Bears trade down and land blue-chip offensive tackle in latest 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft

With the Denver Broncos falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14, they are now tied with the Chicago Bears at three wins apiece. However, with the Bears’ schedule being tougher (meaning their opponents have a higher combined win percentage), the Broncos move ahead in the 2023 NFL draft order.

So, for now, the Bears have the third overall pick, which calls for a new mock draft!

This time I made a trade just to switch things up. I traded that No. 3 pick to the Indianapolis Colts in return for the seventh overall pick, their second and third-round picks, and next year’s first-rounder. With that trade in the books, the Bears have 11 picks, including two 2nds, two 3rds, two 5ths, and two 6ths.

If GM Ryan Poles can pull off a trade that results in this many picks, the Bears’ rebuild will be in overdrive.

Let’s go mocking!

Round 1: Peter Skoronski – Offensive Tackle, Northwestern

Skoronski is widely seen as the top offensive tackle prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft, and nothing about his tape would suggest otherwise. According to PFF, he allowed just six quarterback pressures in 480 passing-blocking snaps this season. And if PFF grades are your thing, they grade him at 93.7 for pass blocking (79.1 for run blocking, fifth-best for Power 5 tackles).

There are concerns about his arm length, but I don’t buy into those. Skoronski’s talent level is too high to be overshadowed by two-thirds of an inch on his arms. This is a man who will keep Justin Fields upright long enough to torch NFL defenses every week.

GERALD HERBERT | AP

Round 2: Jared Verse – EDGE, Florida State

Verse is a former tight end who converted to defense, but you wouldn’t know it watching him play. His ability to bend around tackles, seemingly defying physics as he gets to the quarterback, is reminiscent of Robert Quinn’s record-breaking 18.5 sack season last year.

With only two years of experience at his position, Verse has a lot of room to grow. But the potential he’s flashed is off the charts, and his speed and power are something you simply can’t coach.

Round 2: Devon Witherspoon – Cornerback, Illinois

A 1st team AP All-American, and a 1st team Big Ten player, Witherspoon has been phenomenal this year, especially in man coverage. He had three interceptions, fourteen pass deflections, and didn’t allow a single touchdown. He allowed just a 24.6 passer rating when targeted in coverage.

A secondary featuring Jaylon Johnson, Jaquan Brisker, Eddie Jackson, Kyler Gordon, and Devon Witherspoon could be a true no-fly zone for a long time.

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3: Lukas Van Ness – Defensive Tackle, Iowa

The Bears need help up and down the defensive line, and that’s where Van Ness comes in. A fast and powerful guy who can line up inside or on the edge, he’ll find a way to get to the quarterback. While he’s not a generational prospect like Jalen Carter or Will Anderson Jr, Van Ness could carve out a role as a reliable fixture on the defense.

Round 3: Cody Mauch – Tackle, North Dakota State

A true draft sleeper, for now. Mauch is a mauler with a mean streak who loves nothing more than serving up a stack of pancakes or ‘escorting’ would-be tacklers back to their team’s sideline. But he’s more than just a bad attitude, he’s also got the elite athleticism that general manager Ryan Poles covets.

If Mauch continues to fly under the radar, he could be a steal in the third round.

AP Photo/Michael Woods

Round 4: DeMarvion Overshown – Linebacker, Texas

In four years at Texas, Overshown has racked up 248 tackles, seventeen passes deflected, nine sacks, and three each forced fumbles and interceptions. He is slightly undersized at six-foot-four and 224 pounds, but he’s an explosive athlete and a good tackler.

Round 5: Andrei Iosivas – Wide Receiver, Princeton

Another draft sleeper from a small school. According to Pro Football Network, Iosivas is a track star from Hawaii who runs the 40-yard dash in about 4.2 seconds. But he’s more than just a speedster, showing an impressive ability to high-point the football and a willingness to get physical with defenders.

His route tree is limited, and he’ll need work in that department, but he’s got the traits to be a downfield threat with game-breaking speed and reliable hands.

Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire

Round 5: Chase Brown – Running Back, Illinois

I honestly don’t know if the Bears will extend David Montgomery, but if they don’t, the Fighting Illini have a fantastic replacement. Brown averaged over five yards per carry at Illinois and racked up eighteen career touchdowns, ten of which came just in 2022. He has great vision on the field and can catch and run with the best of them, too. The only knock on his game is he’s not great in pass protection, but hopefully, the offensive line won’t need to rely on a sixth pass blocker very often.

Round 6: Sedrick Van Pran – Center, Georgia

I would be shocked if Van Pran fell this far, but this is where the simulator had him, so I snatched him up. He’s young, only a redshirt sophomore, and already has the strength and football IQ of a seasoned veteran. He’s athletic and would be a perfect scheme fit for the zone schemes the Bears employ. He needs technical refinement due to being so young, but his ceiling is sky-high.

Round 6: Charlie Jones – Wide Receiver, Purdue

As a former Boilermaker, I’ll admit to being slightly biased here. Still, I don’t think anyone would balk at taking the country’s leader in receptions and receiving yards if he’s available this late in the draft. He’s a sixth-year senior, so he is a bit older, and his ceiling is probably fairly low compared to his peers, but he’s proven he can be an explosive playmaker, even on the biggest of stages. In the Big Ten Championship against a stingy Michigan defense, he hauled in thirteen of his sixteen targets for 162 yards.

Round 7: Zack Kuntz – Tight End, Old Dominion

With the Bears’ last pick, I have them taking a flyer on another freak athlete. Kuntz is six-foot-eight and over 250 pounds, but ran a 4.57 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical this summer, landing him on Bruce Feldman’s ‘College Football Freaks’ list. He’s shown soft hands and could be used as an extra-large wide receiver, what defensive back in the world can stop a well-thrown pass to a six-foot-eight target?

His unwillingness to block limits his versatility, but I’m all in favor of adding another guy who can go up and get a 50/50 ball in the endzone.