Bear Digest

Mel Kiper Mock and Others Point Bears in the Same Direction

The second Mel Kiper mock draft, a two-rounder, and two more released this week are singing the same tune for the Bears.

Gene Chamberlain

Rome Odunze hauls in a catch in the national championship game for Washington.
Rome Odunze hauls in a catch in the national championship game for Washington. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
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Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. sees no reason to alter his thinking when it comes to the Bears draft.

A round of mock drafts out this week include the second one from the dean of draft analysts and they all seem to be thinking the same thing for the Bears.

In Kiper's case, it remains the same as his earlier offering at ESPN.com.

Kiper sees the Bears taking Caleb Williams first and wide receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9 in Round 1.

He does say if they don't go for Odunze or don't get the chance, then pass rushers Laiatu Latu or Jared Verse would be next up for them on his list.

The difference with this mock draft over the first Kiper released is it lasts two rounds. Of course, the Bears don't have a second round this year after trading away the pick for Montez Sweat. His mock features three trades.

NFL.com host Rhett Lewis posted his first mock draft and came to the same conclusion as Kiper as a trend seems to have developed with these picks. It's Williams and Odunze.

He pointed to what Houston did with C.J. Stroud and the receiver corps.

"Chicago follows a similar strategy, bringing in a third high-level WR to assist Caleb Williams," Lewis wrote. "Odunze is on the same tier as Harrison and Nabers. The Bears might just "win" the draft with this tandem of top-10 picks."

THE BEARS HAVE AVOIDED A SEASON-OPENING HEADACHE ALREADY

It's 3-for-3 with this option as CBS Sports veteran Pete Prisco released a new mock draft and chose Williams and Odunze for the Bears.

"They have D.J. Moore and traded for Keenan Allen, but Allen is getting up in the years and Rome Odunze would be a top receiver for a long time for Caleb Williams," Prisco wrote. "Why not add another weapon, even if pass rusher is a possibility here."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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