John Fox took over a Chicago Bears team that wasn’t too far away from being a contender. He made some solid moves last year and even better hires with his assistant coaches. The Bears had a ton of free agents this year and it speaks volumes that they were able to work out deals and keep so many key players. They’ve spent money shoring up their defense and offensive line, which is smart. Now they’ll enter this draft looking for impact players.
Here’s what I think they should do in a Perfect Mock Draft. To see every team’s Perfect Draft click here.
Round 1, Pick 11 – Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
2015: 59 tackles, 24.5 for a loss, 12.5 sacks, one forced fumble, 6-foot-3, 269 pounds
For a team looking to add a serious pass rusher, Clemson’s Shaq Lawson is a very serious man indeed. Lawson’s 24.5 tackles for a loss are completely insane. He’s the kind of player that can take over a game in the trenches and dominate it. His 4.70 40-yard dash is one of the fastest posted for defensive lineman in the combine.
UPDATE – Round 2, Pick 41 – Keanu Neal, Florida
2015: 84 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, two sacks, one interception, one pass defended, one forced fumble, 6-foot-0, 211 pounds
Round 3, Pick 72 – Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford
2015: 34 catches, 438 yards, six touchdowns, 6-foot-4, 254 pounds
Hooper is a solid, legitimate tight end who isn’t afraid to block downfield. He’s got nice hands and is productive in the red zone. Hooper will give the Bears another option in the red zone either as a receiver, or a seal blocker for a running back.
Round 4, Pick 106 – Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama
2015: 77 carries, 408 yards, 5.3 yards per carry, one touchdown, 29 receptions, 276 yards, one touchdown, 13 kick returns, 505 yards, one touchdown. 6-foot-1, 210 pounds
On any other team Drake would have been a standout stat-killer running back, but he was just another weapon for Alabama and one they used well in a couple of title runs. Drake has good size and speed (he ran a 4.45 40 at the combine) and is deadly as a receiver out of the backfield. If the Bears are looking to replace Matt Forte, why not draft a guy just like him?
Round 4, Pick 127 – Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota
2015: 66 tackles, four for a loss, one sack, one interception, seven passes defended, one fumble return, three forced fumbles, 5-foot-11, 199 pounds
Murray was a star playmaker for the Golden Gophers and was dangerous even when the other team completed pass as he always went for the strip when making a tackle or tracking a guy down. His combine workout was outstanding with a 4.49 40 and a sky-high 39.5-inch vertical which shows he should be able to jump with any NFL wide receiver.
Round 5, Pick 150 – Charone Peake, WR, Clemson
2015: 50 catches, 716 yards, five touchdowns, 6-foot-2, 209 pounds
Peake had to wait his turn to get on the field at Clemson, but when he did he was outstanding. In an historically slow wide receiver class, Peake isn’t one of them, laying down a 4.45 40 at the NFL combine.
Round 6, Pick 185 – Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky
2015: 71.9 completion percentage, 5,055 yards, 48 touchdowns, nine interceptions, one rushing touchdown, 6-foot-3, 213 pounds
After the first five or six guys there’s a significant drop off at quarterback in this draft, but the Bears need to think about adding one here. Doughty can throw the ball, is super accurate and doesn’t like to throw it to the other team. He has a lot of upside, but will need a year or two in the NFL before he’s ready for that No. 2 slot on the depth chart.
Round 6, Pick 206 – Deiondre’ Hall, CB, Northern Iowa
2015: 82 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, six interceptions, four passes defended, three forced fumbles, 6-foot-2, 199 pounds
Hall is another small-school guy that played like a man among boys. It won’t be enough to land him in the top of the draft, but he should have no trouble getting picked up in the sixth round and making the Bears team. Hall is raw, but in a couple of years will be an NFL starter. He’s just the kind of player defensive coordinator Vic Fangio loves to hone into a katana.
Round 7, Pick 233 – Parker Ehinger, OG, Cincinnati
2015: First-team All-American Athletic Conference, 6-foot-6, 310 pounds
Another huge lineman for the Bears to use in protection of Jay Cutler. Ehinger is a road-grader and pass-blocking machine who rarely lets anyone slip by him. Put him and 6-6 Ifedi side-by-side and you basically build a wall on that side of the offensive line.
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