Daniel Jeremiah Mock Draft: Bears land top-tier offensive lineman in Round 1

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah published a new 2023 NFL mock draft this week, and he kept with the prevailing theme for the Chicago Bears at No. 9 overall.

Jeremiah has the Bears attacking the offensive line with their selection of Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski.

Interestingly, Jeremiah lists Skoronski as an offensive tackle.

“I love this pick for the Bears,” Jeremiah wrote. “Skoronski would be an immediate upgrade at right tackle for Justin Fields.”

Peter Skoronski has had a somewhat turbulent 2023 NFL Draft process. It’s not that he’s done anything wrong, he was fantastic at the NFL Combine, and his tape checks every box.

Unfortunately, what doesn’t measure up is his arm length. Skoronski’s arms checked in at 32 1/4 inches at the Scouting Combine, way short of what NFL teams prefer from offensive tackles — at least 33 inches, preferably 34.

What that means for Skoronski’s long-term projection is unclear. Some NFL scouts are evaluating the former Wildcat star as an interior player — likely a guard. Others are willing to give him a chance at right tackle and go from there. But for a Chicago Bears team that must get the selection right, taking a chance on a player who’d be an exception to the NFL’s norms at offensive tackle is risky.

Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft has Skoronski as the first offensive lineman selected. Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State), a more traditional offensive tackle prospect, slides to the Green Bay Packers at No. 15.

I think there’s a chance those two picks flip by the time the 2023 NFL Draft rolls around.