Chicago Bears Mock Draft Roundup
After weeks and months of waiting, the 2015 NFL draft is set to begin this Thursday night. Ever since the 2014 draft ended last May, NFL draft experts have been trying their best to determine where each 2015 prospect will end up in this year's draft.
The Chicago Bears hold the seventh overall pick, and the 2015 draft will be Ryan Pace's first with the team since he was hired to replace Phil Emery as general manager in January.
"He's a talented guy we have a lot of confidence in. We'd hate to lose him, and yet, he's ready for a general manager's job," New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis said in January just before Pace—who worked for the Saints since 2001—was hired by the Bears, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
Since Pace has no history making picks in the draft, it is hard to know which direction he is going to take with the team's first selection, but many draft experts have weighed in with their thoughts in their recent mock drafts.
Who are the experts predicting to the Bears in the first round? We explore that ahead.
ESPN's Todd McShay: Leonard Williams, DL, USC
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ESPN's Todd McShay thinks USC's Leonard Williams is going to drop in this year's draft, and he has the former two-time All-American defensive tackle going to the Bears with the seventh overall pick in his latest mock draft, writing:
"To be clear: Williams dropping to No. 7 here has nothing to do with my opinion of him as a player. He's the No. 2 prospect on my board and I've had him ranked as one of the top players in this class since the preseason. But this scenario does show how he has the potential to drop a little bit if he gets out of the top two picks based on the needs of teams picking third through seventh. He wouldn't fill a huge need for the Bears, but at this point he's too good of a value for them to pass up, especially given how bad their defense has been the last two seasons. The Chicago Bears ranking 31st in the league in scoring defense? That's just not right. Williams is an impact run-stopper and above-average interior pass-rusher who can play multiple roles in different schemes. If Williams isn't available here, then WR Kevin White would be the pick.
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Williams has the ability to play inside at nose tackle or outside at the 5-technique defensive end position. He registered 218 total tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, two interceptions and forced five fumbles in three seasons at USC, and he could be a steal for the Bears at No. 7.
He has the ability to get after the quarterback, but he is at his best against the run. He knows how to set the edge on the outside, and he has the ability to take on double-teams up the middle. He can play a bit reckless at times, but he is one of the best defensive players in this year's draft.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could potentially use Williams similarly to the way he used Justin Smith in San Francisco. Williams (6'5", 302 lbs) is a little bit bigger than Smith (6'4", 285 lbs), but he could find himself being used in different spots along the defensive line in Chicago.
Smith spent much of his time at the 5-technique defensive end spot, but Fangio also liked to move him down to defensive tackle when the team was showing a 4-3 look. Like Smith, Williams can use his strength to overpower a blocker, but he also has enough athleticism and speed to win one-on-one battles.
Like McShay wrote above, the defensive line is not Chicago's biggest need this offseason, but if Williams is available, he may be too difficult to pass up.
CBSSports.com's Will Brinson: Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
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In CBSSports.com's Will Brinson's latest mock draft, he has the Bears trading back with the Miami Dolphins to the No. 14 spot to grab Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead.
"The Bears get upside with Armstead while also nabbing an extra pick or two in the process of moving down a few spots," Brinson wrote. "They probably hoped [Danny] Shelton fell to them there (and it's possible it could happen) but Armstead isn't a terrible consolation prize."
Armstead has been climbing up draft boards this offseason and would be a perfect fit in Chicago's 3-4 defense at the 5-technique. He measured in at 6'7" and 292 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, and he registered 87 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in three seasons at Oregon.
His numbers do not jump off the page, but he proved last season he has the ability to develop into a disruptive player in the NFL.
Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Armstead as the third-best defensive lineman in this year's draft and compared him to current Arizona Cardinal Calais Campbell.
"Campbell and Armstead not only look alike physically, but they have similar playing styles as well," Miller wrote. "The ideal position for Armstead is what Campbell does for the Arizona Cardinals—a 5-technique end with the versatility to move around the defensive line depending on down, distance and personnel."
Armstead is not much of a pass-rusher and will need to improve his technique at the next level, but he has the size, strength and athleticism to be an effective defensive end in Chicago's new 3-4 scheme.
He likely will not put up big sack numbers, but he could be a force against the run and would be a good building block for the future on defense.
WalterFootball.com's Walter Cherepinsky: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
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The Bears sent wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets in a trade earlier this offseason, and WalterFootball.com's Walter Cherepinsky has the Bears selecting West Virginia receiver Kevin White to fill the void left by Marshall, writing:
"I had the Bears addressing the outside linebacker position in a previous update, but that is no longer a prime need in the wake of the Pernell McPhee signing. Chicago could stand to add another pass-rusher, but the front office can look to other positions now with the No. 7 overall pick.
