How Mad Rush for QBs and Offense in Round 1 Benefits Bears

Mock drafts see a push by teams to get into position for a quarterback, leaving the Bears with plenty of choices at No. 9.

Dallas Turner reaches out for a tackle against Michigan. / Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages

Perhaps it's the recent news about point output dropping again in the NFL or something else.

But the rush for quarterbacks is apparent in recent mock drafts to the extent of desperation. Mocks are routinely projecting four quarterbacks going early and ESPN's Mel Kiper even has five quarterbacks drafted in the first 12 picks.

When you own the top pick like the Bears, there is no mystery involved. It's draft Caleb Williams first, but the rush for quarterbacks at other positions can drastically affect what the Bears can do with the ninth pick overall in Round 1 as players at other positions are pushed back toward the end of the top 10.

Chad Reuter of NFL.com has his latest mock draft out and also has five quarterbacks going in the first 12 like Kuiper, but this one is four rounds and is filled with numerous trades.

The Williams selection no onger requires comment, it has become so much of a foregone conclusion in mock drafts.

However, the rush to QBs made it possible for the draft's top pass rusher to land with the Bears in this mock draft.

Alabama's Dallas Turner is the Bears' choice at No. 9, largely because Atlanta traded out of the No. 8 spot and couldn't take him in Reuter's mock. Instead, the Cardinals moved into the No. 8 slot and drafted wide receiver Rome Odunze, pushing Turner back to the Bears.

"Turner isn't the biggest down lineman, but he has a strong long-arm move that takes advantage of his 34-inch arms," Reuter writes, while also pointing out how Turner was the fastest of the top edge rushers.

Not to be left out of receiver sweepstakes, Reuter's Bears selection for the third round at No. 75 is Michigan's Roman Wilson. At the combine, Wilson ran 4.39 seconds and is considered a tough-nosed blocker who is only 5-foot-10 3/4, 185.

The fourth-round pick and last by the Bears in the draft is an entirely new name to be associated with them and it's UConn guard Christian Haynes at No. 122.

Haynes would fit the Bears interests at his position because of his speed and athleticism despite being 6-2 3/4 and 317 pounds. He ran 5.03 seconds in the 40, top 7% of all guards in the mockdraftable.com data base from combines.

Bears interest in a guard would be understandable considering Teven Jenkins' record for being unavailable on game day (24 starts out of a possible 51) and Nate Davis' disappointing play despite a three-year, $30 million deal last year in free agency.

An even wilder trading frenzy existed at the top in a mock released on Tuesday by CBS Sports' Eric Galko, as teams positioned through trades for quarterbacks and also for receivers. In mocking Williams to the Bears, Galko cited another move they made as evidence of their intent with the first pick.

"As the Bears prepare to build around Caleb Williams, they've made short-term moves like trading for Keenan Allen to do what they can to give Williams a chance to succeed as a rookie," Galko wrote.

Even with the rush to get offensive players in the top 10, the Bears were able to come up with one of the top three receivers at No. 9 as they selected Odunze.

"Even after adding Keenan Allen, the Bears could use more firepower for Caleb Williams," Galko wrote. "Odunze is a great fit that'll allow D.J. Moore and/or Allen to work in the slot."

Pro Football Focus' Brad Spielberger picked Williams as Justin Fields' replacement but then had a realistic apprroach to the mock with Atlanta taking Turner just ahead of the Bears at No. 8. Atlanta has already leaned heavily toward offensive acquisitions.

The end result is the Bears taking Odunze at No. 9, which would be a nice consolation prize for Williams as a third receiver.

"New Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator last season when the team drafted Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20 overall, with D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the roster, and the same approach makes sense here," Spielberger wrote.

The move came with an asterisk of sorts attached.

"Otherwise, we're keeping an eye on a trade-down here if a team in the teens wants to come up for a tackle," Spielberger wrote.

A trade down there makes all the sense in the world depending on how far back the Bears want to go and where they can get extra picks. With only four picks in the draft and the last one in Round 4, the wrap-up currently promises to be a short Day 3 for Ryan Poles and his staff.

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