wide receiver position appears to be wide open.

Third-year man Marquess Wilson could eventually take over that position, but he failed to produce in a slightly expanded role last season.

While Alabama's Amari Cooper or West Virginia's Kevin White could be options in the first round for the Bears, they may be able to find good value in the middle rounds in Central Michigan's Titus Davis.

A four-year starter for the Chippewas, Davis hauled in 204 catches for 3,700 yards with 37 touchdowns in 45 career games.

At the combine, he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, but he is is a crisp route-runner who does a nice job of creating separation with his technique rather than his speed.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Davis as the 28th-best receiver in this year's draft, but he views the former Chippewa as a sleeper, writing:

"

Put Titus Davis in your sleeper category. He's a smart, instinctive receiver who understands the field well and works back to the quarterback and knows when and where to break off his routes. He had impressive, consistent production at Central Michigan without great quarterback play.

Davis might not be a burner, but he has good speed momentum and can build up to run past defenders. Where he really wins is as a route-runner, and he has the quickness and body control to beat college cornerbacks. His hands are also NFL-quality, and he'll be an asset as a possession receiver.

"

Davis is not the flashiest wide receiver in this year's draft, but he would give Chicago another solid option on the outside to go along with Jeffery. He does not have the big-play potential Jeffery—or even Royal—has, but he could offer quarterback Jay Cutler some stability on the outside.

Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State

Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Martellus Bennett proved he is one of the league's best pass-catching tight ends, but the team lacks proven depth behind him.

Zach Miller and Dante Rosario were signed to one-year deals this offseason, but Miller has been injured throughout much of his career, and Rosario has been average at best in nine NFL seasons.

The Bears also have second-year man Blake Annen and former undrafted free-agent Jacob Maxwell on the roster, but neither project to be anything more than a No. 3 tight end.

This year's tight end class lacks much talent at the top, but someone like Florida State's Nick O'Leary could be a perfect fit for the Bears later in the draft.

The grandson of legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, O'Leary was a consensus All-American last season and also won the John Mackey Award, which is given to college football's most outstanding tight end.

Even with his high accolades, O'Leary is only projected to go somewhere in the fourth or fifth round, according to CBSSports.com.

O'Leary isn't fast for the position (he ran a 4.93 40-yard dash), but he is a crisp route-runner who knows how to find open areas, particularly against zone coverage. He is a willing blocker, but he needs to get stronger in order to be effective in the NFL.

Miller compared O'Leary to current Denver Broncos tight end James Casey.

"A limited athlete but a potential chess piece for the offense, O’Leary could carve out a spot like James Casey has and be a productive pro," Miller wrote.

Casey spent his time in Houston and Philadelphia as an H-back/tight end, and O'Leary could play a similar role in Chicago's new offense. He has the ability to be lined up out of the slot and could be a threat in the red zone, but he could also help open up holes for Matt Forte in the running game.

Hutson Mason, QB, Georgia

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Cutler appears to be Chicago's starting quarterback in 2015, but general manager Ryan Pace has stated this offseason he is willing to take a quarterback in this year's draft.

"It's a good idea to add a quarterback every year," Pace said in late March, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. "You can take a swing every year at it and increase your odds."

While Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota will likely be taken in the first round, the class as a whole lacks talent. The Bears could be in the running for someone like Baylor's Bryce Petty or Colorado State's Garrett Grayson in the middle rounds, but Pace knows talented quarterbacks can be found near the end of the draft and in some cases, as undrafted free agents.

"I mean, I played with Tony Romo at Eastern Illinois," Pace said, according to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. "So I know what you can do with college free agency [at quarterback]."

One quarterback who could intrigue Pace at the end of the draft is Georgia's Hutson Mason.

Stuck behind Aaron Murray on the depth chart for the better part of three seasons, Mason got the opportunity to be the Bulldogs' full-time starter in 2014, and he threw for 2,168 yards with 21 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Georgia relied heavily on their running game last season, and Mason was not given an opportunity to put up big numbers in the passing game. He was not invited to the combine in February, but Miller thinks the inexperienced quarterback is a sleeper in this year's draft.

"If an NFL team hires me in the next two weeks, my late-round QB sleeper pick would be Georgia's Hutson Mason," Miller tweeted. "His deep ball accuracy is wow."

Jacob Dearlove of MileHighReport.com also praised Mason's deep ball accuracy, writing:

"

You can't teach accuracy- which is a problem for a lot of the QBs in this draft class, but not for Hutson Mason. He will not blow anyone away with arm strength or incredible velocity on his passes, but Mason's accuracy is up there with the best of the class at all levels of the field. He throws accurate passes on screens, check downs, short crossing routes, intermediate crossers, seams, and go routes. Mason is realistic with his limitations, and because of these smarts and his ability to hit passes consistently at multiple levels, he excels as a pocket passer.

"

Mason is raw and will need a lot of work, but he looks comfortable in the pocket and displays great accuracy. If the Bears are committed to developing a quarterback for the future, Mason could be an option for the Bears in the seventh round.

Zach Zenner, RB, South Dakota State

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

The Bears already have one of the best all-around running backs in the NFL in Forte and also have Ka'Deem Carey and Jacquizz Rodgers on the roster, but the Bears could be looking to add another running back in this year's draft.

This draft is loaded with talent at the position, but if the Bears decide to wait until the later rounds to address the position, North Dakota State's Zach Zenner could be an intriguing option in the sixth or seventh round.

According to WashingtonPost.com, Zenner ran for 6,548 yards with 61 touchdowns and hauled in 95 catches for 909 yards with eight touchdowns in 52 career games for the Jackrabbits. 

He measured in at the combine at 5'11" and 223 pounds and ran a 4.60 40-yard dash. He does not possess terrific speed for the position, but he is a quick, decisive runner who hits the hole with a purpose.

While many will likely compare Zenner to current San Diego Charger Danny Woodhead, NFL.com's Charles Davis compared him to Atlanta's Antone Smith on the NFL Network's Path to the Draft, via Bryan Fischer of NFL.com:

"

Three straight 2,000-yard seasons in college. Every time I turn on tape and watch him, I like him more. I know the easy comparison is going to be to Danny Woodhead after the big numbers he put up at Chadron State coming out of NAIA ball. This kid, I think he may be a little bit more like Antone Smith of the Atlanta Falcons.

"

Smith was effective for the Falcons last season in a limited role, gaining 144 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns, and he hauled in 13 catches for 222 yards with three touchdowns. Zenner, like Smith, has the ability to be a receiving option out of the backfield, while also having the ability to pick up blitzers as a pass-blocker.

Zenner will not beat anyone in the open field with his shiftiness, but he is effective between the tackles and could find a niche in the NFL as a third-down back or in certain sub-packages. 

Gase and head coach John Fox found success with multiple running backs last season in Denver, and Zenner would give the Bears a physical, one-cut downhill running back who could complement Forte.

Statistical information courtesy of Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. Combine numbers and measurables courtesy of NFL.com.

Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Follow @MattEurich