Chicago Bears Complete 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
By Erik Lambert
Dec 27, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive end Randy Gregory (4) looks on before the game against the USC Trojans in the 2014 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
With six picks presently at their disposal, how can the Chicago Bears attack the coming NFL draft most successfully? Here is their first complete mock.
1st Round – Randy Gregory – DE – Nebraska
Whether it’s a 4-3 or a 3-4, the bottom line is the Bears need a serious infusion of youth to their pass rushers, specifically youth and athleticism. Randy Gregory has tons of both. He is still raw and unpolished, but most agree the Nebraska defensive end is a freak of nature that can dominate at the top level if harnessed properly.
Live Feed
Bear Goggles On
2nd Round – Derron Smith – FS – Fresno State
Size may permit players to do certain things others can’t, but it’s not a definining characteristic of all the good ones. More than a few shorter defensive backs have found tons of success in the NFL and Derron Smith can be one of those types. Though only 5’11”, the Fresno State safety is a complete football player who can tackle, blitz and play tight coverage all with equal success.
3rd Round – Tyler Lockett – WR – Kansas State
From the beginning of this past season experts worried that the Bears had lots of talent and size at wide receiver but were lacking an element of speed to compliment it. Their 23rd ranked 6.0 yards per pass play proved them correct. So adding some lightning to their overdose of thunder can only help. Tyler Lockett continues to get overlooked out of Kansas State, and that’s a shame. He is not only fast enough to take the top off a defense but he’s already a polished route runner who has killed defensive backs during his time in college.
4th Round – Connor Halliday – QB – Washington State
At some point one can’t count out the prospects of Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox adding a little heat to the quarterback competition. They may not go early in that direction, but don’t be surprised if they seek out a high-upside project in the middle rounds. Connor Halliday is a great example. He is off a lot of radars because of the season-ending injury he suffered at Washington State, but before that he was lighting defenses up, still finishing fourth overall in passing despite missing the final three games. He has the size at 6’4″ along with a strong arm, good accuracy and leadership qualities. Certainly worth a 4th round look as Jay Cutler insurance…
5th Round – (Traded To Denver)
6th Round – Adam Shead – OG – Oklahoma
John Fox loves to play physical football, and it starts up front for his offenses. That means big offensive lineman with power in their game. Adam Shead would be a great fit. Lack of polish and technique issues will hurt him on the board, but he plays with an edge and can deliver strong pops to defenders who try to get by him. At 339 lbs he is a mammoth and won’t be easy to stop if he can get a head of steam in the run game.
7th Round – Darius Kilgo – DT – Maryland
The same principles apply on the defensive side. Fox, traditionally, loves to have big guys on the interior who can shut down the running game of the opponent, forcing them to become one-dimensional. Darius Kilgo fits that mold. He is big but lower to the ground and demonstrates power, able to hold his spot or drive blockers back into the quarterback. Still has plenty of mechanical flaws, but those are correctable. High upside pick here.