Chicago Bears' Last-Minute 7-Round Mock Draft and Top-100 Big Board

A solid draft class can change the entire direction of a franchise, and the Chicago Bears hope they can hit it big on all nine of their selections in the 2016 NFL draft.

General manager Ryan Pace talked to the media on Wednesday and discussed his draft preparation, per Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune:

"

At this point you just have to calm down and make the pick and have confidence in the work you’ve done. Sometimes we can have up to 10 reports on one player. So sometimes there is a lot of noise and it’s my job to kind of filter through that and take all that information—the personality test, the character, the medical, all the interviews, the workouts—and then make a decision, a final decision.

"

The Bears showed signs of improvement under new head coach John Fox last season after finishing the 2014 campaign with a disappointing 5-11 record under Marc Trestman. While Chicago only improved to 6-10 under Fox in 2015, the team played much better football than it did the year before.

Chicago got contributions from many of its draft picks last season, and on Thursday night, the Bears will have a chance to add another top-level prospect when they select 11th overall.

The start of the NFL draft is just hours away, so who do we think the Bears will draft with all nine of their selections?

Top-100 Big Board

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Trades atop the draft could push UCLA's Myles Jack down the draft board.

The Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles traded up to the top two spots in this year's draft, and both teams are expected to take a quarterback. With Cal's Jared Goff and North Dakota State's Carson Wentz expected to be off the board, things could interesting once the San Diego Chargers are on the clock with the third overall pick.

While Goff and Wentz are not realistic options for the Bears, their selection at the top of the draft could mean a projected top-five or top-10 pick drops to Chicago at No. 11.

Below we list the 100 players who should be on Chicago's big board through the first three rounds.

