The Chicago Bears are back in the first round of the NFL draft this year after paying their debt to the Las Vegas Raiders for the Khalil Mack trade in 2018, one that sent the ‘Silver and Black’ a pair of firsts in 2019 and 20.
Considering the Bears’ likely needs at quarterback and offensive line, it’s a good year to be picking in the top 32 again. But are they selecting high enough to land a blue-chip player at either position?
Entering Week 8, the Bears currently hold the No. 25 pick, according to the Draft Wire.
The 2021 NFL draft will feature several first-round worthy quarterbacks, ranging from the top of the class with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields, to fringe first-rounders (at this point in the process) like BYU’s Zach Wilson and Alabama’s Mac Jones.
Wilson could end up a top-10 pick by the time April rolls around.
The Bears are more likely to target an offensive lineman with their first-round pick, as several interior linemen like Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey, Ohio State’s Wyatt Davis, and Tennessee’s Trey Smith are all considered first-round prospects at this point. At tackle, North Dakota State’s Dillon Radunz and Texas’s Samuel Cosmi are both mid-to-late first-rounders, too.
Keep in mind the Bears’ current draft position is the result of a hot start in 2020. If Week 7’s loss to the Rams is any indication of the kind of overall year Chicago is destined to have, their first-round pick will be several slots higher than it presently is.
