Mel Kiper Shifts The Chicago Bears Focus in Latest Mock Draft

Well, it seems Mel Kiper Jr. has had a change of heart recently. In his first mock draft of the 2018 off-season, the longtime ESPN staple took the easy road for the Chicago Bears. He had them selecting wide receiver Calvin Ridley of Alabama with their 8th overall pick. This was the obvious choice. The Bears have issues at wide receiver. Ridley is the best one in the class. Basically putting two and two together. The problem is Kiper didn't grasp the situation. For starters, Ridley has a number of question marks that leave him in doubt for the top 10. He's thinner than ideal for an NFL receiver. To top it off he turns 24-years old this December. Will a team actually invest a pick that high in a player who might have a shorter career? Unlikely. Never mind the Kevin White disaster back in 2015, something that might for GM Ryan Pace to shy away from another first round receiver. It seems Kiper learned his lesson. His second mock draft is out and the Bears went in an entirely different direction this time.

Mel Kiper has Bears grabbing freak linebacker for their defense

It's no secret the Bears need help on offense. One would think that's where they'll focus early in the draft. At the same time, the defense is the strength of this team right now. Keeping it strong should be a priority. That means adding elite talent whenever the opportunity comes. Kiper thinks they'll take this approach with his latest projection.

"Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Edmunds is a tremendous athlete. He could play inside or outside linebacker in the Bears' 3-4, and it's that versatility and athleticism that has scouts drooling. I expect him to put up huge numbers at the combine. Edmunds had 109 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2017, and he does a good job covering pass-catchers out of the backfield. At 6-5 and 250 pounds, Edmunds doesn't look like a traditional middle linebacker, but he's such a physical specimen that you can't rule it out. And the Bears just released Jerrell Freeman. Chicago could also be in the market for an offensive tackle or wide receiver here."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9bexKDrwow Edmunds is a fascinating prospect. Truly one of the freak athletes in the class. Built like a defensive end but can run like a safety. He's got the size to take on blockers but the speed to chase down ball carriers. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared him to Brian Urlacher. The scary thing is that's not hard to see. The two share several traits in common. Of course, there's no way to know if Edmunds has the same mental acuity as the first ballot Hall of Famer. Either way, the young man has immense promise. The tricky part will be finding his best position in the pros. Is it at inside linebacker or outside linebacker? That will be up to Vic Fangio to decide.