Chicago Bears: Analyzing Latest NFL Draft Rumors and Reports

The NFL draft is set to begin April 30 at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago, and rumors and reports will continue to swirl around the Chicago Bears until they make their final selection of the draft on May 2.

Who will they draft? What position will they address first? Will general manager Ryan Pace look to trade down to add more picks? The Bears have needs on both sides of the football and could go a variety of different directions with their first pick.

After he was hired, Pace talked about how important it will be to build the Bears through the draft.

“I believe to have sustained success you must build through the draft and have a belief in player development,” Pace said, according to Dan Durkin of CBSChicago.com.

Just ahead, we will take a look at all the latest reports and rumors surrounding the Chicago Bears as they head into the 2015 draft.

Connecticut CB Byron Jones Met with the Bears Last Week

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The Bears lack much depth behind cornerbacks Kyle Fuller and Tim Jennings, and Aaron Wilson of NFPost.com said the team brought in Connecticut cornerback Byron Jones for a workout earlier this month.

Jones has been skyrocketing up draft boards this offseason following a strong performance in February's combine. He registered a 44.5-inch vertical leap, 6.78-second three-cone drill and wowed everyone with his 12'3" broad jump.

According to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, Jones broke a world record with his broad jump:

"

Byron Jones 12-3 broad jump is ridiculous. By far best ever at the NFL Combine & even bested the old world record: http://t.co/LvGQwmRDbu

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 23, 2015"

Jones has good size (6'1", 199 lbs) and athleticism for the position, but he needs to work on his technique, as he tends to play a little out of control at times.

He reads plays well and displays good anticipation, and one scout thinks Jones is easy to root for.

"High-character player with the vision and instincts you want from an NFL cornerback," an NFC North scout said, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. "I'm not sure I like him in man coverage but there is a place for him in our league. Really nice young man who you cheer for."

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller listed Jones as the fifth-best cornerback in this year's draft and compared him to New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

"Jones isn't as fast as Cromartie was coming out of Florida State, but their builds and short-area agility are very, very similar," Miller wrote.

Jones can be physical at the line of scrimmage and could thrive in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's press coverage in Chicago, but it would be too much of a stretch to take him with the seventh overall pick, and he likely will not be available when the Bears make their selection in the second round.

The Bears could potentially trade back in the draft to grab Jones, but that may be a lot easier said than done.

NFL Network's Mike Mayock Thinks the Bears Could Take a WR at No. 7

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The Bears could look to add to their defensive line or linebacker corps with their first pick in this week's draft, but the NFL Network's Mike Mayock thinks the Bears could add another wide receiver with the seventh overall pick.

“I think people might be surprised if they go wideout there,” Mayock said last week, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “But I would not be.”

The Bears traded Brandon Marshall this offseason to the New York Jets, and they could potentially be in the running to take either West Virginia's Kevin White or Alabama's Amari Cooper with their first selection.

White hauled in 109 catches for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, while Cooper caught 124 passes for 1,727 yards with 16 touchdowns and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. 

“If one of those two wideouts were available and you’re trying to outscore some people, I’d have zero problem with that,” Mayock said. 

Rookie wide receivers used to struggle with the transition from college to the NFL, but that has changed in recent years.

“I don’t think the offenses have changed that much,” Pace said, according to Finley. “But it does feel like receivers have come in and made more of an immediate impact sooner.”

Last year, first-round picks Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin and Brandin Cooks all took on big roles with their new teams, and both White and Cooper have the ability to step in and be immediate contributors.

The Bears could always end up using their first pick on an edge-rusher like Vic Beasley or Alvin Dupree or a nose tackle like Danny Shelton, but it would not come as much of a surprise if Pace decides to add another weapon on the offensive side of the football in either White or Cooper.

Inside Linebacker Benardrick McKinney Visited the Bears

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The Bears signed veteran linebacker Mason Foster earlier this offseason, but they could be looking to add to the position in this year's draft.

According to Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com, the Bears worked out Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney earlier this offseason.

