The Chicago Bears traded the first overall pick to the Carolina Panthers, but they’re still in a prime position with the ninth overall selection.
They have a number of needs to address with their 10 draft picks, especially along the defensive and offensive lines. And there’s a chance that a top defensive tackle could fall to them at No. 9.
Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt unveiled his latest mock draft, where he has Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter falling to the Bears at ninth overall.
Now you’re getting to a spot at the draft where the [Bears] are like, ‘So we can trade out of No. 1, get a ton of picks to build our roster, and still come away with what many people think is the best player in the draft.’ … Sign me up. I think the Bears take Jalen Carter.
There are a lot of red flags to Jalen Carter, his talent might outweigh the red flags for some organizations, and he might very well be picked [earlier], but you look at how this process has gone for him, and it has not gone well.
Carter’s draft stock has taken a hit after his off-field issues and poor pro day performance, and there are reportedly some teams that have taken him off their draft board.
Carter would elevate the Bears’ defensive line, which was the league’s worst last season. He’s everything Matt Eberflus is looking for in a disruptive 3-technique. But would they take a risk on Carter given his character issues?
According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, it sounds like if Carter is available at ninth overall that the Bears will draft him. Miller said Chicago is said to “value him highly.” It sounds like general manager Ryan Poles and his staff have done their due diligence on Carter.