Chicago Bears Big Board

Rank	Player	Position	School
1	Myles Jack	LB	UCLA
2	Joey Bosa	DE	Ohio State
3	DeForest Buckner	DE	Oregon
4	Laremy Tunsil	OT	Ole Miss
5	Ronnie Stanley	OT	Notre Dame
6	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	Ohio State
7	Shaq Lawson	Edge	Clemson
8	Jack Conklin	OT	Michigan State
9	Vernon Hargreaves	CB	Florida
10	Sheldon Rankins	DT	Louisville
11	Noah Spence	Edge	Eastern Kentucky
12	Laquon Treadwell	WR	Ole Miss
13	Darron Lee	LB	Ohio State
14	Leonard Floyd	OLB	Georgia
15	William Jackson III	CB	Houston
16	Eli Apple	CB	Ohio State
17	Andrew Billings	DT	Baylor
18	A'Shawn Robinson	DE	Alabama
19	Jarran Reed	DL	Alabama
20	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
21	Taylor Decker	OT	Ohio State
22	Corey Coleman	WR	Baylor
23	Kevin Dodd	DE	Clemson
24	Will Fuller	WR	Notre Dame
25	Mackensie Alexander	CB	Clemson
26	Chris Jones	DL	Mississippi State
27	Michael Thomas	WR	Ohio State
28	Robert Nkemdiche	DE	Ole Miss
29	Vernon Butler	DT	Louisiana Tech
30	Reggie Ragland	LB	Alabama
31	Josh Doctson	WR	TCU
32	Emmanuel Ogbah	DE	Oklahoma State
33	Jason Spriggs	OT	Indiana
34	Keanu Neal	S	Florida
35	Karl Joseph	S	West Virginia
36	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State
37	Darian Thompson	S	Boise State
38	Ryan Kelly	C	Alabama
39	Germain Ifedi	OT	Texas A&M
40	Hunter Henry	TE	Arkansas
41	Adolphus Washington	DT	Ohio State
42	Vonn Bell	S	Ohio State
43	Jonathan Bullard	DE	Florida
44	Cody Whitehair	G	Kansas State
45	Artie Burns	CB	Miami
46	Josh Garnett	G	Stanford
47	Xavien Howard	CB	Baylor
48	Kenneth Dixon	RB	Louisiana Tech
49	Jordan Howard	RB	Indiana
50	Jaylon Smith	LB	Notre Dame
51	Kendall Fuller	CB	Virginia Tech
52	Derrick Henry	RB	Alabama
53	Shilique Calhoun	DE	Michigan State
54	Kenny Clark	DT	UCLA
55	Braxton Miller	WR	Ohio State
56	Shon Coleman	OT	Auburn
57	Jeremy Cash	S	Duke
58	Kamalei Correa	OLB	Boise State
59	Jihad Ward	DL	Illinois
60	Vadal Alexander	G	LSU
61	Paul Perkins	RB	UCLA
62	Jalen Mills	S	LSU
63	KeiVarae Russell	CB	Notre Dame
64	Devontae Booker	RB	Utah
65	Austin Johnson	DT	Penn State
66	Kyler Fackrell	OLB	Utah State
67	Christian Westerman	G	Arizona State
68	Alex Collins	RB	Arkansas
69	Pharoh Cooper	WR	South Carolina
70	Kentrell Brothers	LB	Missouri
71	Sterling Shepard	WR	Oklahoma
72	Su'a Cravens	LB	USC
73	Isaac Seumalo	G	Oregon State
74	Willie Henry	DL	Michigan
75	Christian Hackenberg	QB	Penn State
76	Tyler Boyd	WR	Pittsburgh
77	Carl Nassib	DL	Penn State
78	Hassan Ridgeway	DL	Texas
79	Nick Vannett	TE	Ohio State
80	Miles Killebrew	S	Southern Utah
81	Sheldon Day	DT	Notre Dame
82	T.J. Green	S	Clemson
83	Austin Hooper	TE	Stanford
84	Joshua Perry	LB	Ohio State
85	Bronson Kaufusi	OLB	BYU
86	Sean Davis	CB	Maryland
87	John Theus	OT	Georgia
88	Zack Sanchez	CB	Oklahoma
89	Harlan Miller	CB	Southeastern Louisiana
90	Charles Tapper	DE	Oklahoma
91	Le'Raven Clark	OT	Texas Tech
92	Landon Turner	G	North Carolina
93	Jordan Jenkins	OLB	Georgia
94	Connor McGovern	G	Missouri
95	Charone Peake	WR	Clemson
96	Jerald Hawkins	OT	LSU
97	Yannick Ngakoue	DE	Maryland
98	Kyle Murphy	OT	Stanford
99	C.J. Prosise	RB	Notre Dame
100	DeAndre Houston-Carson	S	William & Mary

Round 1

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Round 1, Pick No. 11: Ronnie Stanley, LT, Notre Dame

Chicago has needs along the defensive line and at outside linebacker, but with guys like Joey Bosa, DeForest Buckner and Myles Jack likely off the board, the Bears will have a chance to select one of the best left tackles in this year's draft.

Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley opted not to enter the 2015 draft following a solid 2014 season for the Irish, and he could be a steal for the Bears at No. 11.

Stanley started 13 games at right tackle in 2013 before starting 27 games at left tackle between 2014 and 2015.

The young tackle possesses some of the best footwork at the position in this year's draft, and he is surprisingly athletic for his size (6'6", 312 lbs). Stanley's long arms (33 ⅝") allow him to immediately create separation off the snap of the ball, and he uses his hands well to fend off defenders. 

Stanley needs to improve his upper-body strength, but he is successful off the snap because of how well he moves his feet. His footwork and hand usage sync up well, and he rarely gets beaten off the snap.

CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler and Rob Rang compared Stanley to recently retired New York Jets tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson in their scouting report of the young offensive lineman.

"Dancing bears who use their natural athleticism and length to shut down speed, Stanley needs some time to refine his technique and improve his functional strength to handle NFL rushers—similar to Ferguson when he entered the league," Brugler and Rang wrote.

The former Notre Dame standout is at his best in the passing game because of his athleticism, but he showed improvement in the running game throughout his time in South Bend.

