#10 Mock Draft Selection

[Mongo3451]

9 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

We should have the best opportunity to draft the second best edge in the draft.  That's a priority position. Is that the common sense pick? I don't consider Walker an edge ( LB) but many do. 

DT, RB and TE have depth so the second round could still get good players there. Many project 6 pass rushers to go in the first round.

LT is another upgrade position but prospects that fit Poles criteria are there in 2nd or 3rd. Banks and Simmons are the only 2 first round picks that fit LT. Doubt he picks an injured player 2 years in a row so if they deem Banks a blue chip LT, he may be there pick.

Narrowing things down, I think you are on point.  EDGE is a known huge need for us.  OG, 3 tech, RB and TE are tremendously deep.  It makes me want 5 picks in rounds 2 and 3.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

9 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

That was DABEARSDABOMB that said that. I don't think that at all.

Wait what did I say? I’ve said Jeanty is my pick if Bears don’t have a high grade on a LT, DE, DB or a good trade down offer when they pick at 10.

Jeanty is a blue chip talent and a true difference maker and the Bears flat out need more of those in general. 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

https://mcshay-report.beehiiv.com/p/how-to-build-through-the-trenches-in-the-2025-nfl-draft-87f29cafaf3f5b51
 

Thought this was pretty good by Tod Mcshay. Focused on the oline and interior dline. 
 

Real nice things said about a few of our favorites - Banks, Simmons and Minny LT all had good things said. 
 

Simmons concerns around work ethic mentioned - basically most talent LT, but injury issues and some work ethic stuff cited. 

[Stinger226]

45 minutes ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

https://mcshay-report.beehiiv.com/p/how-to-build-through-the-trenches-in-the-2025-nfl-draft-87f29cafaf3f5b51
 

Thought this was pretty good by Tod Mcshay. Focused on the oline and interior dline. 
 

Real nice things said about a few of our favorites - Banks, Simmons and Minny LT all had good things said. 
 

Simmons concerns around work ethic mentioned - basically most talent LT, but injury issues and some work ethic stuff cited. 

Great article, I like the ones that give you NFL comparison to give a better idea of the player.

Interesting that Membou/ Darnell Wright.

Ersery/ Orlando Brown 

Conerly/ Slater 

Banks/ Vera-Tucker 

Vera-Tucker is playing RG for the Jets, I find that odd.

[jason]

On 4/7/2025 at 3:23 PM, Mongo3451 said:

I believe our current guys are smarter than that.  Wright should never play left tackle.  If anything else, guard.  

However, I am a proponent of trying a failed OT at other positions before giving up on them.

Yeah, I'm all for recycling. I just can't stand how they immediately misplaced multiple players and thought it would work out.

I don't care to look back into to Talkbears history, but I remember breaking this down at one point and the Bears had an entire OL comprised of guys playing at other than their primary position.

[BearFan PHX]

2 hours ago, jason said:

I don't care to look back into to Talkbears history, but I remember breaking this down at one point and the Bears had an entire OL comprised of guys playing at other than their primary position.

Pathetic. "Smartest guy in the room" behavior by our former staffs.

Sometimes it's not that hard. Sometimes you just let a guy play his position.

[adam]

Slightly off topic, but no matter which Mock Draft Simulator I use, it seems like the Bears can come away with 4x Day One starters and another 1-2 contributors (backup Safety, LB, etc).

[Mongo3451]

3 hours ago, jason said:

I don't care to look back into to Talkbears history, but I remember breaking this down at one point and the Bears had an entire OL comprised of guys playing at other than their primary position.

I remember.  It was during the Cutler era, when 75% of our cap was going to the defense.  Too many square pegs and round holes.  It was maddening.

[BearFan PHX]

I see Banks going in a lot of mock drafts at 11, 13 and 16. With Banks being the 3rd OT off the board, and the last of the 1st round graded OTs.

So this is possibly why the Bears are talking up Warren, and to some extent Jeanty (although they may really like him) so that teams at 11, 13 and 16 don't trade up above us to snag Banks.

