Bears Mock Draft: Post-Justin Fields Trade 7-Round Mock

The Justin Fields era in Chicago officially came to an end last week when Adam Schefter, Ian Rappaport, and a slew of NFL insdiers broke the news that the Chicago Bears had traded the former 2020 first-round pick. As bad as it was for Bears fans who had believed that Fields would be the long-term franchise quarterback, the trade return was like a gut punch: a conditional 2025 6th-round pick.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles must now move on to the 2024 NFL draft with the picks he has in his arsenal, a total of four: No. 1, No. 9, No. 75, and No. 122.

The Bears don’t have nearly as many holes on the roster as they did last year this time, but having only four picks in any draft class feels light. So, in this Bears mock draft, I have Chicago making several trades. Here they are:

Trade 1: CHI receives 1.18, 2.49, 4.115 — CIN receives 1.9

Trade 2: CHI receives 1.20, 4.116 — JAX receives 1.18 plus 3.98 from PIT — PIT receives 1.17

Trade 3: CHI receives 5.148, 5.150 — LV receives 4.122

Trade 4: CHI receives 5.156, 6.206 — CLE receives 5.150

With those trades, the Chicago Bears would end up with nine draft selections, more than twice as many as Poles began the draft with. The first pick is a virtual lock at this point, but who does Poles select in the remaining rounds? Let’s get to the picks.

Note: as in my other mock drafts, I conducted his one through the eyes of Ryan Poles and who I think he would select given the players available, the current roster, and his limited draft capital. You may not agree with some of these picks, and even I don’t necessarily agree with some of them, but it’s what I think Poles would do if the draft board fell a certain way.

1.1 Caleb Williams – Quarterback, USC

With Fields officially a Pittsburgh Steeler, the stage is set for a new quarterback in Chicago, and that quarterback will be Caleb Williams. There’s no mystery, there’s no debate. Williams is the best quarterback prospect the league has seen since Andrew Luck.

1.20 Chop Robinson – Defensive End, Penn State

Last week, a video of Ryan Poles and Matt Ebeflus talking at the Combine went viral. Poles is seen saying, “I love this kid. If he’s there, we’ll take him.” While the date of the video was not given, some Twitter sleuths determined it was on the day that the defensive line and linebackers were testing, based on what Poles and Eberflus were wearing.

I believe Poles may have been talking about Chop. His athleticism is off the charts and he’s a full two years younger than two other top pass rushers in this year’s draft, Jared Verse and Laiatu Latu. After trading back to No. 20 and the defensive line still needing help, I have Poles sprinting to the podium for Robinson.

2.49 Kris Jenkins – Defensive Tackle, Michigan

Staying in the trenches, the Bears select the 3-tech that Eberflus’ defense needs to reach its true potential.

Jenkins possesses incredible athleticism for a man who measures at 6-foot-3 and 299 pounds, he registered an 8.92 out of a possible 10 on the RAS scale. He also has great length with 34′ arms. He checks all the boxes Poles and Eberflus look for and would likely be a Day 1 impact player on the defensive line.

3.75 Johnny Wilson – Receiver, Florida State

Wilson is an absolute freak. He checked in at the NFL Combine at 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, plus arms that measured over 35′. In the athletic testing, he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and posted a 37′ vertical, all part of his 9.88 RAS.

Wilson may lack the route-running finesse of other receivers in his class, but if he becomes a Bear, he won’t be expected to be more than a solid WR3/4, and that shouldn’t be a problem for an athlete like him.

4.115 Brenden Rice – Receiver, USC

The Bears double-dip for receivers to round out the receiving room.

Rice, the son of the greatest wide receiver of all time, Jerry Rice, played with Caleb Williams at USC for two years and posted some impressive tape along the way. I think Ryan Poles likes the idea of pairing up his new quarterback with a familiar target since we’ve seen so much success from other teams doing so, and that makes this an easy pick.

4.116 Beaux Limmer – Center, Arkansas

Limmer spent two years as Arkansas’ starting right guard before making the move to Center in 2023, so he’s got the positional versatility that Poles likes to see. He raised his draft stock at the NFL Combine, scoring an incredible 9.8 RAS.

He’s on the small side for an interior offensive lineman, but he possesses great athleticism and a hot motor. Best of all, he won’t be expected to start anytime soon since the Bears signed former Rams center Coleman Shelton, so he can sit and learn for as long as it takes.

5.148 Jalyx Hunt – Defensive End, Houston Christian University

Hunt is my “small school draft crush” for this year’s draft. He dominated the Combine with a 9.73 RAS thanks to a 4.64-second 40-yard dash and a 37.5′ vertical leap. His measurements are great, too. He’s 6-foot-4 and 252 pounds with 34.5′ arms and 10′ hands.

A converted safety who will need to get bigger and stronger to handle NFL offensive lines, Hunt is a developmental prospect who may not see the field at all as a rookie, but you have to believe that Poles loves the potential here.

5.156 Kitan Oladapo – Safety, Oregon State

Like many Day 3 players, Oladapo must be in the right scheme to succeed, and I think Eberflus’ defense would be a good fit.

A willing and able tackler, he puts his 6-foot-2 and 216-pound frame to use in stopping the run. His coverage skills need to develop before he’s ready to see the field, but there’s terrific potential here to be coached up.

6.206 Frank Crum – Offensive Tackle, Wyoming

Standing 6-foot-8 and 313 pounds, Crum cuts an intimidating figure. He posted an impressive 9.82 RAS at the Combine as an offensive tackle. He easily checks the boxes for size and athleticism for Ryan Poles to consider, but his technique will need a lot of work. He’s a better run blocker than a pass blocker so far, and he’s never faced the kind of talent he’ll see in the NFL on a weekly basis.