While he will need to get stronger to fend off run-stopping defensive ends in the NFL, his athleticism lends well to toss and stretch plays to the outside because of his ability to get to the second level.

The Bears began last season with veteran Jermon Bushrod at left tackle before an injury forced second-year man Charles Leno into the lineup. Leno started 13 games in 2015, and while he flashed at times, an upgrade is needed at the position.

Stanley would be an immediate upgrade over Leno and could help form one of the league's best offensive lines along with guards Kyle Long and Matt Slauson and right tackle Bobby Massie.

Round 2

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Round 2, Pick No. 41: Keanu Neal, SS, Florida

Last year's fifth-round pick, Adrian Amos, surprised many by earning the starting free safety job in training camp last summer, and the former Penn State Nittany Lion started all 16 games for the Bears in 2015.

Amos proved he has the ability to make plays against both the pass and the run, but Chicago needs to upgrade the spot next to him.

The Bears brought in former All-Pro and Pro Bowler Antrel Rolle to give the secondary some stability last spring, but the veteran defensive back struggled with injuries throughout the season. Rolle finished the year with just 35 tackles and one pass defended in seven games.

Veteran Chris Prosinski and undrafted rookie Harold Jones-Quartey split time at strong safety when Rolle was out of the lineup, but both proved to be in over their heads as full-time starters.

Rolle could always have a bounce-back year in 2016, but adding another young safety to the mix in the early rounds makes sense for an organization that has struggled to find stability at the position for years.

The safety class in this year's draft lacks much first-round star power, but Florida's Keanu Neal has all the tools to be a starter from day one.

After starting a handful of games during his sophomore season in 2014, Neal entered last season as the Gators' top safety. In 12 games, he recorded 84 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception.

Neal is a tenacious defender who excels up in the box against the run. One of the best run-stopping safeties in this year's class, Neal is not afraid to attack downhill and works hard to fight through blockers to make plays.

The young safety needs to improve in pass coverage, particularly when covering receivers in the deep half of the field, but he plays well in zone coverage.

He lacks top-end speed (4.62 40-yard dash at the combine) to hang with speedy receivers in man coverage, but his willingness and ability to close on a receiver once the ball is in the air make him a threat in the passing game.

Some could argue Amos and Neal are similar players because of their ability against the run, but Amos proved during his time at Penn State that he can cover the back half of the field as a single-high safety. 

Neal will need time to develop in pass coverage, but if selected, he and Amos could form a formidable duo in the secondary for Chicago for years to come.

Round 3

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Round 3, Pick No. 72: Kyler Fackrell, OLB, Utah State

In order for a 3-4 defense to have success, that unit needs to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Chicago's top outside linebackers last season—Pernell McPhee, Willie Young and Lamarr Houston—combined for just 20.5 sacks.

McPhee was a force against both the pass and the run last season, but he struggled with injuries. Young and Houston both flashed at their new positions following season-ending injuries in 2014, but both played stiff and a bit out of control at times.

Barring a trade or release of either Young or Houston this offseason, the two are expected to compete with each other for the starting job opposite McPhee in training camp. 

Young's contract is set to expire after the 2016 season, and Houston's deal concludes following the 2018 season, meaning the Bears will need to find a young player to develop at the position.

Utah State outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell missed the majority of the 2014 season with a knee injury, but he bounced back with a productive senior season in 2015.

In 13 games last year, Fackrell registered 82 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and five sacks. In his career with the Aggies, he recorded 253 total tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and four interceptions. 

In his scouting report of Fackrell, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller discussed the young linebacker's love of the game:

"

A height/weight/length prospect with instant-impact traits, Kyler Fackrell has the skill set to play stand-up linebacker, rush defensive end or a hybrid between the two. Mentally, there is nothing Fackrell can’t handle on the field. Coaches at Utah State raved to us at the Senior Bowl about his preparation habits and leadership on and off the field.

He’s all about football.

"

At 6'5" and 245 pounds, Fackrell could stand to add some bulk to his frame, but he made his impact at Utah State by using his quickness to his advantage. 

