Latest Draft Rumor Suggests Ryan Poles Could Pull Off All-Time Heist

Ryan Poles must already be feeling pretty good right now. The Chicago Bears GM just engineered one of the most memorable trades in recent memory. He became only the third person to deal the #1 pick away since 2001, sending it to Carolina for a package of picks and wide receiver D.J. Moore. Most experts feel Poles did a great job. He got strong draft capital, including a future 1st round pick, while also getting a proven weapon for his young quarterback, Justin Fields. The next step is finding out who he will take at the 9th overall spot.

There are already rumors he might not stay there come draft time. If another team wants to jump into the top 10 and makes a strong offer, it is believed Poles will keep moving down. However, he might have a strong incentive to stay put if what Adam Schefter says is true. The ESPN insider spoke with Peggy & Dionne to discuss the trading of #1 overall. It got interesting when the topic of who the Bears might take in their new position came up. He believes there is a strong chance that Jalen Carter, the top overall prospect on many draft boards, could be there at #9.

"I think there's a real chance he's gonna be there for them. And they're gonna have to do the work on him and spend some time. And I know they'll be at his pro day, watching him closely, meeting with him. And once they do that they can decide what they want to do."

Ryan Poles will be doing deep research on Carter.

If this were a month ago, people would've laughed at the idea the freakish defensive tackle wouldn't go in the top five. That changed after he was arrested on two misdemeanor charges for involvement in a street race that resulted in the deaths of a teammate and Georgia assistant coach. It is not a good look. Carter expressed in a public statement that he expects to be exonerated of these charges. Yet the damage might already be done. Several teams have likely taken him off their boards, not wanting to take the risk of drafting him.

Maybe the Bears will too. However, it sounds like they aren't there yet. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus want to meet Carter in person. They want to hear his side of the story. In-person meetings are often crucial to determining whether a player is worth drafting. Poles is no stranger to taking calculated risks on players with questionable character. Justin Houston violated substance abuse policies. Marcus Peters was kicked off his team for fighting with his coaches. Both became Pro Bowlers in Kansas City.

It comes down to whether Poles feels Carter can learn from his mistakes and mature. If so, taking him at 9th overall might be worth the risk. His potential is at superstar levels. He can change the landscape of a defense. It will be quite a dilemma.