The Chicago Bears still have plenty of needs to address this offseason, and they’re not going to have a ton of draft capital to do it. Chicago currently has six draft picks heading into the NFL draft, including no first-round selection after trading up to acquire quarterback Justin Fields last year.
But the Bears do have two second-round picks, including the 39th overall pick. They also own the 48th selection after trading star pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The question is: What position will Chicago target first? Cornerback? Wide receiver? Offensive line? Linebacker?
With so many teams in need of playmaking wideouts, the popular assumption is that the Bears will target wide receiver with one of their first two picks. This year’s wide receiver class is a deep one, so there will be options outside of some of the bigger names that’ll go in the first round.
In The Athletic‘s new mock draft, Kevin Fishbain has Chicago selecting South Alabama wide receiver Jalen Tolbert with the 39th overall pick.
Kevin Fishbain: Tolbert was stellar at the Senior Bowl, showing he could handle Power 5 corners. He also had outstanding production at South Alabama. He knows how to get open. Dane notes that Tolbert “has fluid footwork and uses slight hesitation in his route breaks so he can mash the gas and create pockets of separation.” If Darnell Mooney and Byron Pringle are the speed elements of the Bears offense, Tolbert should be a nice complement.
Brugler: This fit makes a ton of sense. Tolbert is the only player in South Alabama history to surpass 1,000 yards receiving in a season — and he’s done it twice. His feel for the position and tracking skills should make him an immediate contributor and a nice compliment to Mooney and Pringle.
Not only does Tolbert fill an important need on offense, he’d serve as a nice complement to Darnell Mooney and Byron Pringle. Right now, the only wide receivers who appear roster locks are Mooney, Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown.
With the focal point being to develop the offense around Fields, that means adding more playmakers for the hopeful franchise QB.
