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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Alyssa Barbieri

Bears load up on offense in ESPN’s latest 3-round mock draft

The 2024 NFL draft is just over a week away, and the Chicago Bears are close to being on the clock with the first overall pick.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Field Yates unveiled a new three-round mock draft, where the Bears went all-in on offense with their three selections in the first three rounds.

In what will come as no surprise, Kiper has the Bears selecting quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. It’s all but a guarantee at this point after Chicago has spent extensive time with Williams, including on his one and only Top 30 visit of this pre-draft process.

This is a no-brainer pick. Williams is the best quarterback in this class, and the Bears need a franchise passer to build around.

With the ninth overall pick, Chicago elects to pair Williams with an elite wide receiver in Washington’s Rome Odunze. The addition of Odunze, who would be WR1 in any other draft class, would give the Bears one of the best receiver trios in the league with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.

I love this fit with Williams, though I thought about an offensive lineman or edge rusher too. Odunze could be a star. This is how Chicago can set up Williams to succeed as a rookie.

After using their pair of first rounders on offense, Kiper has the Bears sticking with offense and adding depth at offensive tackle with Yale’s Kiran Amegadjie. It’s an interesting move considering the needs along the defensive line, particularly edge rusher. But it isn’t exactly a deep position group.

Amegadjie played just four games last season after tearing his quad muscle in October, but he has intriguing traits in a 6-foot-5 frame. I thought about an edge rusher for the Bears, but there aren’t many likely to play early in this range. I’d rather take a flier on Amegadjie.

In this three-round mock draft, the Bears land their franchise quarterback in Williams and immediately build around him with their ensuing selections.

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