2012 NFL Mock Draft: Chicago Bears Full 7-Round Predictions

It's seems awfully early to throw our gaze off of the 2011 season and into the 2012 drat, doesn't it?  Yet here we are, taking a stab at who the Bears will grab in the spring in the hopes of improving this already competitive team.

Why?  Because that's exactly what the Bears are doing and have been doing for a while.  

The season currently in hand is only part of the focus at Halas Hall.  Paying close attention to the college players the Bears are interested in is the other half of the front office's job during the season.

Heading into the draft, the Bears are going to be looking at repairing several broken position groups, including the offensive line, wide receiver and defensive end.  They'll also look to shore up the future and provide insurance at several solidified positions, including linebacker, running back and cornerback.

Today, we've broken out that old favorite—the crystal ball—and will attempt to divine the direction the Bears will move in April.  

So follow me as we take an all too early look at who the Bears will select in the 2012 draft through all seven rounds.

In the First Round the Bears Select...Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

Mercilus is just too good to pass up for Chicago.  The 6'2" 265-pounder has the speed to give offensive tackles fits and a surprising amount of strength that tend to catch linemen by surprise. 

While you expect his speedy edge rush, his bull rush might be his best weapon.  

With Israel Idonije up for free agency after a disappointing 2011 season thus far, the Bears will look to fix their broken pass rush by adding a defensive end to take some of the heat off of Julius Peppers, who isn't getting any younger, himself.

Mercilus offers the Bears that threat and a potential replacement for Peppers, eventually.  He needs work in defending the ground game, but his pass rushing potential, combined with his sheer athletic ability make him too difficult for Jerry Angelo—who loves his defensive linemen—to pass up.

In the Second Round, the Bears Select...Dwight Jones, WR, UNC

The Bears are sorely in need of a true receiving threat.  The 6'4" Dwight Jones is that man.

Jones Has fantastic size and strength.  He's adept at using his body to block out defenders and will fight over the middle for the ball.

His route running and route fakes are impressive.  He does need work on his breaks, but overall will be where he is supposed to be when his quarterback expects him to be there.

Jones is no burner, but he has adequate speed to get downfield and will make up for his speed with his size and body control.

The Bears must find a reliable top target for Jay Cutler and Dwight Jones fits that bill.

With Carolina's Third Round Pick, the Bears Select...Ben Jones, C, Georgia

Roberto Garza isn't the future for the Bears at center, and with Chris Spencer playing well at the right guard spot, the Bears may want to look outside for a new center.

Ben Jones is a perfect fit.  While he's more of a pass blocker than a mauler, Jones is pretty solid in all aspects of his game.  Jones seems to land his opponent on his back a surprising number of times and fits the large, athletic mold that the Bears currently look for in their linemen.

Considered a leader at Georgia, Jones would be a nice replacement for Garza who is as durable as they come and could solidify the center of the line, with Chris Spencer and Chris Williams for a very long time.

With Chicago's Third Round Pick, the Bears Select...Nate Potter, OT, Boise St

The bottom line is that the Bears have to get better on the line and they cannot run Martz's system—or anyone else's for that matter—if they have to run max-protection every play.

J'Marcus Webb has done a decent job considering how raw he came in, but the Bears need better, and they get that out of Nate Potter.

Potter is a true left tackle who played four seasons in a pass first offense, so Potter has a lot of experience as a pass blocker.  He has great footwork and a ton of power.

He's also solid in sealing the edge in the running game, which is a big bonus to the Bears and their one-cut rushing scheme. 

With Potter and Gabe Carimi holding down the edges, the Bears wouldn't have to worry about their tackle positions for the next decade.

In the Fourth Round the Bears Select...Tyler Nielsen, LB, Iowa

The Bears need young linebacker to start grooming for the eventual retirement of Brian Urlacher.

Nielsen is a big, strong and relatively fast option to do just that.  Nielsen will make it this far down the draft boards because he isn't a special pass-rusher.  

But the Bears can live with that and will enjoy Nielsen's abilities against the run and his athleticism and experience in cover two defenses against the pass.

Nielsen has all the tools, instincts and smarts to be the next great middle linebacker in the string of great middle linebackers for Chicago.

In the Fifth Round the Bears Select...Robert Blanton, CB, Notre Dame

With Charles Tillman getting up their in years, the Bears need to look for his eventual replacement.

Blanton has decent size and speed and the physicality to be Peanut's eventual replacement.  He's strong and has long arms.  Unfortunately, his raw mechanics need some work, but his physical gifts can't be denied.

The golden-domer needs some refining and isn't ready to step in as an immediate starter, but has the makings of a solid press corner who fits nicely into the Tampa-2 scheme Chicago runs.  With a little time to learn from Tillman, the Bears could really hit with this later round pick.

In the Sixth Round, the Bears Select...Lennon Creer, RB, Louisiana Tech

As this year has shown, the Bears cannot live on the hope that Matt Forte won't ever be injured.  

In Creer, the Bears would have a solid backup running back who fits the one-cut and go style similar to Forte. He can catch the ball fairly well out of the backfield and lined up in the flank.

Not really elite in any aspect, Creer is versatily and would provide a solid option as a backup, as well as a solid special-teamer.

In the Seventh Round the Bears Select...Josh Kaddu, LB, Oregon

The Bears were slim at linebacker this year, and adding another prospect in the late rounds makes sense.

Kaddu is a developmental project, but selecting him in the seventh round is a bargain.  He's a freak athlete with long arms, great closing speed, good tackling skills and explosive burst, but lacks in polish and technique.

His athleticism is near elite, but he's as raw as they come and will require time to develop.  Fortunately, he's a high motor guy and would be a good addition to the special teams unit until he was brought up to speed at linebacker.

With Bob Babich, who is arguably the best linebackers coach in the game, on staff to develop his skills to math his athleticism, Kaddu could end up being one of the steals of the draft.

So there you have it, folks.  Your seven-round Bears Mock Draft.  Step up to the soapbox below and let us know what you think.