In three seasons with the Bulldogs, McKinney registered 243 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. At the combine, he measured in at 6'4" and 246 pounds and ran a 4.66-second 40-yard dash.

He is powerful at the point of attack and has the ability to shed blockers, but he can play a bit stiff at times and does not move well from sideline to sideline.

College Football Focus' Michael Renner broke down some of McKinney's weaknesses, writing:

"

Simply put, McKinney was a nightmare when asked to cover and tackle in space. He looked like a defensive lineman when asked to break down and react to a ball-carrier’s cut in the open field. All of our analysts agreed that McKinney plays extremely tall and at his height, I’m not sure his lateral agility is a fixable problem. He may just be stuck as a two-down linebacker and that is getting valued less and less with each coming year in the NFL.

"

Miller listed McKinney as the fifth-best linebacker in this year's draft and compared him to New England Patriots inside linebacker Jamie Collins.

McKinney does well against the run, but he struggles in pass coverage and will need to improve his technique in order to be an every-down linebacker in the NFL.

Even though he has some weaknesses, McKinney could help add some toughness to a Bears defense that gave up an average of 112.7 yards per game on the ground last season.

Iowa OL Brandon Scherff Could Be an Option at No. 7

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

According to Wilson, rumors have been swirling as of late about Iowa's Brandon Scherff going in the top 10:

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Iowa tackle Brandon Scherrf drawing heavy interest from NFL teams drafting between fifth and ninth spots of first round, according to source

— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) April 23, 2015"

Wilson noted that teams picking between No. 5 and No. 9 have interest in Scherff, meaning the Bears could potentially be one of the teams entertaining the idea of nabbing Scherff with the seventh overall pick.

Scherff was a tackle at Iowa, but he could potentially move inside to guard in the NFL.

"Like former Hawkeye Riley Reiff, Scherff has measurables and traits to play tackle in the league but might be better suited to play guard," wrote NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.

One personnel executive thinks it would be unwise to draft a guy like Scherff in the top 10 if he is projected to change positions in the NFL.

"Scherff isn't dominant," said an executive in personnel for an NFC team, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "He's not your typical top guy and he doesn't have the length you want at tackle. How high do you pick a guy you're projecting to guard?"

Scherff has a strong upper body and is quick and athletic, but he needs to work on his footwork and would have to shore up his technique if he was moved to the inside.

Adding Scherff to Chicago's offensive line would be an upgrade for the Bears at either right tackle or guard, but with so many needs on the defensive side of the football, the Bears could likely find some depth and talent along the offensive line later in the draft.

Bears Are a "Wild Card" to Land QB Marcus Mariota

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Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman spoke to five NFL personnel men about Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, and one thinks the Bears could be in the running for the former Heisman Trophy winner in this year's draft.

“My wild card is Chicago. That new coaching regime can't wait to get rid of Jay Cutler,” one of the personnel men said, according to Freeman.

Earlier this offseason, Pace announced Cutler would continue to be the team's starting quarterback in 2015. 

“We went through a process of thoroughly evaluating the roster and we’re moving forward with Jay Cutler as our starting quarterback,” Pace said in March, according to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. 

While Pace said he plans to move forward with Cutler as the starter, head coach John Fox said otherwise.

“It’s all an open competition,” Fox said about the quarterback position, according to John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. “Obviously you’ve got to start somewhere and my experience in football, really in anything, it’s not where you start a competition; it’s where you finish it.”

Pace admitted earlier this offseason he has evaluated Mariota.

“I think you have to watch a lot of tape on those guys to feel good with it,” Pace said, according to Mullin, “and we’ve done enough research on [Mariota] that I think he’s a good quarterback. That [system-quarterback image] doesn’t scare me away from it at all.”

Mariota ran a spread offense while at Oregon, but he threw for 10,796 yards with 105 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his three seasons in Eugene and won the Heisman Trophy following last season.

It would not be much of a shock if the Bears drafted Mariota with the seventh overall pick, but because the team has so many needs on both sides of the football—and because Mariota might already be off the board—it seems more likely that they will address the quarterback position later in the draft. 

Statistical information courtesy of Sports-Reference.com. 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