In the real world, everyone knows we redid our OL, and that we still have a need at OT, so I figure teams know we might be looking there no matter what is in the papers. Its hard to fool NFL teams. They arent all as stupid as we have been in the recent past LOL

If we dont take an OT in the first round, I suspect we will look at Arionte Ersery. He will be there int he 2nd round, and possibly in the 3rd. Would we risk it to take two impact players in the 2nd?

If we held out and got something like:

R1 Jeanty
R2 DL
R2 HB
R3 Ersery

that would be amazing. But it would take some balls because if Ersery isnt there, its Jones and Amagadje.

Being fearful of a hole at the position myself. Im looking at Banks at 10, passing by some really great names that i wish we could take that could help us at DL, WR, HB, TE

and if Banks isnt there, or we cant resist the temptation to take one of those other players, then I am reaching a bit int he 2nd round to grab Ersery so we are sure we have him. Im not thrilled with going into the season adding a player like Grant from W&M - is he really any better than Amagadje anyway?

[Stinger226]

27 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

I see Banks going in a lot of mock drafts at 11, 13 and 16. With Banks being the 3rd OT off the board, and the last of the 1st round graded OTs.

So this is possibly why the Bears are talking up Warren, and to some extent Jeanty (although they may really like him) so that teams at 11, 13 and 16 don't trade up above us to snag Banks.

In the real world, everyone knows we redid our OL, and that we still have a need at OT, so I figure teams know we might be looking there no matter what is in the papers. Its hard to fool NFL teams. They arent all as stupid as we have been in the recent past LOL

If we dont take an OT in the first round, I suspect we will look at Arionte Ersery. He will be there int he 2nd round, and possibly in the 3rd. Would we risk it to take two impact players in the 2nd?

If we held out and got something like:

R1 Jeanty
R2 DL
R2 HB
R3 Ersery

that would be amazing. But it would take some balls because if Ersery isnt there, its Jones and Amagadje.

Being fearful of a hole at the position myself. Im looking at Banks at 10, passing by some really great names that i wish we could take that could help us at DL, WR, HB, TE

and if Banks isnt there, or we cant resist the temptation to take one of those other players, then I am reaching a bit int he 2nd round to grab Ersery so we are sure we have him. Im not thrilled with going into the season adding a player like Grant from W&M - is he really any better than Amagadje anyway?

The magic question is what the coaches think of Braxton/Kiran. If they deem that a weak spot they may take a OT at 10. 

[dawhizz]

52 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

The magic question is what the coaches think of Braxton/Kiran. If they deem that a weak spot they may take a OT at 10. 

I just don’t think you can take a(nother) OT in the top ten unless you are sure he can be a stud LT and none of these guys are that. There isn’t a Joe Alt in this draft class. I’m ok taking a guy round two you can try at LT but might be something else, but with every other spot on the o-line spoken for for the next few years (depending on what happens with a potential Thuney extension), I can’t take a guy top ten who I’m not reasonable sure can challenge Braxton and Kiran at LT sooner rather than later. 

[BearFan PHX]

1 hour ago, Stinger226 said:

The magic question is what the coaches think of Braxton/Kiran. If they deem that a weak spot they may take a OT at 10. 

While we disagree with how we each answer this question, I totally agree that IS the question!

[BearFan PHX]

25 minutes ago, dawhizz said:

I just don’t think you can take a(nother) OT in the top ten unless you are sure he can be a stud LT and none of these guys are that. There isn’t a Joe Alt in this draft class. I’m ok taking a guy round two you can try at LT but might be something else, but with every other spot on the o-line spoken for for the next few years (depending on what happens with a potential Thuney extension), I can’t take a guy top ten who I’m not reasonable sure can challenge Braxton and Kiran at LT sooner rather than later. 

well if that is the eval on the OTs, then I would totally agree with you. But most mocks have 3 OTs going in the top 10, and to my eye Kelvin Banks looks the part. You wouldnt take Banks unless you think he is the day 1 starter, and I think that he is for sure.