In addition to being explosive off the edge as a pass-rusher, he also showed an ability to drop back in coverage. He flips his hips well to keep up with running backs and tight ends down the field, and he has a knack for making plays on the ball while in the air—evidenced by his four career interceptions.

Fackrell will need to add some bulk to his upper body in order to be considered an every-down player, but his ability to both rush the passer and drop in coverage makes him a solid option in the third round.

Round 4

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

The Bears need to add depth to the running back position, and Notre Dame's C.J. Prosise could be the guy in the fourth round.

Round 4, Pick No. 106: C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame

Chicago could go into the 2016 season with Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey as its top two running backs, but considering Fox's history with the position, there is a chance the team could add another back in the draft for the third year in a row.

Langford flashed at times last season when filling in for Matt Forte, but he did not put enough on tape to prove he has what it takes to carry the load as a No. 1 running back.

After beginning his career at Notre Dame as a safety before transitioning to wide receiver, C.J. Prosise took over as the Irish's top running back in 2015. In his one season at running back, Prosise rushed for 1,029 yards on 157 carries and scored 11 touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 308 yards and one touchdown.

Prosise is a patient runner who allows his blocks to develop before committing to a hole. He runs well both between the tackles and to the outside, and his experience as a wide receiver helps him in the passing game. 

He is still relatively new to the position, and that could cause him to drop in the draft despite his productive 2015 season. He struggled with fumbles last year and will need to prove he can be consistent with the ball in his hands. Prosise will need to improve in pass protection, and his inexperience in that area may limit his snaps in certain passing situations.

Prosise would be a good fit in Chicago's backfield because of his versatility, and he is talented enough to push both Langford and Carey for snaps with a strong offseason.

Round 4, Pick No. 127: Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State

First-round pick Kyle Fuller settled into defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's system late in the year following some struggles in the early part of the season, veteran Tracy Porter had a bounce-back year and rookie Bryce Callahan flashed at nickelback, but the cornerback position is still one of Chicago's weakest units.

There is a chance the team could address the position earlier in the draft, but if it waits until later, Mississippi State's Will Redmond could be a solid selection in the fourth round.

Redmond has a limited body of work because of an ACL injury that forced him to miss the second half of the season, but when he was healthy, he was one of college football's best cornerbacks.

He displays good footwork, including a smooth backpedal, and plays physically both at the line of scrimmage and down the field. Redmond is a willing participant against the run, and he makes great breaks on the ball in the passing game.

Redmond proved at Mississippi State that he can play both man and zone coverage, and that versatility makes him a good fit in Chicago's 3-4 scheme.

Round 5

Mike Stewart/Associated Press

Round 5, Pick No. 150: Adam Gotsis, DE, Georgia Tech

Other than signing Akiem Hicks to a two-year deal in free agency, the Bears have not done much to improve their defensive line this offseason.

Hicks is expected to start at one of the defensive end positions, with Eddie Goldman slated to start at nose tackle, but the second starting defensive end position is still wide open.

Veteran Mitch Unrein will compete with 2014 draft picks Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson for the starting job, but the team would be wise to add another defensive end to the mix in this year's draft.

Georgia Tech's Adam Gotsis was a three-year contributor for the Yellow Jackets and finished his collegiate career with 105 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. At 6'4" and 287 pounds, Gotsis has ideal size to play the 5-technique in a 3-4 scheme.

He suffered a knee injury in November and appeared in just seven games, but ESPN's Todd McShay thinks Gotsis could be a steal in the middle rounds.

"Georgia Tech defensive lineman Adam Gotsis might fall a bit because of [his] knee injury, but he should be a mid-round steal. Scheme versatile with length, strength and motor," tweeted McShay in late March.

Gotsis struggles as a pass-rusher, but he is strong and powerful at the point of attack against the run. He plays with good pad level and has a powerful lower half. He moves well laterally and can make plays against runs to the outside.

