Here’s who Mel Kiper, Todd McShay picked for Chicago Bears in latest mock draft

ESPN NFL Draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay joined forces in a combined 2023 NFL Mock Draft Monday, and the results for the Chicago Bears were solid.

The draft gurus rotated selections for the first three rounds of the 2023 draft. Mel Kiper ended up with the Chicago Bears’ first three picks, while Todd McShay was left with the Bears’ lone third-rounder.

Kiper did a nice job, landing Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski for the Bears in the first round. There’s a chance Chicago will trade back as rumors of talks with the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to bubble. But for this mock draft, Mel Kiper stays put at No. 9.

“I’ve gone back and forth on which offensive lineman the Bears will take here, but Skoronski is the best on my board (No. 8 overall), even though I like him a little more as a guard,” Kiper wrote. “Chicago needs a right tackle, which is why I projected Darnell Wright here in my two-round mock. I’d be confident in Skoronski’s ability to learn the position.”

With all due respect to Kiper, I’m not sure this is how the actual draft will go. He’s correct in his suggestion that the Bears need a right tackle, and I think Paris Johnson Jr., who goes 14th to the New England Patriots, is the better fit.

Chicago Bears load up on defense in Round 2

In Round 2, Kiper sends the Chicago Bears a pair of defenders in Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith and Auburn edge rusher Derick Hall.

“The Bears are devoid of pass-rushers, they haven’t added many guys this offseason who can get after the quarterback,” Kiper wrote. “Hall had 16 sacks over the past two seasons. He is a better fit for a team that runs a 3-4 defense, but he could be a situational rusher as a rookie while he puts on more weight to hold up against the run.”

The Chicago Bears can’t go wrong with a pair of defensive linemen in the second round. Smith is an uber-athletic prospect who’s been overlooked throughout the draft process. He’d push Justin Jones for the starting 3-tech role, at least initially, he’d be a fantastic rotational player.

I’ve often said that Hall is a fantastic Day-2 target for the Bears to add juice to their anemic pass rush. He’s a fantastic blend of speed and power. If he develops some pass-rush counters, he’ll be a 10-sack guy in the NFL.

Todd McShay maintains defensive theme in Round 3

Todd McShay got his chance to make a pick for the Chicago Bears in Round 3 and went with South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.

Smith, 6-foot-1, 188 pounds, has good length and instincts. He’s a smart defensive back, which will go a long way with coach Matt Eberflus in the war room.

A draft haul of Peter Skoronski, Mazi Smith, Derick Hall, and Cam Smith might not be an overly exciting group, but it’s a collection of very good players at premium positions.

It’s safe to say it was a job well done by Mel Kiper and Todd McShay.