NEWSLETTER
Seven-round mock drafts are an absolute treat, because they often unearth some intriguing prospects, many of whom go on to see their stock rise by the time draft weekend rolls around. In other words, early editions of seven-round mocks allow us to be hipster-ish on some low-key prospects. I like that.
And to that end, Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling has a seven-round mock that addresses some of the Bears’ biggest needs. Easterling has the Bears taking Northern Illinois tackle Max Scharping, Ohio State cornerback Kendall Sheffield, Georgia running back Elijah Holyfield, and Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley. Knocking off needs along the offensive line, secondary, backfield, and at developmental quarterback seems like an ideal way of attacking the first draft after a 12-win season.
At first blush, this looks like a very Bears-y draft. It has SEC flavor, power-conference vibes, and a hint of small school scouting. All of these selections are sensible, even if Scharping is the pick in Round 3. Because even if the Bears are set at right tackle with Bobby Massie, having a quality prospect with upside to step up in a pinch (or even move inside to guard eventually) can be very valuable. The Bears don’t have a pick in the first two rounds, we’ll be diving into deeper mock drafts that dive into the middle and later rounds in search of pieces to share and analyze. Deep dives for deep dives. Can you dig it?
Hey, wait a minute … where are the kickers?
No kickers or punters were drafted in Easterling’s mock, so I apologize on his behalf if you were hoping the Bears would pluck one in this mock. Maybe the Bears will have signed a kicker (looking at you Robbie Gould … or perhaps Stephen Gostkowski) by the time draft rolls around and the need won’t be there. If that’s not the case and no kickers go drafted, then the team could target LSU’s Cole Tracy, Oklahoma’s Austin Seibert, Utah’s Matt Gay, Illinois’ Chase McLaughlin as undrafted free agents who could join Redford Jones to challenge (and unseat) incumbent Cody Parkey.
There are 27 days until the NFL Scouting Combine, 42 days until the new league year opens up, and 85 days until the 2019 NFL Draft. Warmer days are coming for those of us who are patient. And patience is something we’ll need to practice as we await any potential change in the kicking game.
