Dane Brugler bears 7 round draft

[Stinger226]

1-10. Tyler Warren 

2-39 trevon Henderson 

2-41  Aireonte Ersery 

3-72 Jack Sawyer 

5-148 Jaylon Reed/ S

7-233 Cody Lindenberg/ LB 

7-240  Kyonte Hamilton/DT 

I like a few other players better but would have no problem if this is where we ended up.

[dawhizz]

Really not too bad.  I'm not a big fan or Warren at 10, but it hard to dispute that it would be kinda fun.

In fact, I've been toying with a "what would be the most fun Bears draft that would actually make sense" mock draft.  Like, not what I think they should do, or what I would do, but what would be most entertaining for potential use of the players, storylines going into the offseason, interesting stories to follow going into the season, etc.  Here's what I came up with:

1) Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State - I think he's the most fun potential "toy" for Ben Johnson as far as where is he going to line up and how it he going to be used.  There's an argument for Jeanty being more fun, but there's another later RB possibility that would arguably be more interesting/fun

2a) Josiah Stewart, Edge, Michigan - Not sure who the most entertaining edge prospect around this time, but I'll got with the guy who seems undersized but seems to always beat bigger guys (top three pass rush win rate last year among edges).  Doesn't seem like a fit in the Dennis Allen scheme, but that's what makes it interesting.

2b) Marcus Mbow, OT, Purdue - College RT who might be an NFL center but McShay says is determined to play LT.  Some people don't like him at all, but I've seen at least one say he may be the best OL in the draft (https://www.thedraftnetwork.com/2024/11/06/marcus-mbow-best-ol-2025-nfl-draft).  Sounds fun!

3) Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State - Another where I'm not the biggest fan of the player, but his potential and playing style are very fun to think about on the Bears and people would go crazy about him.

5) JJ Pegues, DT, Mississippi - What more fun than "raw wrecking ball on defense and sometime 313 lb wildcat on offense"?

7a) Willie Lampkin, OL, North Carolina - A 5'10" 270 lb guard who somehow dominated against high level competition and might be a center and also might be a fullback.  I have no idea if he can play in the league but I'm fascinated to find out.

7b) Efton Chism III, WR, Eastern Washington - Doesn't every team need an undersized, small school white slot WR to root for during training camp? Here he is.

[Stinger226]

Not bad, never heard of Mbow being a LT. 

Willie would be intriguing but Poles likes length and he'll never measure up .

At 2a there should be a good choice of  higher rated DEs than Stewart.

[jason]

Hate. Seething hate for this mock. A TE in the first would already be a horrible move for this franchise. We don’t know what Kmet has until there is an offense in place that is coherent and creative enough to exploit defensive gaps. Elite TEs like Kittle and Mr. Taylor Swift are wide open multiple times a game and it’s not because they run 4.3s. 

Additionally, until the OL protects Caleb - which has a more likely chance this year - there is no way of knowing if the TE was truly successful, because a QB in front of a jail break will resort to one of three options: first read, check down, run.

And then to consider TE at 10?!?? Gimme a break. That would be atrocious.

[BearFan PHX]

31 minutes ago, jason said:

Hate. Seething hate for this mock. A TE in the first would already be a horrible move for this franchise. We don’t know what Kmet has until there is an offense in place that is coherent and creative enough to exploit defensive gaps. Elite TEs like Kittle and Mr. Taylor Swift are wide open multiple times a game and it’s not because they run 4.3s. 

Additionally, until the OL protects Caleb - which has a more likely chance this year - there is no way of knowing if the TE was truly successful, because a QB in front of a jail break will resort to one of three options: first read, check down, run.

And then to consider TE at 10?!?? Gimme a break. That would be atrocious.

I totally agree. Of course I want Banks at 10, but i can understand Jeanty or a Defensive lineman at 10 if you just cant pass them by.

But Tyler Warren is not that good, hes dramatically overrated in my view. I thin Courtland Loveland is a better TE, and looks like LaPorta. Id understand a WR here like Golden even more than Warren. Yuck!

