Cornerback could present Chicago Bears with best value in Round 1

Offensive linemen have dominated the Chicago Bears 2023 NFL Draft discussion. Whether it’s Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski or Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr., most, if not all, draft analysts have presumed GM Ryan Poles will shore up his offensive line with the ninth pick.

If Poles has made anything clear during his brief tenure as Bears’ general manager, he values premium positions in the early rounds of the NFL Draft. Sure, offensive tackle is near the top of the premium position list. But so is cornerback. And when Chicago’s on the clock on April 27, Poles could be faced with a choice between the top-ranked corner and top-ranked offensive lineman.

According to Peter Schrager’s latest mock draft, cornerback is a real possibility for the Chicago Bears in Round 1. He has Poles selecting Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez.

“This strong, smart, speedy corner out of Oregon (via Colorado) is a gamer,” Schrager wrote. “The Bears have so many needs, and snagging a top cover man with the ninth overall choice makes them better tomorrow. He could go before Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon.”

Chicago Bears’ 1st-round pick could come down to Gonzalez vs. Skoronski

In Peter Schrager’s mock draft, the Chicago Bears aren’t forced to decide between Gonzalez and Skoronski. Instead, the Northwestern lineman is selected No. 7 by the Las Vegas Raiders. But if Skoronski does slide to Chicago, Poles will use all of his allotted time to make his choice.

The next offensive lineman doesn’t get picked in Schrager’s mock until No. 13, where he has the New York Jets adding Georgia tackle Broderick Jones.

Schrager’s mock draft warrants extra attention because he bases it on what he’s hearing, his intel. His contacts across the league are strong, and if he has the Bears targeting Gonzalez with both Johnson and Jones still undrafted? It’s noteworthy.

Some Chicago Bears fans will view Christian Gonzalez as a repetitive selection after Poles drafted Kyler Gordon in the second round of the 2022 draft. Gordon was the Bears’ first selection last year, they traded their first-round pick to the New York Giants in the Justin Fields trade.

Gordon’s rookie season wasn’t great. He wasn’t terrible, but he didn’t look like a dominant CB1 for most of his first year. He should improve in 2023. But that won’t stop the Chicago Bears from adding a player with the lockdown skill set Gonzalez possesses.

Bears can wait until Round 2 to draft an offensive tackle

The 2023 NFL Draft will offer the Chicago Bears an opportunity to upgrade the offensive line in the second round. A prospect like Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron is an ideal target. He has similar positional versatility as Peter Skoronski — he’ll be an NFL starter, whether at offensive tackle or guard.

Ryan Poles could decide his best option in Round 1 is to trade down. If several quality offensive linemen and defensive players are available at No. 9, he could slide down a few spots rather than choose between prospects like Gonzalez and Paris Johnson.

The 2023 NFL Draft is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in years. The Chicago Bears could be staring at Jalen Carter at No. 9. Perhaps a run on defensive players and an offensive lineman or two happens in the seven picks after a quarterback goes first overall. It could be an all-or-nothing first round at the ninth pick.

Regardless, the Bears will end up with an instant-impact starter, whether a cornerback, offensive lineman or edge rusher.