Caleb Williams will be the #1 pick. We can all agree on that at this point. What nobody is sure about is what the Chicago Bears will do at #9. Part of the problem is it's impossible to know who may or may not be available when they're back on the clock. So a more poignant question to ask is who GM Ryan Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus, and the team brass covet if the board falls the right way. This class has no shortage of talent, especially at the top. Some project 15-16 true 1st rounders with several blue-chippers.
Some believe the Bears will target an edge rusher. That isn't a surprise. Yannick Ngakoue is gone. They don't have a definitive #2 option across from Montez Sweat. Others think a left tackle is the actual plan. Braxton Jones is fine, but this 2024 crop is loaded with talent. What better way to welcome Williams than with two 1st round tackles protecting him? However, sources have told SM there is one player the Bears brass have "fallen in love" with over the past few weeks as their evaluations conclude.
That is LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.
The Chicago Bears' love of Nabers is hardly surprising.
Some have compared him to D.J. Moore. That alone would draw their attention. In truth, several evaluators have called him not only the best wide receiver in this class but even the best overall prospect. Talk about high praise. However, it isn't hard to understand why people are so excited when you're 6'0 tall, boast 4.35 speed, and a 42-inch vertical. All of that natural talent shows up on the field, too. Defensive backs couldn't cover him regardless of the coverage they played. His speed, quickness, and route-running skill allowed him to create separation almost at will.
There is no question he would be an instant problem for opponents in a Chicago Bears uniform, especially when they also have to deal with Moore and Keenan Allen. The obvious issue is whether he even gets to the 9th pick. As of now, that feels unlikely. Most mock drafts don't have him getting past the New York Giants at #6. They obviously need wide receiver help if they're stuck with Daniel Jones at quarterback. If he did somehow slip past them, the odds aren't terrible that he could get to #9 since Tennessee (OT) and Atlanta (EDGE) are expected to target other positions.
If it plays out this way, it sounds like the Bears might do cartwheels in the war room.
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