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One such position is receiver. Brandon Marshall was traded to the Jets, so Jay Cutler will need someone to throw to besides Alshon Jeffery. Kevin White, who blew up the Combine, is the same type of big target that Marshall was.
In two seasons at West Virginia, White recorded 144 catches for 1,954 yards and 15 touchdowns. He ran a blazing 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the combine and measured in at 6'3" and 215 pounds.
He is not the most polished route-runner, but he has a terrific first step, fights for the football in the air and he is not afraid to be physical. He relies heavily on his speed to create separation, so he will need to work on his technique in the NFL in order to consistently get open.
The Bears have Jeffery and added veteran Eddie Royal in free agency, but the team has little proven depth behind them. Marquess Wilson could eventually develop into a third option for the team, but he hasn't done much in two seasons in the league.
There is little doubt that White is one of the two best receivers in this draft along with Alabama's Amari Cooper, but the Bears may be better off using their first pick on a defensive player considering all their needs on that side of the football.
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NFL.com's Brian Baldinger: Danny Shelton, NT, Washington
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According to NFL.com's Brian Baldinger, head coach John Fox's track record suggests the Bears will take a defensive player with their first pick.
"John Fox's first pick with Carolina was Julius Peppers; his first pick with Denver was Von Miller," Baldinger wrote. "Now in Chicago, he'll go defense again with [Danny] Shelton."
Shelton registered 208 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in four seasons at Washington, and CBSSports.com's Rob Rang compared him to former New England Patriot and current Houston Texan Vince Wilfork:
"Shelton has a long way to go before justifying comparisons to the centerpiece of the Patriots' defense over the past decade, but both possess the thick frame, power and surprising agility to wreak havoc in the middle. Like Wilfork (who recorded 14 sacks at the University of Miami), don't expect Shelton to duplicate his pass rush success in the NFL.
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While he may never become a consistent pass-rusher in the NFL, he has the size and skill set to be effective against the run. He measured in at 6'2" and 339 pounds at the combine and bench-pressed 225 pounds 34 times.
He is surprisingly quick and nimble for his size, but he tends to slow down as the game wears on and has a tendency to give up on plays if he is beaten off the line of scrimmage. He uses his hands well and knows how to create leverage against blockers versus the run, but he lacks a go-to pass-rushing move.
He possesses ideal size for the 0-technique nose tackle position in a 3-4 defense, but Fangio's 3-4 defense in San Francisco relied more on undersized nose tackles.
Shelton would still fit in well in Chicago despite his size, but it is rare for a nose tackle to be taken in the top 10 in the draft, and the Bears could potentially find someone later in the draft who fits better in Fangio's scheme.
If they decide to address the position after the first round, Oklahoma's Jordan Phillips, Florida State's Mario Edwards and Washington State's Xavier Cooper could all be options in the second or third rounds.
Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
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In his latest mock draft, the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs has the Bears selecting Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper with the seventh overall pick.
"In Carolina and Denver, John Fox got Julius Peppers and Von Miller with his first draft picks. But if the board doesn't fall right, the Bears can get a talented playmaker," Biggs wrote.
Cooper caught 124 passes for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns in Alabama's pro-style offense last season and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
He is arguably the most polished receiver in this year's draft, and he thinks he proved that at his pro day last month.
"I think I proved that I was a polished receiver," Cooper said after Alabama's pro day, via Greg Ostendorf of ESPN.com. "I felt like my routes could've been a little more crisp, but it doesn't always happen how you plan for it to happen."
He does a nice job of creating separation with his technique, and he is strong enough to catch the football in traffic. He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the combine and has drawn comparisons to former Indianapolis Colt Marvin Harrison.
"Amari is super athletic, very fluid and highly skilled as a route runner and hands catcher," Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage said, according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. "Because of his reserved demeanor and similar ability, I compared him to Marvin Harrison during the season."
According to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Cooper is viewed as the best receiver in this year's draft:
"#Bama WR Amari Cooper has emerged as the consensus No. 1 player at his position, according to GMs and scouts. Kevin White a close 2nd.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2015"
The wide receiver position is not Chicago's biggest area of need this offseason, but Cooper, just like White, would give Chicago a reliable target to go along with Jeffery and Royal in the passing game, and he has the ability to develop into one of the league's best young wide receivers.
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.
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