How should the Bears use their two top-10 picks for the perfect first round of the draft? That’s what PFF aimed to answer in a column published on Sunday.
The Bears have put themselves in position to turn the page from rebuilders to postseason contenders this year thanks to some blockbuster trades (Montez Sweat, Keenan Allen), important contract extensions (Jaylon Johnson, Cole Kmet) and solid free agent signings (Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Kevin Byard). They’ve built a young core with many solid draft picks (Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker, Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, Gervon Dexter, Tyrique Stevenson, Terell Smith).
Now, they have the unique opportunity to set themselves up for sustained success with both the No. 1 overall pick and the No. 9 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
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The best way for the Bears to do that has been the source of incessant debate for months. Should the team snag the consensus top QB in Caleb Williams, or trade out of the No. 1 pick for a bevy of more draft selections? Should the Bears add another premier pass catcher at No. 9, take the best pass rusher available or trade back from that spot?
Here’s how PFF thinks GM Ryan Poles should use his capital.
NO. 1: CALEB WILLIAMS - QUARTERBACK - USC
“Caleb Williams to the Bears with the top pick of the draft isn’t a surprise, but that’s because it’s the correct pick and the best they can do,” wrote Sam Monson for PFF. “Williams is the best quarterback prospect in this draft, and one of the best to enter the league in several years. Williams has a rare ability to make plays outside of structure but is also far better within rhythm than he is given credit for. He can execute an NFL offense to an extremely high standard and then add a layer of magic on top when things break down, something very few quarterbacks can hope to match.
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“It is no guarantee Williams will work out, but the Bears have already taken strides to ensure that he has the help around him that Justin Fields didn’t have, trading for Keenan Allen to pair with DJ Moore before the draft.”
Williams has been the presumptive No. 1 overall pick pretty much since the regular season ended. With reports that the Bears met with Williams several times before his Pro Day at USC, it seems like a certainty he’ll be the pick for the team– barring any crazy surprises that might come up when Williams visits Halas Hall.
Williams’ tape is exceptional, and if you’ve followed NBC Sports Chicago, the Under Center Podcast or Football Night in Chicago, you’ve heard us explain extensively why he’s such a highly-touted prospect. If you’re just tuning in now, you can catch up on all our coverage here.
NO. 9: ROME ODUNZE - WIDE RECEIVER - WASHINGTON
“With Williams on board, Chicago could go in many different directions at No. 9, and the arrival of Allen means the team doesn’t need to chase any upgrade in receiving talent, but if one of the ‘big three’ receivers falls, the Bears couldn’t do better than snagging him,” wrote Monson. “In this scenario, that’s Rome Odunze, a phenomenal composite of physical tools and playmaking ability — and arguably more raw than Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers. Odunze could be an immediate playmaker for the Bears and learn to round out his game from Moore and Allen.”
Moore and Allen are locked in as the WR1A and WR1B for the Bears, but the WR3 spot is still up for grabs. If the team drafts Odunze he’ll slide into that role immediately. He’s big, fast, reliable and one of the best deep threats in the nation. Few players can match his resume from 2023 among WRs with 100 targets: 1,639 yards (1st), 74 first downs (1st), 21 contested catches (1st), 75% contested catch rate (1st), 15.5 yard average depth of target (2nd), 13 TDs (t-4th), 3.2% drop rate (6th). He’s 6’3” and 212 lbs, so he brings great size to the wide receivers room, too.