[Mongo3451]

I like Kiper's 2 round mock for us. 

Tyler Warren

Walker Nolan

TreVeyon Henderson

If we follow that up with Tate Ratledge or Wyatt Millum in the third, I would be impressed...

[AZ54]

22 hours ago, Mongo3451 said:

Narrowing things down, I think you are on point.  EDGE is a known huge need for us.  OG, 3 tech, RB and TE are tremendously deep.  It makes me want 5 picks in rounds 2 and 3.

Why I'd be comfortable taking Mykel Williams at 10:  We need a solid 3rd DE who can support the rotation and be good on run defense.  Booker ain't that, neither is anybody else on our roster.   Williams is young and lean but he's already strong at the point of attack.  Georgia often used him inside and while he doesn't really belong there he still held his ground.   He has the athleticism to offer a lot of upside on pass rush.  His pass rushing skills aren't there yet and at times he looks like a 2yr old flailing his hands about.  He played through injury too in a year where he was headed to the draft which demonstrates a love for the game.  His burst and agility make him a great asset on stunts.  Dennis Allen will know how to use him along with Sweat and Dayo on 3rd and long.  

 

This is from before the college season:

 

[Mongo3451]

12 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

Why I'd be comfortable taking Mykel Williams at 10:  We need a solid 3rd DE who can support the rotation and be good on run defense.  Booker ain't that, neither is anybody else on our roster.   Williams is young and lean but he's already strong at the point of attack.  Georgia often used him inside and while he doesn't really belong there he still held his ground.   He has the athleticism to offer a lot of upside on pass rush.  His pass rushing skills aren't there yet and at times he looks like a 2yr old flailing his hands about.  He played through injury too in a year where he was headed to the draft which demonstrates a love for the game.  His burst and agility make him a great asset on stunts.  Dennis Allen will know how to use him along with Sweat and Dayo on 3rd and long.  

 

This is from before the college season:

 

I like him and believe he's only 20.  I'm getting excited for this draft.

[Stinger226]

1 hour ago, dawhizz said:

I just don’t think you can take a(nother) OT in the top ten unless you are sure he can be a stud LT and none of these guys are that. There isn’t a Joe Alt in this draft class. I’m ok taking a guy round two you can try at LT but might be something else, but with every other spot on the o-line spoken for for the next few years (depending on what happens with a potential Thuney extension), I can’t take a guy top ten who I’m not reasonable sure can challenge Braxton and Kiran at LT sooner rather than later. 

I agree with everything you say. Banks will become a starter but I have heard no one say he is all pro potential. How much better is he than what we have? Better but by how much? Jones was ranked 21th out of all OTs that played last year. So if Banks is 15? Is that worth pick 10?

[dawhizz]

51 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

well if that is the eval on the OTs, then I would totally agree with you. But most mocks have 3 OTs going in the top 10, and to my eye Kelvin Banks looks the part. You wouldnt take Banks unless you think he is the day 1 starter, and I think that he is for sure.

I don’t see day one starter from Banks, the more I look at him. He has a ton of starts in college but doesn’t seem to have actually gotten better at anything as far as I can tell.

I also am starting to have an issue with the narrative “if he’s not a LT, he can be a pro bowl caliber guard”. Remember Bears greats Alex Leatherwood and Jason Spriggs? Leatherwood was taken #17 overall and Spriggs went in the second. Both were drafted as future left tackles, but fizzed out, bounced around, and now can’t start anywhere. And, you guessed it, both were touted as having  guard/tackle flexibility.
 

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/alex-leatherwood/32004c45-4173-2379-61f9-b62d58f5c85e
 

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jason-spriggs/32005350-5215-0252-7d93-dd095a1e8449

Leatherwood was tried at guard before being cut by the Raiders. Evan Neal, drafted three years ago by the Giants, appears headed for a similar fate although there doesn’t appear to be much optimism there (https://giantswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/giants/2025/03/08/new-york-giants-finally-prepared-move-evan-neal-guard/82041590007/). 
 

