Jalen Carter to the Chicago Bears is building momentum in 2023 mock drafts

With less than two weeks until the 2023 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears fans are scouring mock drafts to get a last-minute feel for who could be available when the No. 9 pick rolls around.

The prevailing theme around the Bears’ NFL Draft plan has been upgrading the offensive line. Whether it’s Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski or Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr., the most popular picks for Chicago in mock drafts have been offensive linemen.

There’s a bit of a shift beginning to happen, though. ESPN’s Matt Miller shared intel about the Chicago Bears being very high on Georgia’s Jalen Carter, and in the latest mock draft from Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt, GM Ryan Poles pulls the trigger on Carter with the ninth pick.

“Now you’re getting to a spot at the draft where the [Bears] are like, ‘So we can trade out of No. 1, get a ton of picks to build our roster, and still come away with what many people think is the best player in the draft.” … Sign me up. I think the Bears take Jalen Carter.

“There are a lot of red flags to Jalen Carter, his talent might outweigh the red flags for some organizations, and he might very well be picked [earlier], but you look at how this process has gone for him, and it has not gone well.”

Chicago Bears may not have a chance to draft Jalen Carter

One of the reasons why the Bears and Jalen Carter are trending as a possible match in the first round is Carter’s apparent rehabilitated draft stock. His off-field legal issues are behind him, and while there are concerns about his on-field effort, his raw talent is greater than any non-quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Bears” need at 3-tech ranks the position at or near the top of their draft wish list. Carter is the cream of the crop and the only defensive lineman worth passing up an offensive tackle. However, the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5 are trending as a potential Jalen Carter landing spot. If he gets past Seattle, the Detroit Lions at No. 6 pose a significant threat.

I’m not sure I’m buying the theory that the Chicago Bears are in on Carter. Poles and coach Matt Eberflus have been very clear about their desire to add players whose motor runs hot. Carter doesn’t fit that profile. Indeed, there’s no denying his unblockable traits when he wants to dominate. But the mental part of the game often separates first-round busts from guys who enjoy long and productive careers.

Instead, the Chicago Bears are more likely to stick with an offensive lineman to round out an offseason plan centered around QB Justin Fields. One of Skoronski or Johnson (or both) will be on the board for the Bears in the first round, even if Carter is too, I’d wager on the Bears upgrading the offensive line.