Mock draft: Bears go for USC QB Caleb Williams first, but who's next?

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This will be the biggest draft of Bears general manager Ryan Poles’ young career, and if he plays it right, it’ll be one of the greatest in franchise history. The Bears are picking first and ninth next week, the first time they’ve had two first-round selections since 2003 and first time with two top-10 choices since 1979.

This fortuitous opportunity comes at just the right time, too. The Bears finished 7-10 last season, but looked like a team headed in the right direction.

Assuming they take USC’s Caleb Williams with the first pick Thursday, he’ll walk into an unusually good situation for a quarterback chosen No. 1 overall. The Bears have several strong pieces in place offensively and expect to have a top-10 defense next season.

Poles can fill another major need with the No. 9 pick, and the Bears should have their choice of one of the best wide receivers, offensive tackles or pass rushers. There’s really no wrong answer among those three.

The one temptation Poles should resist is trading down. He loves to parlay picks into more picks because he believes the draft is unpredictable and wants to improve his odds by taking as many swings as possible. But top-10 picks often turn into the All-Pros who help transform a team, and while the Bears have a lot of good players, they’re short on great ones.

Here's a look at who they, and the rest of the NFL, can get in the first round Thursday:

1. Bears (via Panthers) — USC QB Caleb Williams
The Bears have been locked in on this pick for months, and it’s a career-defining choice for Poles. There’s already a lot in place to help him develop quickly, too.
2. Commanders — LSU QB Jayden Daniels
Williams and Daniels would face off this season as the Bears are slotted for a game at the Commanders.
3. Patriots — North Carolina QB Drake Maye
The Patriots have run aground at quarterback since Tom Brady left and won’t bypass the chance to restart with Maye.
4. Cardinals — Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison would go first overall in other years. He’s the most surefire prospect in the draft and a steal at No. 4.
5. Vikings (projected trade with Chargers) — Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy
The Vikings have been maneuvering for this for more than a month and can send their picks at Nos. 11 and 23 to the rebuilding Chargers.
6. Giants — Oregon QB Bo Nix
This is quite a reach, but the Giants are rightfully desperate. They’re 15-18-1 under Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll and have no quarterback.
7. Titans — Notre Dame OT Joe Alt
Like Harrison, it’s rare to get a player as good as Alt at a premium position this late in the draft.
8. Jets (projected trade with Falcons) — LSU WR Malik Nabers
Aaron Rodgers is 40, and everyone’s jobs are on the line. The Jets trade up for a very helpful weapon.
9. Bears — Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu
Poles is an offensive lineman and isn’t done rebuilding that unit. Drafting Fashanu could finish that project — and he’s a longtime friend with Williams, his teammate in high school.
10. Falcons (projected trade with Jets) — Alabama DE Dallas Turner
While the Falcons’ offense looks strong, they’re below average defensively and specifically in their pass rush.
11. Chargers (projected trade with Vikings) — Washington WR Rome Odunze
The Chargers offloaded wide receivers Keenan Allen — to the Bears — and Mike Williams, so this is a priority.
12. Broncos — Georgia TE Brock Bowers
The Broncos need a lot, and they’re a strong candidate to trade up for McCarthy, but Bowers is a sensible pick in this spot.
13. Raiders — Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
This is another reach at quarterback, but the Raiders are yet another struggling team that doesn’t have a clear plan at the position.
14. Saints — Florida State DE Jared Verse
Verse and Turner will be appealing to the Bears at No. 9, but they can search for a top free agent after the draft to pair with Montez Sweat.
15. Colts — Alabama CB Terrion Arnold
With Kenny Moore II turning 29 this year and likely nearing the end of his contract, the Colts need to bring in fresh talent at corner.
16. Seahawks — UCLA DE Laiatu Latu
Latu had more sacks over the last two seasons (23 1/2) than any other projected first-round pass rusher.
17. Jaguars — Missouri DE Darius Robinson
The Jaguars need reinforcements for a defense that fell apart down the stretch as they slipped out of the playoff field last season.
18. Bengals — Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga
Fuaga is a great value pick for the Bengals at a premium position. Some mock drafts have him going several spots higher.
19. Rams — Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell
This is the Rams’ first first-round pick since 2016, when they took quarterback Jared Goff No. 1.
20. Steelers — Clemson CB Nate Wiggins
The Steelers need to get younger and better at cornerback, and Wiggins is a great option.
21. Dolphins — Texas DT Byron Murphy II
The Dolphins’ defense cost them last season, and now they need to replace defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who signed with the Raiders.
22. Eagles — LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.
Nabers gets all the attention, but Thomas caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns at LSU last season.
23. Chargers (projected trade with Vikings) — Washington OT Troy Fautanu
The Chargers need several starters at key positions as they get started under new coach Jim Harbaugh.
24. Cowboys — Alabama OT JC Latham
Latham is a potential top-10 pick and visited with the Bears in the pre-draft process, but he slides to the Cowboys here.
25. Packers — Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton
With longtime left tackle David Bakhtiari gone, the Packers need to put a pillar in place on their offensive line.
26. Buccaneers — Texas WR Adonai Mitchell
The Buccaneers had two 1,000-yard receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin last season, but they’re both 28 or older.
27. Cardinals (via Texans) — Illinois DT Jer’Zhan Newton
The Cardinals allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL last season at 143.2 per game.
28. Bills — Penn State DE Chop Robinson
The Bills’ top pass rusher last season was Leonard Floyd, and he left for the 49ers in free agency.
29. Lions — Duke OL Graham Barton
The offensive line has been a strength for the Lions amid their resurgence, and they need to make sure it stays that way.
30. Ravens — Oregon OL Jackson Powers-Johnson
The Ravens’ offensive line has been solid, but not great. This is a chance for them to upgrade with a versatile player inside.
31. 49ers — Georgia OT Amarius Mims
The 49ers have a near-perfect roster, but they need to invest more in their offensive line. Mims could start right away at right tackle.
32. Chiefs — Texas WR Xavier Worthy
Worthy set the NFL scouting combine record this year by running the 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds. Seems like the Chiefs could find a way to use him.