We look at what NFL experts expect the Chicago Bears will do with the ninth overall pick on Thursday night.
The time is almost upon us. In just over 24 hours, the Chicago Bears will embark on what could be their most impactful draft in team history. With two first-round picks, they can acquire two of the best prospects in the draft. General Manager Ryan Poles has been busy with his game plan. He said he already knows what he’ll do. He said we just had to wait until Thursday to find out his plan.
We will go over what experts think the Chicago Bears will do. The first thing to know about Poles’ plan is that we pretty much understand what his first move is. The Chicago Bears have the number one pick and it appears that Poles is ready to use that pick on USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
Poles spent this offseason revamping the offense. With added firepower on offense (such as running back D’Andre Swift, tight end Gerald Everett, and six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen), and, after trading Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, there is a huge need at quarterback.
It just so happens that Williams is considered a generational quarterback. Poles followed Williams around like a lovesick puppy dog, wining and dining him twice, so the obvious choice at the top of the draft is Williams.
What happens after that, however, is up for grabs. There are many options open for the Chicago Bears at nine. Poles can pick up an elite prospect there. On the other hand, he could make a big splash and move up to pick up someone like wide receiver Marvin Harrision Jr, who is considered the best overall prospect in this draft.
Some reports say picks number three (New England Patriots), four (Arizona Cardinals), and five (Los Angeles Chargers) are up for sale. These are teams that have multiple holes. They are willing to trade down to nine, where they can still find a great prospect, and add more picks to fill those holes.
The Chicago Bears also have some holes to fill so Poles could decide to move down and acquire more picks himself.
The Chicago Bears’ second pick could set the draft on fire. All those options will grab the attention of a lot of teams. That is a pick in which teams that don’t have the assets to go up higher can still get a prospect they covet. Additionally, Poles can move up from there and not give up the farm. Yes, it will still cost a pretty penny, but not as much as it would if he was lower.
What the experts expect the Chicago Bears to do
Let’s take a look at what the experts expect from the Chicago Bears. here are a few of their predictions. All of the experts have Williams at number one so we will go with what happens at nine.
Nate Davis, USA Today
Number Nine: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Trading down could be temping for Chicago, which has a draft-low four selections, as well. Yet the Bears, who have been busily building a proper supporting cast for Williams, are also dangerously thin at wideout behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, who will be 32 by Week 1 and is only under contract for this season… The 6-3, 212-pounder (Rome Odunze) has a sterling off-field reputation plus the ball skills and production (92 catches, for 1,640 yards, 13 TDs in 2023) to be a co-WR1 with Moore in 2025 and beyond.
Courtney Cronin, ESPN
Number Nine: Rome Odunze
Bears general manager Ryan Poles continues to add to the offense with Odunze, a receiver who might have been the first off the board in drafts that didn’t feature so much talent at wideout. Adding the big-bodied receiver to a position group that already boasts DJ Moore and Keenan Allen gives the Bears an unquestioned top-five trio for Williams’ rookie season.
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com
Number Nine: Rome Odunze
As a physical playmaker with a high IQ and positional flexibility, Odunze is a perfect complement to veteran studs DJ Moore and Keenan Allen in the receiving corps. Caleb Williams has quite the arsenal to work with.
Rob Rang, FOX Sports
Number Nine: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
With this pick, Poles gives Williams some protection with the best offensive tackle in the draft. Braxton Jones has been a decent tackle in his two seasons so far, but the Chicago Bears and Williams need an elite blindside blocker.
If Caleb Williams is really going to take the NFL by storm, he’ll need greater protection up front than Chicago provided Justin Fields. Pairing the pro-ready Alt with last year’s top pick Darnell Wright would give the Bears the size and physicality up front that they haven’t had in decades.
Eric Galko, CBS Sports
Number 15: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
Galko has the Chicago Bears trading down with the Indianapolis Colts, acquiring a much-needed edge rusher, Dallas Turner, and amassing a few more picks.
Chicago may stay put and take Byron Murphy II or Turner at 9, but being able to trade down, grab more future assets, and being able to pair Montez Sweat with Turner can give the Bears a strong pass rush for the future.
Connor Orr, Sports Illustrated
Number 15, Jared Verse, EDGE, FSU
Here is another trade with the Colts. While the Chicago Bears pick up an edge rusher here as well, it is Jared Verse instead. Many consider Verse to be the best pass rusher in the draft so picking up the top quarterback and defender gives Houston Texans 2023 vibes. They picked up C.J. Stroud and Mario Williams. Stroud was the Offensive Rookie of the Year and Williams was the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The board breaks for Chicago, and the Bears get the No. 1 quarterback and pass rusher available in the draft. Verse had 30 tackles for loss and 18 sacks over two seasons with the Seminoles, and gives head coach Matt Eberflus the ammunition he needs to create hell up front for opposing teams. A Bears defense that played well defensively down the stretch last year gets much better.
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