Skip to main content
Advertising

ChicagoBears.com | The Official Website of the Chicago Bears

News

Experts don't agree on Bears' first-round pick

Who will the Bears select with the 20th pick in the NFL Draft? Judging by some recent mock drafts we reviewed, it's anybody's guess. Five analysts are predicting five different players in the slot.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks that the Bears will choose Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker.

NFLDraft_inside021313.jpg

The NFL Draft will be held April 25-27 in New York.
"A fourth-year junior, Fluker was allowed to participate at the Senior Bowl, and he took advantage," Kiper writes. "He has great size, and has extremely long arms he can use to move and frustrate pass-rushers. It's possible he was overlooked a little during the season because the level of play along the Bama offensive line was so good.

"I think when Marc Trestman starts rolling the tape on the Bears, he's going to see that the offensive line simply has to see a talent infusion. Fluker could be the best one the Bears have by the end of his rookie year."

ESPN's Todd McShay expects the Bears to draft Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, a three-year starter in college who had 159 career receptions for 2,610 yards and 29 touchdowns.

"Patterson is one of the most explosive, raw athletes in this draft and is one of the most dangerous with the ball in his hands," McShay writes. "He has elite natural tools and could be brought along slowly at wide receiver. Also, Patterson allows Trestman to get creative with reverses and screens while occasionally lining up Patterson in the backfield."

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks is predicting that the Bears will pick Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert, who caught 140 passes for 1,840 yards and 11 TDs in three seasons in South Bend.

"New head coach Marc Trestman could look to fix the Bears' leaky offensive line at this point, but the thought of giving Jay Cutler a hybrid tight end to target in the middle of the field could be too tempting to bypass," Brooks writes.

USA Today's Tony Pauline thinks that the Bears will select Ohio State defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, a big productive run-stuffer who started the past two seasons for the Buckeyes.

"The Bears must draft at least one starting defensive tackle," Pauline writes. "Hankins could be a mainstay for years."

The website Drafttek.com is predicting that the Bears will take Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree, an outstanding athlete who recorded 111 tackles last season for the Bulldogs.

Drafttek notes that "Ogletree is the most physically gifted prospect available, a player who could step into the Sam LB position immediately while being groomed to eventually take over for the soon-to-retire [Brian] Urlacher.

"The ultimate specimen, Ogletree shows great raw recognition and pursuit skills, [and he's] able to track ball carriers from sideline to sideline. With 4.6 speed, he can tend to over-pursue, but shows the natural ability to recover.

"His speed makes him ideal for the Cover-2, where the MLB must be able to control the middle of the field on passing downs. But it is his pass-rushing ability that sets him apart, a skill that would add a new dimension to a defense that has lacked consistent interior pressure."

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content

Advertising