Chicago Bears 7 round needs based mock draft

Last week I asked you guys to vote on the top four needs the Chicago Bears have heading into the 2021 NFL Draft and we came away with offensive tackle, quarterback, cornerback, and wide receiver.

I used those four position groups to drive my latest theme mock draft and picked who I thought was the top target at each of those positions for my first four picks. But since I have a hard time justifying selecting from the next tier of quarterback prospects with my only second-round pick, I traded back from 20 overall to get an extra day two selection.

I sent the 20th overall pick and a sixth-rounder (204 overall) to the Bucs for 32 and 64, which made me feel better about getting the QB at 52.

Because I wanted to make sure I had a different feel from the draft board, this time out I used the mock draft simulation over at Pro Football Focus.

Here’s how I mocked it based on your votes for the Bears top needs, which forced me to go OT, QB, CB, and WR with the first 4 selections in this Theme mock draft.

Pick 32 - Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
Jenkins has been available later in the first, and even into the second, on several mock drafts I’ve simulated, so I gambled he’d still be there after I traded down. At this point he’s the guy I want to see the Bears get in the first round.

Pick 52 - Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M
I prefer Mond over Davis Mills and Kyle Trask when looking at those tier 2 quarterbacks available, and while I’m not keen on the notion of the Bears getting him this early, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen. I honestly wouldn’t be shocked to see the Bears get the 6th QB off the board in the first round as that position is often over-drafted.

I feel there would be better value at 52 in the real draft as there were a few offensive tackles and wide receivers that could have been had in this mock.

Pick 64 - Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky
Joseph started his collegiate career at LSU getting some playing time as a true freshman in 2018, but he transferred to Kentucky. In his lone season as a Wildcat (2020), he had 25 tackles, 4 interceptions in 9 games. He has decent size for an outside corner (5’11½”, 197 pounds) and has a blazing fast 40 time (4.35).

Pick 83 - Nico Collins, WR, Michigan
Collins is a big (6’4”, 215) and physical player with good straight line speed (4.45 forty), but he’ll need to show quickness and precise route running to be more than a go up and get it guy in the NFL. He opted out of the 2020 season, but his pro day and senior bowl performances was a good start to show how far his game has come.

For the day three picks I went off the other positions that received votes in the polls.

Pick 164 - Jonathon Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State
Pass rushers from Ohio State have had a nice run the last few years and Cooper has the physical traits to find a role in the NFL.

Pick 208 - Christian Uphoff, S, Illinois State
The Bears have had luck finding late round safety contributors, but they haven’t drafted one since Eddie Jackson in 2017. Uphoff (6’2”, 209) had a good week of practice at the senior bowl and showed he belonged by being named the top safety from the National team.

Pick 221 - O’Bryan Goodson, DT, Memphis
Goodson played the nose at Memphis for four years, but at 5’11”, 276 pounds he won’t be doing that in the NFL. He wins at the line of scrimmage with a quick first step, good leverage, and hustle, all of which could make him a nice sub-package interior pass rusher.

Pick 228 - Grant Stuard, ILB, Houston
The Bears could use a young inside linebacker to push the current depth chart players behind starters Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan, and Stuard is a physical player that is good against the run and could help on special teams.

You can check out my previous Theme Mock Drafts here (strict BPA), here (all o-line), here (overhaul the QB room), and here (big swing for a QB).

And here’s how Pro Football Focus graded my mock.