We’re halfway through the NFL season and it’s looking more and more like the Bears will have a real shot at landing one of the top two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft thanks to the Panthers of Carolina.
The Bears own the Panthers’ first-round pick this year thanks to a deal that sent the No.
1 pick to Carolina in March.
If the season ended today, it would once again be the No.
1 pick.
The Bears entered this offseason with the stated goal of fully evaluating Justin Fields.
The team needs to know by the end of the year whether he is the franchise QB or not.
Head coach Matt Eberflus said the remaining seven games will be enough for Fields to show the consistency needed to keep his job in Chicago.
If he does, the Bears could trade the No.
1 pick again to a team in need of a QB, or they could stay and draft a high-impact player like All-Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
.
GM Ryan Poles can choose the next midfielder himself.
It’s worth mentioning that this mock draft is not an attempt to predict what the Bears will actually do when they return to the War Room next season.
It is not possible.
This mock draft is intended as an educational tool to explore some of the intriguing college prospects this season and how these players could fit with Chicago.
NO.
1: DRAKE MAYE – QUARTERBACK – UNC Pole gets his man.
Draft expert Dane Brugler recently ranked Maye as the new No.
1 prospect on his big board, ahead of USC’s Caleb Williams, and it’s easy to see why.
He has a phenomenal deep ball and can hit wide receivers in stride.
He’s not afraid to throw contested balls to give receivers a 50-50 chance, which would suit DJ Moore’s skill set well.
He is very accurate and throws the ball at the right time, but he can also improvise when play is interrupted.
Maye doesn’t have the scrambling ability of Williams or Fields, but he’s strong enough to be a threat with his feet.
Pretty much the complete package.
In two seasons leading the Tar Heels’ offense, Maye completed 66% of his passes for 7,466 yards and 59 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.
Maye also carried the ball 277 times for 974 yards and 15 touchdowns.
NO.
5: LAIATU LATU – EDGE – UCLA Latu often rushes from a two-point stance, and the Bears like their edge rushers to use a three-point stance, but that little gap probably doesn’t have any impact.
Scouts liked Latu’s exceptional use of technique to clear blocks and noted his fast pace of play.
Latu never stops in front of a room, which is a prerequisite of the Eberflus program.
Plus, Latu can kick inside to rush a tackle or from space, and the Bears like that kind of versatility.
Over the past two seasons, Latu has 21.
5 sacks and 31 TFLs.