Plus, keep in mind Membou, Campbell, Banks, Simmons, Conerly, and Ersery never played guard in college. I don’t think it’s as easy a potential transition as everyone is making it out to be if they fail at LT. 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

well if that is the eval on the OTs, then I would totally agree with you. But most mocks have 3 OTs going in the top 10, and to my eye Kelvin Banks looks the part. You wouldnt take Banks unless you think he is the day 1 starter, and I think that he is for sure.

Arm Length is important to Poles, but what about Johnson?   Found this tidbit tonight.  

"However, one thing to note is that Detroit, Ben Johnson's former team, had two starting tackles with sub-34" long arms. Maybe arm length isn't as big of a concern for Johnson as it others."

Another tidbit from Courtney Cronin. https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2025/4/10/24405016/courtney-cronin-i-think-chicago-bears-are-having-talks-about-offensive-tackle-at-10-will-campbell

“That left tackle spot, when Ryan Poles talks about using that number 10 pick, very high draft pick, you need to think of short-term and long-term concerns,” Cronin stated. “I tend to believe that the Braxton Jones conundrum that they’re facing right now. Ben Johnson said he is not expected to be full-go by the start of training camp. Do you really think they’re going to have Kiran Amegadjie go into training camp as the Left Tackle 1, as the starting left tackle, without any competition?” 

[BearFan PHX]

1 hour ago, Stinger226 said:

I have heard no one say he is all pro potential.

This is from NFLDraftBuzz, I think we have both approved of their evaluations before?

Anyway, it's just another opinion, doesn't prove anything, but people are saying it.

"Banks projects as a high-ceiling prospect who could excel at either tackle or guard, with the versatility to be a day-one impact starter at either spot."

and

"Banks has the tools to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber player at either spot"

then they do go on to say that he might make a better OG, which is fine, but they just said All Pro at either spot.

They also say, which might be just as important...

"His floor appears to be that of a quality starting tackle, with All-Pro potential if kicked inside. "

That doesn't mean he isnt All pro material at OT, it means at WORST he is a quality starting tackle and at WORST he would have all pro potential at OG.

None of this means we should include his potential at OG if we take him. We would take him purely as an OT.

So again, not proof of anything other than that people ARE saying it of him as an OT. But if you turn off the noise, and watch him, he's pretty damned good. He's raw and young, but already effective, and I can imagine Roushar will turn him into a monster.

 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I will say - my personal opinion is all of the LT prospects have too many warts to take at 10. I also tend to think the same thing with the line prospects. They all feel like guys who you could get between 15-25 in a normal year. 
 

I also think the next wave of LT prospects (Simmons, Minny OT) are probably guys who are 20-30 most years and might go 30-40. Dline I think the wave that goes in 30–50 are probably better than most years. 
 

It is why I think the Bears have to really focus and say if they stay at 10, who is a difference maker, who really stands out above the rest and is going to be a great football player for a long time. Is it a DB - go get him…don’t reach for an LT or DT when you think you have a probowl DB or RB or TE or LB there. Using many positions as an example.

same thing in round 2 and 3 - if the board lined up and you take one of Simmons or the other tackle in round 2 cause you think they are a high upside guy / potential good starter there - go get them. If the next 2nd rounder you look and go wow, we got a guy we have a high guard grade on, go get him too. Bottom line - go where the talent is not where the need is. The roster is there to get talent vs need. 
 

The Bears need talent - period. If it means LT gets ignored, I think you than add one more vet in free agency and go with what you have and swing again next year (knowing they did a lot this year).

Bottom Line: Polls can not get cute. Go get starters and guys you view as individuals who can develop into starters and have upside. Not drafting for floors - go big or go home with first 4 picks. 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I should note - if Joe Alt was in this draft, I would be standing on the table to trade one of our 2nds plus #10 to go up and get him. Would be a no doubter and I’d probably even go heavier than that. But Joe Alt isn’t in this draft. Could there be an all pro LT in the draft - sure, but I wouldn’t bet on it being any of the top guys and could just as easily be the 4th or 5th OT off the board. 
 

