NFL Draft: Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft 4.0

PFF hated this pick (it gave me a grade of D), and the Bears fans reading this might agree. Another draft pick dedicated to the secondary, they'll say. We already have invested so much, they'll say.

Well, I say pish-posh.

Sure, the Bears signed Kevin Byard this past offseason. He'll join a loaded secondary that features four former second-round picks: Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, Jaquan Brisker, and recently-extended Jaylon Johnson.

One thing good teams do is create a line of succession. The Philadelphia Eagles have consistently done this with their offensive line. Jason Kelce retires, and Cam Jurgens, the former All-American center from Nebraska they drafted a few years ago, is ready to step in and take the reins.

Calen Bullock is one of the only true, rangy, ball-hawking free safeties in this year's draft. His range is elite, and a year under the tutelage of Kevin Byard would prove dividends for the 6-foot-3 Bullock, who notched nine total interceptions and two defensive touchdowns in his three-year career at USC. I have Bullock as a top-75 prospect, and given his potential and the pedigree he flashed on film, I wouldn't be surprised to see him go later in the second round.

Other players I considered at this spot were FSU receiver Johnny Wilson, UCLA Edge Gabriel Murphy, and Louisville receiver Jamari Thrash. Had the Bears not taken Bowers in round 1, I believe Wilson would have been an intriguing option as a potential position switch at the next level. Murphy, to me, is a bit too much of a developmental prospect to get this early in round 3, and Jamari Thrash is a prospect I like, though he reminds me a bit of Tyler Scott, and I don't believe the Bears are ready to throw in the towel on last year's fourth-round pick.

Round 4, Pick 108: Kansas State G Cooper Beebe

It might be quicker to name the awards Cooper Beebe hasn't won at the collegiate level. The redshirt senior lined up all over the place for the Kansas State Wildcats, logging snaps at every offensive line position except center.

In an offseason where the Bears bid farewell to another former versatile Wildcat in Cody Whitehair, they could replace one former stalwart along their offensive line with another in Beebe.

Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis have struggled to stay healthy for the Bears. Though Ryan Poles beefed up the interior offensive line depth with his trade for Ryan Bates, it could still use some proper depth should one of the starters go down for an extended period (especially since it appears Bates looks poised to compete for the center job). Ja'Tyre Carter is still developing, and Beebe has the pedigree to give the Bears an immediate quality backup who could develop into a long-term answer should the team not re-sign Jenkins or elect to move on from Davis after this season.

Round 4, Pick 122: Miami DI Leonard Taylor III

This one was a bit of a surprise, as many, including our own scouts, have pegged Leonard Taylor III as a second-round prospect for months, but some more poor (and surprising) testing has caused him to slide a bit heading into April. That said, the Bears have shown a penchant recently for taking players with inconsistent tape or shaky technique (Gervon Dexter, anyone) and coaxing development out of them relatively quickly.

Taylor just oozes those traits that Eberflus looks for in his defensive linemen. His length and athleticism, coupled with his explosiveness when getting through gaps, would make him a no-brainer for a selection midway through the fourth round.

Matt Eberflus continues his quest to find the engine to his defense at the three-technique defensive tackle spot, and Leonard Taylor exhibits all of the traits and pedigree to fill that void if the Bears' coaching staff can raise his floor and help him reach his ceiling as a player.

Round 4, Pick 129: Wake Forest CB Caelen Carson

Once again, fans will groan at another cornerback on the roster, but I urge you to watch some Caelen Carson film before you make any snap judgments. This kid can play, and he's tenacious. Flip on some of his tape against Keon Coleman in this year's FSU—Wake Forest game and you'll see a physically outmatched player make his opponent's life a living hell for four quarters.

The Bears have a legitimate secondary that could be the best in the NFL, but the depth behind their starters still needs to be improved. Last year, when Kyler Gordon went down in Week 1 against the Packers, the Bears struggled to fill that void at the nickel position. Carson would not only provide depth at the slot, but he also has outside versatility to back up either Jaylon Johnson or Tyrique Stevenson.

Caelen Carson and Kentucky's Dru Phillips are players coaching staffs will adore in the NFL. They're scrappy, physical defensive backs with high football IQs, aren't afraid to come up to the line of scrimmage to make a tackle, and can cover both receivers and tight ends. Andru Phillips has been rising on draft boards (he was selected 86th in this exercise), and I have Carson ranked right alongside him in my rankings. Getting Carson this late in the draft would be a steal, and he'd quickly become a fan favorite in Chicago.

Round 5, Pick 157: Michigan G Zak Zinter

Give me another hog molly all day, every day. You can tell that between Zak Zinter and Beebe, I want my offensive linemen to be physical and aggressive. These dudes want to hit people and enforce their will on the game at any moment, and that will get them far in the Windy City as they protect future franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Bears, under Shane Waldron, will likely continue to be a run-heavy team, and Zinter offers elite traits as a run-blocking offensive lineman with positional versatility. 

Bears Projected Offensive Depth Chart

Position	Starter	2nd String	3rd String
QB	Caleb Williams	Tyson Bagent	Brett Rypien
RB	D'Andre Swift	Khalil Herbert	Roschon Johnson
FB	Khari Blasingame
WR1	DJ Moore	Collin Johnson
WR2	Keenan Allen	Dante Pettis
WR3	Tyler Scott	Velus Jones Jr.
TE	Cole Kmet	Brock Bowers	Gerald Everett
LT	Braxton Jones	Matt Pryor	Jake Curan
LG	Teven Jenkins	Zak Zinter
C	Ryan Bates	Coleman Shelton
RG	Nate Davis	Cooper Beebe	Ja'Tyre Carter
RT	Darnell Wright	Larry Borom	Aviante Collins

Updated Defensive Depth Chart

Position	Starter	2nd String	3rd String
EDGE	Montez Sweat	Dominique Robinson
iDL	Andrew Billings	Zacch Pickens	Michael Dwumfour
iDL	Gervon Dexter Sr.	Leonard Taylor III
EDGE	DeMarcus Walker	Jake Martin
LB (WILL)	TJ Edwards	Daniel Hardy
LB (MIKE)	Tremaine Edmunds	Micah Baskerville
LB (SAM)	Jack Sanborn	Noah Sewell	Amen Ogbongbemiga
Slot CB	Kyler Gordon	Caelen Carson	Tarvarius Moore
CB1	Jaylon Johnson	Terell Smith	Josh Blackwell
CB2	Tyrique Stevenson	Caelen Carson	Jaylon Jones
SS	Jaquan Brisker	Jonathan Owens	Quindell Johnson
FS	Kevin Byard	Calen Bullock	Elijah Hicks