The Bears have the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, where the expectation is general manager Ryan Poles will look to trade back for additional draft capital.
Chicago should have no shortage of suitors for the top pick, as there are a number of teams in need of a quarterback this offseason. And if a team falls in love with one of the top prospects — be it Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud or Will Levis — the Bears could be the beneficiary of their desperation.
With the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl in the books, ESPN’s Matt Miller unveiled his new two-round mock draft. Chicago has a number of needs to address on their roster, but Miller has them targeting one of their biggest weaknesses in the first two rounds: the defensive line.
No. 4 - DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
The Bears find a trade partner for the No. 1 pick in the Colts, where they acquire additional draft capital and still manage to land a top defensive prospect in Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter at No. 4 overall.
The Bears traded back in this scenario but still are in position to select perhaps the top prospect in the class. In Matt Eberflus’ defense, the 3-technique pass-rusher is crucial, and Carter is a Fletcher Cox-like difference-maker there. He played in a rotation in 2021 and had an injury-plagued 2022, so we didn’t see him post great stat totals (just six career sacks). When watching the historically talented Georgia defense over the past two years, however, her was the most talented of the bunch.
Carter’s burst off the snap has the potential to be great, and he already displays an understanding of leverage, space and timing when unleashing spin and rip moves. He should enter the NFL as a high-end starter at the position on which Eberflus’ defense hinges.
Carter has been a popular link in most Bears mock drafts, which makes sense considering the defensive line was the team’s biggest weakness last season. Carter could be that disruptive three-technique that would make Matt Eberflus’ defense go.
No. 53 - DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
While Chicago doesn’t have their own second-round pick — after trading it to the Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool — they did land a second-rounder from the Ravens after trading linebacker Roquan Smith.
With that No. 53 selection, the Bears go defense again with Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison.
The Bears’ defense needs a 3-technique, and it got one in Round 1 with Jalen Carter. But it also needs a big, powerful edge rusher and finds that player in Round 2 with a former five-star recruit. The 6-foot-6, 272-pound Harrison had his best season in 2022 with 3.5 sacks and 25 pressures. He’s an easy projection to defensive end next to Carter after the Bears finished last in the NFL in sacks (20).
It’s not just the defensive interior that needs work. The Bears had the worst pass rush last season, notching just 20 sacks in 17 games, and Harrison would help shore up the defensive end position.
As for that second-round (technically first-round) pick the Bears traded to the Steelers for Claypool, Pittsburgh lands Senior Bowl standout, center John Michael Schmitz from Minnesota at No. 32.
