NEWSLETTER
When the 2022 college football season began, we put Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski atop our way-too-early NFL Draft wish list.
Skoronski was looking like the type of prospect who checks some important boxes back in August. The Northwestern standout was a multi-year starting left tackle at a power conference school. He also had size, skill, and other things that make for a strong prospect pedigree. Since then, Skoronski has earned All-Big Ten recognition and unanimous All-American honors. Skoronski has also since solidified his place near the top of this NFL Draft class’ offensive lineman prospect rankings. No wonder the Chicago Bears were rolling deep at his pro day.
And yet, the chatter surrounding the Bears has been about the other top linemen in this class.
Well, until now.
Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan has Skoronski going to the Bears with the ninth pick. So does this mock draft from CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones. The same can be said about this mock draft from Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner. Even ESPN’s Todd McShay offers up Skoronski as someone on the Bears’ scope. And it has me trying to figure out what in the heck is going on here. Is this a group-think exercise? Echo chamber stuff? Or are folks colluding to drive us up a wall? I’m perplexed. But I’m also taking off my tinfoil hat (for the time being).
Because one week we have Paris Johnson Jr. looking like he is Chicagobound. The Ohio State stud offensive lineman with experience at multiple positions is meant to be a Bear, right? At a minimum, he thinks it might happen. Just when you’re comfortable with bringing in one of Justin Fields’ former OSU running mates, a different name surfaces. Darnell Wright’s name pops up a bunch in connection with the Bears’ first-round pick nine days ago. The Tennessee right tackle looks like a plug-and-play guy at a position Chicago obviously needs to fill. All eyes have been on Georgia’s top defensive lineman. However, offensive tackle Broderick Jones has also been floating on our radar as an option. Every week presents a new option whose buzz makes you think to yourself this is definitely the Bears’ guy.
But maybe Skoronski is the Bears’ guy. Again, his accolades are rock solid. He was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten performer (2021, 2022) and a second-team member in 2020. Skoronski finished his college career as the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year while also earning unanimous All-American honors. The résumé is solid. And even though there might be questions about where he’ll play at the next level, there doesn’t seem to be much doubt that he’ll play at the next level. Moreover, there seems to be a strong belief he’ll play well. Heck, he could conceivably play well at guard or tackle depending on team needs or roster construction.
But there’s a but … and we can’t ignore it.
Skoronski’s measurables don’t seem to measure up to what Bears GM Ryan Poles tends to like in his linemen. Arm length (32 1/4″) in particular seems to be what gets circled when this conversation reaches social circles. But maybe we shouldn’t cross Skoronski off Poles’ list just yet. The rest of the athletic profile seems to fit what the Bears want from their linemen:
If you are a “flavor of the week” type of person, then I bet you’re loving this part of NFL Draft season. Especially if you’re like me and have been obsessing over the Bears drafting an offensive lineman since March February January at least August of last year. And if you’ve been waiting for Skoronski to be the flavor of the week, then just know your time has come. But just know it might not last long.
