The Bears and their fans have turned their focus to the draft. There’s a lot of talent in the class, but not on the Bears roster. Trading back seems like it can be a great idea. The Dolphins traded back 3 spots in 2021. Miami got 3 first round picks that they later used to draft Jaylen Waddle, trade for Tyreek Hill, and to trade for Bradley Chubb. That’s the idea that intrigues many people.
What are the Bears 5 biggest positions of need? I’d say they are Interior D Lineman, Wide Receiver, EDGE, OL, and Inside Linebacker. Here’s a player they could target at each of those positions.
Interior Defensive Lineman: Clemson DL Bryan Breese
Bryan Breese isn’t quite on the level as Georgia DT Jalen Carter, but nobody in this draft is. He’s a good combination of a run stuffer and a pass rusher at the Defensive Tackle position. He’s had some trouble staying on the field, but the talent is there for Breese and he’d be a big boost to the interior of the Bears D Line. As far as an NFL comparison, I’d have to go with Ndamokung Suh. The strength and physicality are next level.
Wide Receiver: Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Smith-Njigba is not the consensus number 1 wide receiver in this draft like it was expected he would be, but he’s without a doubt still top 3. He had horrible injury luck this year and just couldn’t stay on the field. Smith-Njigba is versatile because you can really move him around. You can put him both in the slot and outside. He doesn’t have many weaknesses. Maybe you’d like him to be bigger, but he’s shown the ability to run all of the routes and make all the big plays even with his somewhat small frame. A comparison for Jaxon Smith-Njigba is pretty easy for me. His game is pretty similar to Cooper Kupp.
EDGE: Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson
Tyree Wilson is such a powerful and physical athletic freak who gets after the QB but is also outstanding in the run game. The gap between Will Anderson Jr. and Tyree Wilson isn’t extraordinarily big. He’s almost my EDGE 2, but Myles Murphy is just a bit better. Tyree Wilson would be a home run pick for the Bears. Players like him don’t come around too often. He’d be such an upgrade to what they have defensively, simply because he generates pressure and penetration, which the Bears defensive line struggles at right now. I see a lot of T.J. Watt in Wilson’s game. He’s got possibly the highest ceiling of any EDGE in the draft.
Offensive Line: Georgia Center Sedrick Van Pran
Georgia is the most well built college football teams in America. They have top end talent at every single position. The Bears weakest offensive position is Center, and Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran is a good one. He’s smart which is important for a Center and he is good in the run game and solid in the pass game. The Bears would be wise to take him in the 2nd round. His NFL comparison is Frank Ragnow.
Inside Linebacker: Clemson LB Trenton Simpson
Simpson is a genuine freak. He’s my favorite Linebacker in the draft because of his instincts and big hitting ability, while also being a consistent tackler. Combine that with his good coverage skills, and this guy could be a game changer at Linebacker for years to come. I see him as a great fit next to Jack Sanborn, who will likely be the Mike Linebacker heading into next year. Simpson projects as a good strongside Linebacker, who compares to Darius Leonard, who Matt Eberflus coached in Indianapolis.
