2024 NFL Draft: 4 players the Chicago Bears should target at No. 9 overall

The Chicago Bears will select Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That’s the easy choice. He’s a generational quarterback prospect who’s been pegged as the No. 1 overall pick since his first season as a starter at Oklahoma. The Bears just happen to be lucky enough to hold the first pick the year he’s in the draft—home run.

But what about the Bears’ second first-rounder, No. 9 overall? There’s much less certainty—if any—about what Chicago will do when they’re back on the clock.

What we do know is that GM Ryan Poles and his staff debated the merits of prospects at offensive tackle, edge rusher, and wide receiver for that selection. While it’d be great to take the third-year general manager at his word, it feels like there’s still a chance a player from a different position could be their pick.

Here are four 2024 NFL draft prospects the Chicago Bears should consider selecting with the ninth overall pick.

Joe Alt, LT, Notre Dame

Alt is regarded as the top offensive tackle in the 2024 NFL draft. He started 33 games at Notre Dame and flashed the blend of high-level athletic ability and raw power needed to quickly become one of the NFL’s top offensive linemen. If he slides to the ninth pick, he’s a no-brainer.

MORE: Bears make SHOCKING pick in Daniel Jeremiah’s final mock draft

Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Nabers is the most exciting playmaker in the 2024 NFL Draft, a downfield speedster who always appears to be the fastest player on the field. Several teams in the NFL have Nabers as their WR1, so the odds he slides to No. 9 are slim. The Bears need a run on quarterbacks (all four), Alt, and Marvin Harrison Jr., to be selected in the first six picks for Nabers to (maybe) make it to nine.

Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

While not as dynamic as Nabers, Odunze is an all-around pass-catcher with traits similar to Larry Fitzgerald. Yes, that’s high praise. He’s a shade under 6’3′ and ran a 4.45 40-yard dash. In other words, Odunze is a prototype wideout who totaled 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023. He has the best chance to slide to No. 9, and paring Odunze and Caleb Williams would certainly make Bears fans happy.

Byron Murphy, iDL, Texas

Murphy will be on the board when the Chicago Bears are on the clock at No. 9. He has a chance to be the first defensive player selected despite only starting one season for the Longhorns. It was a phenomenal year, though, in which he totaled five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. He’s the twitchiest three-tech in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the Chicago Bears desperately need juice from the interior of their pass rush. Murphy is building momentum as the most likely choice for the Bears.