It is why as much as I am not a fan of taking Jeanty at 10 that I would have zero reservations if Bears took him at 10. I fully believe he is an all pro talent.
 

Now if I had a view another one of the players on board was an all pro type of talent (agnostic of position), at that point I’d look at positional values. 
 

Now if I thought Warren and Jeanty were all pros - I actually don’t know which position I would rank higher. Would probably lean Jeanty because they have Kmet. 

[dawhizz]

I agree with all of that. We would have to be ok with potentially missing out on any projectable LT though. I was listening to McShay’s podcast today and he was saying that there is a possibility that you pass on a LT early in the draft (and he actually used the Bears as an example) thinking you will have a chance at a guy in the early second, then Simmons goes mid first, Conerly goes late first, and Ersey goes late first or ends up the only potential LT still available at the end of day one, what do you do? Do you try to trade up to get Erery when those other guys go? Do you reach for a guy like Anthony Belton or Charles Grant as early as the second? Or do you trust your board and stick to your guns even if you miss out on a LT prospect? Because it’s a real possibility. I’d like to believe we’d stay committed to adding the best players and not reach and just see what we get from Braxton and Kiran, but I’m not so sure. 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

33 minutes ago, dawhizz said:

I agree with all of that. We would have to be ok with potentially missing out on any projectable LT though. I was listening to McShay’s podcast today and he was saying that there is a possibility that you pass on a LT early in the draft (and he actually used the Bears as an example) thinking you will have a chance at a guy in the early second, then Simmons goes mid first, Conerly goes late first, and Ersey goes late first or ends up the only potential LT still available at the end of day one, what do you do? Do you try to trade up to get Erery when those other guys go? Do you reach for a guy like Anthony Belton or Charles Grant as early as the second? Or do you trust your board and stick to your guns even if you miss out on a LT prospect? Because it’s a real possibility. I’d like to believe we’d stay committed to adding the best players and not reach and just see what we get from Braxton and Kiran, but I’m not so sure. 

I think that is a real possibility. I would personally look at moving up depending on if those guys went early and if there value lined up to what you were doing. But if you liked the 3 evenly and had them as say a 25th overall pick and 2 were gone and one was left and you were at picking 31 - presuming they were higher on list, I would move up. 
 

Knowing we have Jones and Kiran - I’d also be fine if we couldn’t get fair value in a trade and liked the board and went a different route. I certainly wouldn’t reach. 

If Bears hadn’t done what they did earlier I may say no they have to reach because it is too important for Caleb but I don’t feel that way now. 

[BearFan PHX]

46 minutes ago, dawhizz said:

I agree with all of that. We would have to be ok with potentially missing out on any projectable LT though. I was listening to McShay’s podcast today and he was saying that there is a possibility that you pass on a LT early in the draft (and he actually used the Bears as an example) thinking you will have a chance at a guy in the early second, then Simmons goes mid first, Conerly goes late first, and Ersey goes late first or ends up the only potential LT still available at the end of day one, what do you do? Do you try to trade up to get Erery when those other guys go? Do you reach for a guy like Anthony Belton or Charles Grant as early as the second? Or do you trust your board and stick to your guns even if you miss out on a LT prospect? Because it’s a real possibility. I’d like to believe we’d stay committed to adding the best players and not reach and just see what we get from Braxton and Kiran, but I’m not so sure. 

This is the math for sure. Where ytou project Ersery to go is a BIG part of what you can do at 10. If you think you can get him at 39, then that makes it easier to go BPA at 10 for sure. But if it's someone like Grant there at 39, and you think you need a LT, then I think you gotta go Banks.
 

1 hour ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

The Bears need talent - period. If it means LT gets ignored, I think you than add one more vet in free agency and go with what you have and swing again next year (knowing they did a lot this year).

Id be Ok with this in general, but who is the Free Agent LT that's still available? Of course i cant know what they think of Amagadje. Maybe he is equivalent to Ersery in their minds, and will be a ready starter for this year? I dont see it from the film, but he is raw. Who knows what they think?