Ryan Poles and his scouting team have left no stone unturned in researching and interviewing prospects ahead of this year’s draft and the Undrafted Free Agent signing period. As of this writing here is a list of prospects the Bears have interviewed. The list includes Team 30 meetings as well as Local prospects (who do not count against the limit of 30), Pro Day, and Combine visits.
Official Team 30 visits indicated with *
*Quarterback
- Caleb Williams USC
- Drake Maye UNC
- Jayden Daniels LSU
- JJ McCarthy Michigan
- Bo Nix Oregon
- Davius Richard NC Central
- Quincy Patterson
- *Runningback
- Marshawn Lloyd USC
- Dylan Laube New Hampshire*
- Aidan Robbins BYU
- Blake Watson Memphis
- Luke Skonka North Dakota
- Jyrin Mitchell Butler
- Samson Evans Eastern Michigan
- *Tight End
- Brock Bowers Georgia*
- Ja’Tavion Sanders Texas
- Ben Sinnott Kansas State*
- McCallan Castles Tennessee
- *Wide Receivers
- Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State*
- Malik Nabers LSU*
- Rome Odunze Wahington*
- Xavier Worthy Texas*
- Ladd McConkey Georgia
- Jha’Quan Jackson Tulane
- Brendan Rice USC
- Cam Johnson Northwestern
- Josh Cephus UTSA
- *Offensive Linemen
- Joe Alt Notre Dame
- Olu Fashanu Penn State
- JC Latham Alabama*
- Troy Fautanu Washington
- Tyler Guyton Oklahoma*
- Jackson Powers-Johnson Oregon*
- Graham Barton Duke*
- Tyler Guyton Oklahoma
- Blake Fisher Notre Dame
- Kiran Amegadjie Yale*
- Zach Frazier West Virginia*
- Sedrick Van Pran Georgia
- Andrew Raym Oklahoma
- Hunter Nourzad Penn State
- Julian Pearl Illinois
- Trevor Keegan Michigan
- Garret Greenfield SDST
- *Defensive Tackle
- Byron Murphy Texas
- DeWayne Carter Duke
- Maason Smith LSU
- Khristian Boyd Northern Iowa
- Keith Randolph Jr. Illinois
- Deshaun Mallory Arizona St.
- *Edge
- Dallas Turner Alabama*
- Laiatu Latu UCLA*
- Jared Verse Florida State
- Chop Robinson Penn State*
- Adisa Isaac Penn State
- Chris Braswell ALabama
- Jaylen Harrell Michigan
- Maema Njongmeta Wisconsin
- Javontae Jean-Baptiste Motre Dame
- Jeblonski Green Jr. South Carolina St
- Justin Blazek UW Platteville
- *Linebacker
- Bryce Gallagher Northwestern
- Tyler Jackson NIU
- *Cornerback
- Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Mizzou
- Max Melton Rutgers
- Cam Hart Notre Dame*
- Nehemiah Pritchett Auburn*
- Eliah Jones Boston College*
- Andru Phillips Kentucky*
- Rayshad Williams Texas Tech
- Reddy Steward Troy
- Caelan Carson Wake Forest
- Tavion McCarthy Mercer
- *Safety
- Kamren Kitchens Miami*
- Calen Bullock USC
- Trey Taylor Air Force
- Isaiah Williams Syracuse
- Mark Perry TCU
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There is no reason to trade up in this draft. We already have limited draft capital, and need to accumulate some extra picks if possible, not give them away. A top 5 player in any other draft will be there at #9 and a to 10 at 15-17 most likely. Stay put for Alt or Odunze, trade back if they are gone. That’s the way I see it.
Mr. Poles, in this order:
At #9 — Alt, Odunze, Nabors.
Trade down: Fashanu, Verse, Powers-Johnson.
Trade Up: Alt, Harrison, Odunze.
Interesting omissions – No Terrion Arnold, Michael Penix Jr ( No Shocker here but they did bring in JJ and Bo Nix, which might say something about what other teams are thinking). No Taliese Fuaga, Brian Thomas Jr or AD Mitchell
My immediate thought seeing this list is that even going into the draft with four picks the Bears will probably draft two OL. Which I’m always down to get talent on the backbone of any team.
Seems like a high number of CB visits for a position few, if any, of the analysts are predicting we take. I’ve said it before – ignore what Poles says, watch what he does.