Chicago Bears' Initial 7-Round Mock Draft Post-Super Bowl

Asking Chicago Bears fans to get excited about something after slogging through the doldrums of a three-win campaign isn't easy.

Alas, away we go into draft season. The Bears sit in one of the more entertaining situations of all, for better or worse—the hunt for a franchise quarterback is underway.

Granted, the Bears could decide to move on from Jay Cutler and roll with some combination of Brian Hoyer, Matt Barkley and Connor Shaw.

But given the smart way general manager Ryan Pace has rebuilt the roster thus far compared to what he inherited, it is hard to imagine a reality in which he doesn't go out and address the most important position of all at some point.

Luckily for the Bears, flexibility is the name of the game this year. Several of their must-address spots are some of the deepest in the 2017 class, giving Pace plenty of wiggle room to strike a need-value balance few often do.

Below, let's chart out a projected mock draft based on team need and prospect value. Keep in mind the Bears shipped away a sixth-round pick and added an additional pick in the fourth round.

Round 1: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

Pace isn't going to waste any time.

The beauty of the situation in Chicago is a rookie selected at No. 3 doesn't need to start right away, not with some of the three aforementioned names sure to stick on the roster.

This makes Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer quite the attractive option. He's somewhat flying under the radar until he blows up workouts on the path to the draft. Playing for a disappointing four-win team after losing big names to the 2016 draft such as Ronnie Stanley, Will Fuller V and Nick Martin sort of does that to a prospect's stock.

Kizer, who comes in with quality size at 6'4" and 230 pounds, still made the most of the situation by throwing 26 touchdowns against nine interceptions and adding another eight scores on the ground.

On film, Kizer shows the strength and touch to stretch the field and worked with a complex collegiate playbook. Superb athleticism to shake a messy pocket and keep his eyes downfield or take off is a plus.

CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler has thrown out a comparison to predraft Carson Palmer, which makes sense. Palmer spent his first year riding the pine and learning before turning in a strong career. Kizer in Chicago could do the same, provided the coaching staff has the patience for the process.

Round 2: Desmond King, DB, Iowa

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The Bears got a close look at Iowa defensive back Desmond King at the Senior Bowl.

It's a good thing, too, because the coaching staff surely saw a guy who can start at safety as a rookie and immediately upgrade what was arguably Chicago's worst position last year.

King already looks the part at 5'11" and 203 pounds. His seeing quality action all four years in college is a bonus. While a stiff-hipped liability in coverage, King does have experience on the outside and in the slot. On film, he's always around the football, taking good angles and attacking the ball well.

Even if King is only a thumper against the run, it is a step in the right direction for the Bears. A complementary free agent would shore up the safety spot and allow a rather young unit to develop together.

Round 3: Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC

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Is it crazy to think USC's Adoree' Jackson falls to the third round?

Maybe, but it will come down to Jackson himself and how he tackles the approach to the draft.

While a playmaker with the ball in his hands, Jackson absolutely has the ability to carve out a professional role as a cornerback. He's 5'11" and 185 pounds with downright silly recovery speed, helping him make up for mistakes and forcing quarterbacks to respect his side of the field.

Footwork and technique are a work in progress with Jackson, but the Bears can take the good with the bad while he learns during his rookie campaign. In college, it seemed Jackson made up for every defensive mishap with an explosive counterpart, which is more than most of the players the Bears trotted out at corner last year can say.

Jackson could see decent usage as a rookie. The future of Kyle Fuller is up in the air. Tracy Porter should stick. Cre'Von LeBlanc flashed at times. It's truly a hodgepodge of names still trying to form into something cohesive, and Jackson's sheer athleticism will help right out of the gates.

Having a returner who will remind some of Devin Hester sure doesn't hurt, either.

Round 4a: Vince Biegel, LB, Wisconsin

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Injuries derailed a campaign for Wisconsin's Vince Biegel that could have seen him come off the board as high as perhaps the second round.

While lighter at 6'4" and 245 pounds, Biegel is a high-effort player who can add rotational pressure from an upright position consistently. According to Pro Football Focus' Josh Liskiewitz, Biegel tallied pressures on 20.2 percent of his rushes last season, the highest mark on the North team at the Senior Bowl.

Call Biegel insurance, not a guy meant to push for a starting gig. Pernell McPhee has yet to play in a full 16-game season with the Bears and missed seven games in 2016. Leonard Floyd is still developing. Willie Young is a quality (and criminally underrated) rotational guy, but this past season highlighted a severe lack of pass-rushing depth.

Biegel helps in this regard and at worst becomes a stable presence on special teams.

Round 4b: Dan Skipper, OT, Arkansas

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Some might want to see offensive tackle addressed earlier for the Bears.

The reality is this isn't a great class to begin with, though. And yes, the Bears could push both Charles Leno and Bobby Massie as starters, but both at least came on a little bit down the stretch last year.

In this scenario, grabbing Dan Skipper out of Arkansas isn't a bad high-upside option.

Skipper is a monstrosity, which is meant in the nicest way possible—he comes in at 6'10" and 325 pounds.

Yes, at some point too much size is a bad thing, and Skipper will have problems keeping the proper pad level in the pros. But Chicago would grab and groom him as a right tackle with experience at guard after years of paving the way for gaudy Bret Bielema rushing attacks.

Round 5: Jeremy Sprinkle, TE, Arkansas

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Let's double down on Arkansas products.

Tight end is a concern in Chicago thanks to the career-long injury woes of Zach Miller, who has missed 22 games since 2009. Daniel Brown flashed some surprising upside, and maybe Logan Paulsen comes back, but there is no such thing as too many effective security blankets for rookie quarterbacks.

Jeremy Sprinkle is a bit of a steal in the fifth round because he had a run-in with the law recently.

Chicago can't complain too much. Sprinkle measures huge at 6'6" and 256 pounds and arguably has more NFL upside than the guy who came before him with the Razorbacks, Hunter Henry.

A move tight end who feasts on short and mid-range routes, maybe Sprinkle only becomes a red-zone weapon with the Bears. That's not a terrible thing to have while breaking in a young quarterback.

Round 7: Bryan Cox, DL, Florida

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Defensive end is a common slot many will see the Bears address early in mock drafts during the lead-up to the draft.

Ideally, though, the Bears get solid production from Jonathan Bullard moving forward, Akiem Hicks builds on his surprising year and the team brings back Cornelius Washington.

Provided the above mostly happens, Chicago can wait until the seventh round to grab a high-upside depth guy like Bryan Cox.

A senior who comes in at 6'3" and 269 pounds, Cox is a strong base end who presumably won't just wash out of the league given his dad was a monster of a pro and now coaches the defensive line in Atlanta.

This reinforces the depth for the Bears, gets Bullard a fellow member of the Gators to run with and perhaps gives the team a player who in time can see serious rotational usage.