Bears hosting two prospects who could be team’s target at No. 9 overall

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles appears to be narrowing down his potential options with the No. 9 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu are among the prospects visiting Chicago on pre-draft visits, according to a report from The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain. Both players could be targets at No. 9.

The Bears are scheduled to host Marvin Harrison Jr., Laiatu Latu and Xavier Worthy for visits at Halas Hall on Monday, per source.

— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) April 7, 2024

Harrison Jr. would be the dreamlike scenario for Poles with the ninth pick. Despite rostering D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen at receiver, the Bears would sprint the selection card to the podium if Harrison Jr. remained available. Pairing Harrison Jr. with soon-to-be franchise quarterback Caleb Williams would be unbelievable.

It’s worth acknowledging Harrison Jr. is unlikely to be available at No. 9. The Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, and Atlanta Falcons are all teams that could consider picking Harrison Jr. before the Bears make their second scheduled pick.

Alternatively, Poles could be searching for a premium pass-rushing prospect to pair opposite Montez Sweat at the defensive end. Latu is in contention to be the first or second pass rusher drafted. The Bruins standout ran an elite 4.64 40 at the NFL Combine with a 1.62 10-yard split despite weighing 260 pounds. Latu also posted eye-popping agility results throughout the pre-draft process by running a 4.34 shuttle and 7.09 3-cone.

MORE: Complete Chicago Bears 7-round 2024 Mock Draft

Laiatu Latu is a DE prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.30 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 119 out of 1685 DE from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/5QUagUYHj7 https://t.co/5slLQNugN2 pic.twitter.com/WBNGpOQEJA

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 19, 2024

Poles appears to be hyper-focused on brainstorming potential outcomes with the No. 9 overall selection. Hosting Harrison Jr. and Latu on official pre-draft visits should help the Bears sort through the possibilities.