The Chicago Bears aren’t taking days off regarding building their roster. General manager Ryan Poles and his scouts are busy across the country, getting looks at potential top draft prospects for 2027. It appears Midwest scout Ryan Weese was busy on Saturday as college reports spotted him on hand to watch Notre Dame take on Michigan State. This is hardly a surprise. Notre Dame is in the Bears’ backyard, although they’ve curiously avoided the program during Poles’ stint, dating back to 2022. Could next spring break that streak? There is a strong possibility, especially if cornerback Leonard Moore is in the conversation.
The Irish have long been adept at producing top defensive talent. It looks like 2027 will be more of the same. Current projections have them potentially sending out four players who could go in the 1st or 2nd round. Moore is at the top of that list. He’s widely considered one of the top man coverage specialists in the country with a 6’2″ frame and sub-4.5 speed. He finished with 5 interceptions last season, showcasing a great mix of instincts and intelligence beyond his obvious talent.
After watching the Bears’ secondary in Carolina on opening day, it isn’t shocking to think that cornerback might be higher on their priority list than originally thought.
Leonard Moore wasn’t the star of the show in this game.
Weese probably took extensive notes on senior defensive end Boubcar Traore. Current projections have him as a 2nd round prospect after 6.5 sacks last year. Those might move up in the near future. He finished the game with a sack, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble in Notre Dame’s 27-10 victory. At 6’5″, 253 lbs, he certainly has the physical profile the Bears are looking for. His explosive first step overshadows how tough he plays the run, which will be a big selling point with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
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Joining him and Leonard Moore are linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and safety Tae Johnson. Viliamu-Asa is a big 6’3″, 240 lbs dude who wreaked havoc around the line of scrimmage last season, collecting 48 tackles, 3 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for a loss. Johnson had a breakout season of his own with 4 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. If the Bears were looking for someone to place alongside Dillon Thieneman on the back end, he would certainly be a viable candidate.
Allen’s history points to Moore.
The Bears’ defensive coordinator has a long track record of targeting cornerbacks early in the draft. You saw it with D.J. Hayden in the 1st round in 2013 and again with Marshon Lattimore in 2017. Allen places a premium on cornerbacks who can cover 1-on-1 consistently. If Moore is on the board when the Bears pick next spring, there is a strong possibility he is the one Allen pushes for. Presuming he goes early, though, Traore is the name to watch. Chicago hasn’t selected a 1st round pass rusher in a decade. He could be the one to break that streak, giving them a long-overdue foundational piece to build around.
All of this continues a pattern from last week. Every time a Bears representative has popped up on the scouting trail, it’s been at a game that heavily features defensive prospects. While hardly a surprise, it pretty much cements what most of us expected. Barring a massive surprise, next offseason will be almost entirely focused on getting the defense to a level close to the offense’s.