[AZ54]

34 minutes ago, jason said:

Hate. Seething hate for this mock. A TE in the first would already be a horrible move for this franchise. We don’t know what Kmet has until there is an offense in place that is coherent and creative enough to exploit defensive gaps. Elite TEs like Kittle and Mr. Taylor Swift are wide open multiple times a game and it’s not because they run 4.3s. 

Additionally, until the OL protects Caleb - which has a more likely chance this year - there is no way of knowing if the TE was truly successful, because a QB in front of a jail break will resort to one of three options: first read, check down, run.

And then to consider TE at 10?!?? Gimme a break. That would be atrocious.

Nothing to add to that.  I don’t like it either.  I’m ok with Ersery in the 2nd  and Reed in the 5th. 

[Stinger226]

2 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

I totally agree. Of course I want Banks at 10, but i can understand Jeanty or a Defensive lineman at 10 if you just cant pass them by.

But Tyler Warren is not that good, hes dramatically overrated in my view. I thin Courtland Loveland is a better TE, and looks like LaPorta. Id understand a WR here like Golden even more than Warren. Yuck!

If Tyler Warren is an eventful all pro as people suggest, does that change your mind? I'm not a Warren advocate but if he adds a Bower type year, that means this offense is cooking. 

[BearFan PHX]

1 hour ago, Stinger226 said:

If Tyler Warren is an eventful all pro as people suggest, does that change your mind? I'm not a Warren advocate but if he adds a Bower type year, that means this offense is cooking. 

If any player is going to be a HOF player for example, then yes of course you want them. But I dont see it with Warren. I see a lot of hype, but the film doesnt back it up.

I don't even think he is the best TE in this draft. I think he had production in college because they had no WRs on his team, so they funneled the ball to him a lot, and schemed him open, but youre not going to hide him in the NFL. I didnt see him beating guys for balls, or blocking a ton, I didnt see spectacular catches, I saw a rumbling guy how found dead spots in zones and got the ball a lot. Kmet is better.

It's another case of people (writers) reading stats and not watching film to put it into context. Same with Omarion Hampton. And again, it's not like i have some secret talent at film evaluation. ANYONE can see it if they watch the tape instead of reading the numbers and what other writers wrote about the numbers.

If you watch a game that Tyler Warren is in with a 12 year old and say nothing, the kid is not begging you to buy his jersey at the end of it. that's as simple as this is.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

24 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

If any player is going to be a HOF player for example, then yes of course you want them. But I dont see it with Warren. I see a lot of hype, but the film doesnt back it up.

I don't even think he is the best TE in this draft. I think he had production in college because they had no WRs on his team, so they funneled the ball to him a lot, and schemed him open, but youre not going to hide him in the NFL. I didnt see him beating guys for balls, or blocking a ton, I didnt see spectacular catches, I saw a rumbling guy how found dead spots in zones and got the ball a lot. Kmet is better.

I tend to agree that he isn't top 10 hype and more 20-32, only because this draft isn't deep.  I think the Mitchell Evans from Notre Dame can be a sleeper bc their QB would rather run the ball than throw.  He could be taken round 5.

[BearFan PHX]

6 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

I tend to agree that he isn't top 10 hype and more 20-32, only because this draft isn't deep.  I think the Mitchell Evans from Notre Dame can be a sleeper bc their QB would rather run the ball than throw.  He could be taken round 5.

and Courtland Loveland is a true middle field matchup problem, just like McMillan is. Either one could play the LaPorta role better than Warren.

And I know Johnson isn't going to replicate his Detroit offense here, but Warren doesnt really do anything that well. he just has big production numbers. He doesnt body people to get the ball well, and he certainly doesnt get away from anyone. he doesnt break well at the top of his route. He's just a poor man's Kmet. At least Kmet bodies people. They both run like Frankenstein. lol

[ASHKUM BEAR]

40 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

and Courtland Loveland is a true middle field matchup problem, just like McMillan is. Either one could play the LaPorta role better than Warren.

And I know Johnson isn't going to replicate his Detroit offense here, but Warren doesnt really do anything that well. he just has big production numbers. He doesnt body people to get the ball well, and he certainly doesnt get away from anyone. he doesnt break well at the top of his route. He's just a poor man's Kmet. At least Kmet bodies people. They both run like Frankenstein. lol

There is an athletic prospect from Bowling Green that I thought could be a LaPorta type.  I haven't watched any tape, but only read his draftbuzz profile. 

