Who did the Bears land in ESPN’s 7-round mock draft?

ESPN published a seven-round 2023 NFL mock draft Wednesday that filled several areas of need for the Chicago Bears.

It kicked off in the first round with a new starting right tackle for QB Justin Fields. However, it’s a player who isn’t commonly sent to Chicago in mock drafts right now: Georgia’s Broderick Jones.

“Don’t be surprised if Jones is the top offensive tackle off the board,” ESPN’s Jordan Reid wrote. “I continue to hear his name in this range. General manager Ryan Poles covets length and physical traits, and Jones might have the most upside of the tackles in this class. The interesting dynamic about this is that Braxton Jones, a fifth-round pick last year, showed promise as the starter at left tackle. Would Jones slot into the right or left tackle spot here? It’s a great problem to have for a Chicago team that continues to remodel its offense around quarterback Justin Fields.”

I love this pick. Jones is the best athlete in this year’s offensive tackle class, which you know will rank high on Poles” wish list. He also delivers a powerful strike on contact in the run game.

Indeed, Jones still has room to grow as a player. There are some technique lapses in pass protection, but his upside is undeniable. He’d pair with the other Jones — Braxton — to create a fantastic set of bookends for the foreseeable future.

ESPN sends Bears a hit and miss in Round 2

In Round 2, the Bears double-dip on defense. First, at No. 53, it’s Notre Dame edge rusher Isaiah Foskey. Then, at 61, it’s Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents.

With all due respect to ESPN, the Foskey pick would be a big miss. Sure, he’s a powerful linear player, but his film is underwhelming. He struggled at the 2023 Senior Bowl, too. His production at Notre Dame is impressive, but I don’t see it translating to the NFL.

Brents, on the other hand, is a quality selection. He’s 6-foot-3 and nearly 200 pounds and profiles as more of an outside cornerback than Kyler Gordon, last year’s second-round pick. Brents didn’t run a great 40-yard dash at the Combine (4.53), but his jumps were outstanding. He lept 41.5 inches in the vertical jump and 11-foot-5 in the broad jump. Both are elite results that prove how explosive he is. Brents had four interceptions in 2022.

Chicago Bears land potential 3-tech in Round 3

The Chicago Bears address the defensive line in Round 3, adding South Carolina’s Zacch Pickens to potentially fill their three-tech.

Pickens is a disruptive player along the interior, but whether he’ll hold up against NFL power at 291 pounds remains to be seen.

In four seasons with the Gamecocks, Pickens totaled 131 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks.

Rounds 4 thru 7 stock the Bears” roster with depth

As for Rounds 4 thru 7, the Chicago Bears add a blend of beef and skill.

Offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg (Arkansas) and defensive lineman Karl Brooks (Bowling Green) are added in the fourth round. Wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson (Iowa State) and safety Rashad Torrence (Florida) are the picks in Round 5. ESPN’s mock draft closes out with East Carolina wide receiver C.J. Johnson in the seventh round.

My favorite pick from this Day-3 haul is Hutchinson, who’d begin his career with the Bears as a fantastic No. 4 receiver behind DJ Moore, Chase Claypool, and Darnell Mooney. He’s four years younger than Velus Jones Jr., last year’s third-round pick, and offers a more well-rounded skill set.

Stromberg would provide depth and youth at center. It’s a position the Chicago Bears must address, so investing a fourth-round pick on a prospect who could emerge as a starter down the road is great value.

Grading ESPN’s 7-round mock draft

ESPN’s mock draft earns a solid B- from me. I love Broderick Jones in Round 1, but Isaiah Foskey feels like a whiff. Julius Brents makes up for Foskey in the second round.

Zacch Pickens is a solid value in the third round, but it doesn’t feel like a 2023 draft class that would make a huge impact this season. Aside from Jones and Brents, the rest of this haul feels like depth guys who could eventually emerge as a starter a few years from now. Good? Sure. Great? Not really.

It’s an unspectacular haul saved by a potential cornerstone offensive tackle.