NEWSLETTER
The 2024 NFL Draft begins Thursday. Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles, Assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Head Coach Matt Eberflus, and others will put their heads together to come up with a winning plan for the team’s four picks (Nos. 1, 9, 75, and 122) on draft weekend. Starting today, we’re looking at some of the best prospects at various positions leading up to the Draft in search of fits for the Bears’ needs.
Previous: Quarterbacks
Currently on the Roster (2023 PFF Grade)
Wide receivers: DJ Moore (89.3), Keenan Allen (86.3), Collin Johnson (66.9), Velus Jones Jr. (53.1), Tyler Scott (52.7), Dante Pettis (DNP in 2023)
Tight ends: Cole Kmet (73.7), Gerald Everett (65.6), Stephen Carlson (N/A)
Prospect Ranking
Every year, the folks at The Athletic cook up a consensus big board based on a range of draft experts. This year, we’re tapping in and using this to guide us as we attempt get a feel for who the top prospects are in the 2024 NFL Draft class.
Here’s how The Athletic’s consensus board ranks the wide receivers (overall ranking in parentheses):
- Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (2)
- Malik Nabers, LSU (4)
- Rome Odunze, Washington (5)
- Brian Thomas Jr., LSU (20)
- Adonai Mitchell, Texas (29)
Other prospects of note: Georgia’s Ladd McConkey (30), Texas’ Xavier Worthy (36), Oregon’s Troy Franklin (37), Florida State’s Keon Coleman (40), Florida’s Ricky Pearsall (42), Michigan’s Roman Wilson (43), South Carolina’s Xavier Legette (56), Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley (58), Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk (76), Alabama’s Jermaine Burton (83), UCF’s Javon Baker (85), North Carolina’s Devontez Walker (86), Washington’s Jalen McMillan (91), Virginia’s Malik Washington (99).
Seeing all these receivers among the top-100 prospects hints at the strength of this position group being in its depth. Let’s face it. The more college offenses continue to spread out, the more notable receiver prospects will make it onto prospect top-100 lists.
Here’s how The Athletic’s consensus board ranks the tight ends (overall ranking in parentheses):
- Brock Bowers, Georgia (7)
- Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas (52)
- Cade Stover, Ohio State (87)
The consensus draft board spitting out three tight ends among the top 100 prospects does a solid job of displaying the drop-off once you get past Bowers.
Team Need
You wouldn’t think that this would be a high-priority need after watching the Bears trade for Keenan Allen and sign Gerald Everett to a free-agent contract. But the wide receiver position is a sneaky need.
Questions arise after you get past Allen and DJ Moore on the depth chart. Do you trust Tyler Scott to develop into a WR3? I still hold out hope that he can grow into that role, but there is still much work to be done on that front. Is Velus Jones Jr. a viable option? Probably not as a reliable third receiver option. However, a creative offensive coordinator can find some use for him. Dante Pettis didn’t play at all last year and Collin Johnson is probably destined for another trip to the practice squad. Getting another wideout with upside should be on the Bears’ draft-weekend to-do list.
And if they can find another tight end, that would a nice touch. New Bears OC Shane Waldron has a history of running a fair amount of two tight end packages. Having Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett makes for a solid foundation in the tight ends room. But it would be nice to have a third option to develop behind that tandem. Tight ends tend to take time to develop. So perhaps a third tight end could get fully up to speed by the time Everett’s two-year contract expires. Hey, don’t give me that look! It’s never too early to plan for the future.
Bears Connections and Possible Fits
The Chicago Bears have been all over the top wide receiver and tight end prospects:
If I Had to Pick One:
Drafting OSU’s Marvin Harrison Jr. would be a dream scenario. The Buckeyes standout is a do-it-all threat with size, speed, and reliable hands. Teaming him with quarterback Caleb Williams would give the Bears arguably the two best prospects in this draft class. It might be costly to trade up, but the juice could be worth the squeeze to get those two on the same team.
Otherwise, I’d be happy with the Bears getting any of the top receivers. We’ve often Chicago’s offseason moves through the lens of creating a soft landing for a quarterback. But in doing so, the Bears have also made Chicago a welcoming place for wide receivers. Not only would you be coming to a place with a top quarterback prospect, but wideouts arriving in Chicago would also get to work with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Plus, they’d come to town without needing to be The Man out of the gate. What a win-win combination that would be…
