Welcome to April! We’ve officially arrived at draft month, and we only have 24 more days until the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit later this month. We’re working on 2024 NFL Mock Drafts for every team as we get into the final leg of the pre-draft process this month.
The Chicago Bears are all but surely taking Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, leaving the only question: what will they do with the No. 9 pick? Let’s try to answer that with today’s three-round mock draft.
2024 NFL Mock Draft: Chicago Bears 3-Round Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 1: QB Caleb Williams, USC
This is as done of a deal as you can have 24 days before the . Caleb Williams is going to Chicago. He will be the Bears’ quarterback of the future and the best quarterback prospect they’ve had in the franchise’s history. There’s no more debate here.
Round 1, Pick 9: TRADE!
The Las Vegas Raiders are moving up to select J.J. McCarthy ahead of the Vikings and Broncos, and the Bears are making it happen. They’ll gain some extra draft capital and block their division rival Minnesota from landing their quarterback of the future.
Bears Receive
Raiders Receive
Round 1, Pick 13: EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
After an impressive free agency period, this is the only pressing need of significance for the Bears. With Dallas Turner off the board at No. 8, the Bears land my favorite pass rusher in the class here. Latu shows a veteran-like maturity, remarkable effectiveness as a run defend♏er, and a well-thought-out approach to pass-rushing. His field awareness extends beyond mere blockers, and he has a relentless motor. Despite concerns about a previous neck injury, his performance at UCLA offerꦐs promising indicators for his NFL prospects.
Round 3, Pick 75: WR Brendan Rice, USC
Rice possesses exceptional football🦩 intelligence. He has a comprehensive understanding of releases, route running, and hand techniques. With experience in special teams as a returner, he plays a physical brand of football. Although he lacks sudden feet, he has good build-up speed and catches with quick, strong hands. While there are some limitations, he has enough potential to project as an early backup with upward mobility.
Rice was Caleb Williams’ safety blanket at USC in 2023. Their ability t🔥o hook up in all areas and levels of the field was evident throughout the tape. He was also Williams’ top touchdown target, logging 12 touchdowns (he averaged a touchdown every 3.75 catches) for the Trojans. Rice does a good job setting up corners when breaking off short slants, has excellent physicality at the catch point, and consistently outworks defenders for 50/50 balls.
Round 3, Pick 77 (via LV): S Kamren Kinchens, Miami
The Kevin Byard signing was good, but he’s a stop-gap in the Bears defense. Getting a high-upside safety who projects to be an NFL starter at free safety to work behind Byard and in the slot this season with the extra pick from Vegas is a steal here.
Kamren Kinchens, a talented safety from South🌼 Florida, made a swift impact at Miami, becoming a full-time starter as a freshman. He boasts versatility in coverage and run defense, solid route recognition, and ball skills. However, he occasionally struggles with eye discipline and tackle security. Despite this, his quick reads and ability to shed blocks make him a promising prospect for the NFL draft, with potential for immediate impact pending improvement in tackling conꦐsistency.