New ranking has Chicago Bears’ 2024 NFL Draft as one of league’s best

The Chicago Bears are entering a very special era—the Caleb Williams era. While a chance always exists that a quarterback selected with the first overall pick can fail, the offseason is the time when optimism reigns supreme. So, for now, the arrow is pointing way up for the Bears as they march closer to the start of training camp and the 2024 NFL season.

Williams is the biggest reason for that optimism, but he isn’t the only reason. The Chicago Bears had a remarkable offseason capped by a 2024 NFL draft class that many experts and analysts have praised as one of the best in the league.

In fact, according to a recent ranking of all 32 draft classes, the Bears’ 2024 group ranks second behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Chicago owned a sparkling grade in my book before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even announced the 10th pick on Thursday night,” NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice wrote. “But how did the Bears fare in the rest of the draft? Well, despite limited resources, not too shabby! Kiran Amegadjie is a developmental tackle with an NFL frame, athleticism and absolute vines for arms (36 1/2 inches). Had a quad injury not ended Amegadjie’s season last October and prevented him from showing his wares throughout the pre-draft process, it’s hard to believe he’d have been available to the Bears at pick No. 75. And in addition to acquiring an intriguing edge blocker, Chicago also picked up an edge rusher with upside. Austin Booker broke out last season as a redshirt sophomore at Kansas, turning a lot of heads in the scouting community with an inspired showing versus Texas.”

The only Chicago Bears 2024 draft pick that’s received criticism is fourth-round punter Tory Taylor, but now that the draft is a few weeks in the rearview mirror, it feels like that’s dying down. Draft purists hate the idea of selecting a punter with that high of a pick, but the closer we get to cleats touching the grass the more fans are beginning to realize how much of a weapon Taylor will be.

MORE: Do the Chicago Bears have the NFL’s best WR trio?

If he pins opposing offenses deep in their territory a few times per game, he’ll have just as big of an impact as a fourth-round wide receiver who makes a few catches for a first down or two. And he’ll play for a lot longer, too.

As for the rest of the NFC North? The Detroit Lions ranked 16th, the Green Bay Packers ranked 23rd, and the Minnesota Vikings were near the bottom of the NFL at No. 28.

Draft classes like the Chicago Bears in 2024 can turn franchises around quickly, especially when the rest of the division was middle-of-the-pack at best.