If he refines his technique, he could become an effective pass-rusher, but at this point he is projected to be a two-down run-stopper in the NFL.

While the young defensive lineman is not a flashy player, he would immediately upgrade a Bears defense that allowed 120.9 rushing yards per game last season.

Round 6

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Bryce Williams is a developmental tight end, but he is talented enough to earn the No. 2 job behind Zach Miller.

Round 6, Pick No. 185: Bryce Williams, TE, East Carolina

The Bears parted ways with Martellus Bennett following an up-and-down 2015 season, and even though the team re-signed Zach Miller, Chicago needs help at the tight end position.

East Carolina's Bryce Williams took over games at times during his senior campaign last year, and he finished the season with 58 catches for 583 yards and four touchdowns. Despite his strong senior campaign, the young tight end failed to make much of an impact on the field during his sophomore and junior seasons.

At 6'6" and 257 pounds, Williams is a big target who could become an immediate red-zone threat because of his ability to high-point the football. He is able to create separation off the snap of the ball because of his long stride, but he is not a polished route-runner.

He lacks the strength to have much of an impact as an in-line blocker, but he is a willing participant in the running game and gives solid effort in pass protection.

Williams will make his living as a receiver in the NFL, and he is athletic enough to have an immediate impact as a rookie. With Miller and veteran Rob Housler on the roster, it may be difficult for him to earn reps right away, but Williams would be a nice value pick for the Bears late in the draft.

Round 6, Pick No. 206: Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky

Quarterback Jay Cutler had a strong 2015 campaign, but he turns 33 later this week. Chicago has a need for a reliable, young signal-caller to back up Cutler in 2016 and beyond, and Western Kentucky's Brandon Doughty could be an option late in the sixth round.

During his senior season in 2015, Doughty threw for 5,055 yards, 48 touchdowns and nine interceptions after throwing for 4,830 yards, 49 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2014.

Doughty is no stranger to moving the ball through the air, and he is one of the most accurate passers in this year's draft.

Last year, he completed nearly 72 percent of his passes, and he took pride in his accuracy at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

"I think I’m the most accurate quarterback in the draft. I truly think that," he said, per SI.com's Doug Farrar. "You can’t teach someone to be accurate. I’m on time. I move pretty well in the pocket. I just do the little things, man. I’m a student of this game."

He struggled behind a porous offensive line at times, but when he has a clean pocket, he reads through his progressions well. He rarely forces throws into tight spaces and has enough arm strength to make deep throws down the field.

One knock against Doughty's game is his lack of velocity. While he has enough strength to make most NFL throws, some of his passes tend to hang up in the air.

If Doughty can improve his footwork and learn the ins and outs of an NFL offense, he has a chance to develop into a reliable backup with starter potential down the road.

Round 7

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Round 7, Pick No. 230: Antwaun Woods, DL, USC

The Bears have just two 3-4 nose tackles on their roster in Goldman and 2015 undrafted free agent Terry Williams, and they could be looking to add another late in this year's draft.

USC's Antwaun Woods was a starter for just one season, and he finished last year with 41 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks. 

At 6'0" and 318 pounds, Woods has good size for the 0-technique nose tackle position. He rarely gives up on plays and consistently keeps his legs moving to try to gain an edge against opposing offensive linemen. He showed an improvement against the run in 2015 and is strong enough to be a two-gap player in Chicago's 3-4 scheme.

He has short arms (31") for the position and struggles to disengage from blockers, and he needs to improve his pad level because he has a tendency to pop up vertically instead of horizontally off the snap. 

Woods has an explosive first step, but he plays a bit out of control when asked to rush the passer. He is not much of a threat as a pass-rusher, but he has shown an ability to crash the pocket on occasion.

Adding Woods in the seventh round would give the Bears another young nose tackle to develop alongside Williams this offseason, and he offers enough against the run to fight for reps in short-yardage situations.

All stats and combine information courtesy of NFL.com and Sports-Reference.com.

Matt Eurich is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Follow @MattEurich.