We’ve done many, many mock drafts for the Bears from the end of the 2023 regular season to now. With one week left until the real deal, we wanted to do something a little different, so we got the Under Center podcast crew together to all mock draft together– but with a twist. Kenneth Davis, Josh Schock and myself would all make a pick at No. 1, No. 9, No. 75 and No. 122. No trades, and no repeats. So when one person picked a player, everyone else had to take him off their board.
A random number generator spit out this draft order: Schrock, Davis, Shapiro. Here’s how we all did playing the role of Ryan Poles in this bizarro mock draft situation.
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SCHROCK NO. 1 PICK: CALEB WILLIAMS - QB - USC
“Best player in the draft by a country mile. Arm talent, athleticism, escapability, checks all the Bears’ “person” boxes, obviously… I think he has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the draft. So, yeah, it’s a no-brainer.” - Schrock
DAVIS NO. 1 PICK: JAYDEN DANIELS - QB - LSU
“His ceiling could be as high (as Williams’) and he’s probably faster… We’ve already seen what he can do with a tandem of really good receivers, and as he joins the Bears he already has a tandem of really good receivers in Keenan Allen and DJ Moore.” - Davis
NFL
SHAPIRO NO. 1 PICK: DRAKE MAYE - QB - NORTH CAROLINA
“I’m actually looking forward to having Drake Maye as the quarterback of my fictional Bears team, and I actually have him ahead of Jayden Daniels… This is a phenomenal quarterback who makes some phenomenal throws. Does he have the same athleticism as a Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams? No. But the accuracy, the arm, the way he can dissect a defense. It’s all right there.” - Shapiro
SCHROCK NO. 9 PICK: ROME ODUNZE - WR - WASHINGTON
“This is easy for me. I get to stroll the podium and get who I want. Give me Davante Adams 2.0. Well-rounded receiver, great route runner, brilliant hands, contested catch maven, he’s physical. I talked to some scouts who think he’s better than Marvin Harrison Jr., he’s going to end up being a better pro.” - Schrock
DAVIS NO. 9 PICK: JOE ALT - OT - NOTRE DAME
“Joe Alt, stay in the midwest, become a Bear and protect our quarterback for a decade. Now, Braxton Jones, you can become our swing tackle and perhaps you can play right if Darnell Wright gets hurt… there’s usually more bites at the receiver… so I’m going left tackle.” - Davis
SHAPIRO NO. 9 PICK: OLU FASHANU - OT - PENN STATE
“In my head canon– because I’m inventing this head canon as we go– if Rome Odunze and Joe Alt are gone, I’m assuming Marvin Harrison Jr., no shot, Malik Nabers is gone. I might have the opportunity to draft Brock Bowers, nah, I’m not going to do that here at nine. I might have the opportunity to take the first defensive player off the board, or the next guy after Dallas Turner. I don’t think I’m doing that either… I’m getting a guy who might be the best pass protector in this draft. Fashanu didn’t give up a sack at Penn State. Didn’t happen.” - Shapiro
SCHROCK NO. 75 PICK: AUSTIN BOOKER - EDGE - KANSAS
“Gotta address the edge rusher position. We’re talking about 6’4” and a half, 33 ⅞” arms. He’s got the Maxx Crosby comp. Explosive, long, nice repertoire of pass rush moves. I think he’d be a nice complement opposite (Montez Sweat). I think honestly after you get past Bralen Trice, who I think is going to go in the second round, it gets kinda thin at edge rusher, so I’m taking Booker.” - Schrock
DAVIS NO. 75 PICK: BRALEN TRICE - EDGE - WASHINGTON
“Funny thing about my draft board: Bralen Trice was still up there. So I’m snatching him up. Played on the national championship runner-up. Come on down here, Bralen. As you can see in the House of Davis, we have the quarterback of the future, we’re protecting him with the left tackle of the future, and now, you won’t be alone Montez Sweat. Jayden Daniels is going to get that ball back real quick.” - Davis
SHAPIRO NO. 75 PICK: JONAH ELLISS - EDGE - UTAH
“He might be falling because of the medicals, because he had his season cut short with a shoulder injury. But before that, this guy was tearing it up. Even only playing 10 games, he still finished tied for sixth in the nation with 13 sacks. His 1.3 sacks per game average outpaced Laiatu Latu (1.25), Dallas Turner (0.78) and Jared Verse (0.85). He’s got all sorts of moves, so he’s not just a one-trick pony. I spoke to him at the Combine– and take this with a grain of salt because I don’t know what else he would say– but he said shoulder is no issue.” - Shapiro
SCHROCK NO. 122 PICK: ZAK ZINTER - GUARD - MICHIGAN
“I really like Cooper Beebe. I don’t think he makes it. He’s probably OG1, he’s soaring up boards, I don’t think he’ll be there at No. 122. Also looked at Ben Sinnott, tight end from Kansas State who came in for a top-30 visit, but I like Zak Zinter. I know he’s coming off an injury, so he’ll have to rehab that. He was probably OG1 before that. Big body, really, really technically sound. We’ve gotta sure up the interior of the offensive line, especially given Teven (Jenkins)’s medical history.” - Schrock
DAVIS NO. 122 PICK: MALIK WASHINGTON - WR - VIRGINIA
“Another player on my list was Mohamed Kamara, but I’ve already went with Bralen Trice. I really want to go Kamara and double down on edge rusher so we can rotate in and out, but in this draft I didn’t get a receiver, so I’m gonna go with Malik Washington as my slot receiver. And he’s just slot due to his size. Going along with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, now you’ve got a slot guy and it’s less pressure on whoever the fourth receiver is.” - Davis
SHAPIRO NO. 122 PICK: TAHJ WASHINGTON - WR - USC
“If you want the premier vertical, deep threat, Rome Odunze is your guy. But if you can’t get Odunze, Tahj Washington is a pretty great consolation prize. I’ve got more numbers dialed up for ya. 86.7% catch rate on balls throw 20 yards or farther. That is the No. 1 mark in college football last year, among wide receivers with at least 10 deep targets, according to PFF. So was his 39.7 yards per route run, and yeah, by the way, when he was targeted by Caleb Williams on those deep routes, perfect 158.3 QB rating. Not only is he a speed demon who can take the top off a defense, if he doesn’t beat his guy or if there’s help over the top, he’s great with contested catch… the Bears haven’t had that true vertical threat in many years.” - Shapiro
FINAL RESULTS
SCHROCK
No. 1: Caleb Williams
No. 9: Rome Odunze
No. 75: Austin Booker
No. 122: Zak Zinter
DAVIS
No. 1: Jayden Daniels
No. 9: Joe Alt
No. 75: Bralen Trice
No. 122: Malik Washington
SHAPIRO
No. 1: Drake Maye
No. 9: Olu Fashanu
No. 75: Jonah Elliss
No. 122: Tahj Washington