Chicago Bears 2017 Mock Draft: Going Best Player Available
By Erik Lambert
Ryan Pace has championed the Best Player Available approach in the NFL draft for two years. No reason to think the Chicago Bears GM will change.
Why should he? His 2016 class was one of the best this franchise has produced in recent memory. Leonard Floyd, Cody Whitehair and Jordan Howard each had standout rookie seasons. If Pace can duplicate similar results this year, there is widespread belief the Bears will become a team to take seriously in 2017. One can only hope after watching their 3-13 finish last year. So if they do maintain this way of thinking, here’s a good preview of how things might shake out.
1st Round
player. 57. Sexy as taking a quarterback or a defensive back at #3 sounds, reality is just different. No QBs are worth that high a choice and the depth of this corner and safety classes make it such that the Bears can afford to wait until later on them. That just leaves the defensive line position. Word is the team has had eyes squarely on Jonathan Allen of Alabama for the past couple months with Vic Fangio himself attending the Crimson Tide pro day. <p>There are minor concerns regarding arthritis in his shoulders and some good-not-great combine numbers. Even so, the tape tells the real story. Allen is a force up front. Plain and simple. He can play multiple positions along the defensive line, is able to stack and shed blockers and has the quickness to deliver a pass rush. Nobody can say the idea of pairing him with Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman doesn’t sound appealing. That sort of front, health permitting, could be dominant.</p>. DE. Alabama. Jonathan Allen . 1