Among the things we learned from last year was that GM Ryan Poles used his information from top 30 visits to help drive the Chicago Bears‘ draft plans. No less than four of the players they met with ended up getting drafted. Where it got interesting was examining which positions got the most attention in the interview process. Last year, it was a tie between offensive tackles and wide receivers. The Bears met with six each. They ended up selecting Darnell Wright in the 1st round and Tyler Scott in the 4th.
To that end, I decided to look up the most up-to-date list of prospects the Bears have met with. Unlike last year, one position has considerably outpaced the others to this point.
Poles and his scouting department have been doing a lot of legwork on wide receivers ahead of this draft. It isn’t just the big names, either. They’ve met with the Big Three of Marvin Harrison, Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze. They’ve also met Xavier Worthy, Jha’Quan Jackson, and Ryan Flournoy. All are expected to go somewhere between the end of the 1st and the start of the 4th. This paints a pretty clear picture.
It would be shocking if the Bears didn’t come out of this draft with another receiver.
They have two tremendous receivers in place with D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. There are two problems. Allen is turning 32 this year and is a free agent in 2025. In addition, the team has serious depth questions. Tyler Scott didn’t show much last season as a rookie, while Velus Jones has been a disappointment. It would make sense to draft a receiver because it solves both issues. It would provide insurance in case Allen leaves and also give them more competition on the roster. The only question is how early they strike.
Plenty of fans hope it will be at the 9th overall pick. Any of the top three could be instant difference-makers for this offense, making life even easier for Caleb Williams. Worthy is an undersized but ludicrously fast target who is strong and a better route-runner than his thin frame might suggest. Jackson is short and light but brings tons of versatility as a slot receiver and punt returner. Flournoy might be one of the best-kept secrets in the class. He has size, speed, and strength to go against NFL corners. If he can expand his route tree, there is a good player in there.
However they decide to approach it, the Bears seem intent on adding firepower.