Harold Fanning Jr

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Harold-FanninJr-TE-BowlingGreen

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Sam-LaPorta-TE-Iowa

[BearFan PHX]

16 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

There is an athletic prospect from Bowling Green that I thought could be a LaPorta type.  I haven't watched any tape, but only read his draftbuzz profile. 

Harold Fanning Jr

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Harold-FanninJr-TE-BowlingGreen

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Sam-LaPorta-TE-Iowa

Oh yeah, I forgot to include him, he's amazing too. I would love to us go R1 LT Banks, R2 DL/S, R2 HB Kaleb Johnson, R3 TE Fannin, and pick up WR Jack Bech and then go for depth.

And in the 5th round TE Oronde Gadsden is pretty good too!

[Stinger226]

I have watched highlight films and 2 games, it's not my opinion he's a blue chip player that's almost every scouting services lists as the 6 in this draft. Ben Johnson commented on him and DA said he would not like to scheme against him. 

I don't know if he is or isn't but I forgot to check on  here before I made that outrageous statement ( an all pro type), I apologize.

[AZ54]

2 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

I have watched highlight films and 2 games, it's not my opinion he's a blue chip player that's almost every scouting services lists as the 6 in this draft. Ben Johnson commented on him and DA said he would not like to scheme against him. 

I don't know if he is or isn't but I forgot to check on  here before I made that outrageous statement ( an all pro type), I apologize.

I don't take PHX comments to mean Warren isn't a good player just that he's not an elite talent.  Plus you can get similar talent later in the draft.  I don't see the All Pro skillset either.  He might get there if he's on that right team that can get him the numbers (ala KC) but he's not Kelce either.  Kelce was a unicorn as a runner at his size.  If you watch Warren's highlights closely you'll see often how quickly he gets run down.  It might be a big gain because he was wide open.  

I disagree a bit with PHX in that I think Warren is good at many things he's just not great at any.   He'd make our roster better just not as good as other picks we can get at 10.  Those other picks (i.e. Banks, Nolen) don't have to be All Pro either to make the team better than it would be with Warren, at least that's how I see it if the trenches are solid.   

[Stinger226]

54 minutes ago, AZ54 said:

I don't take PHX comments to mean Warren isn't a good player just that he's not an elite talent.  Plus you can get similar talent later in the draft.  I don't see the All Pro skillset either.  He might get there if he's on that right team that can get him the numbers (ala KC) but he's not Kelce either.  Kelce was a unicorn as a runner at his size.  If you watch Warren's highlights closely you'll see often how quickly he gets run down.  It might be a big gain because he was wide open.  

I disagree a bit with PHX in that I think Warren is good at many things he's just not great at any.   He'd make our roster better just not as good as other picks we can get at 10.  Those other picks (i.e. Banks, Nolen) don't have to be All Pro either to make the team better than it would be with Warren, at least that's how I see it if the trenches are solid.   

I'm not routing for Warren just wouldn't have a problem if we took him.

I heard an interesting stat today. 50% of all first round picks never get second contracts with the team that drafted them. Not that they all are misses just that they never lived up to expectations.

[BearFan PHX]

Yes, I was probably over speaking in passion in regards to the #10 pick, Warren will be a starter in this league somewhere. I just dont think he will shine in the NFL. I dont think his game translates to the kind of numbers he had in college.

Id jump at him in the 3rd round, thatd be a no brainer, so his real value is somewhere between 70 and 10. Id say below 20, maybe lower.

But I also want to repeat that Im just projecting how the player I saw on film will do in the NFL. So how their current toolbox will apply. There will be some players who will learn from NFL coaches and become a lot better. You can guess at who those will be too based on attitude, flashes of tools that they arent consistent with etc., but some player in the first round will shine and prove any doubters wrong. So Im not saying I KNOW Warren is gonna just be average in the NFL, but if I had to bet right now, that'd be my bet.

I also think he's a bit of draft smoke all the GMs are using to disguise their true intentions. Maybe he will go early, but I wont be shocked if Warren slides on draft day.