Two mock drafts have identified defensive tackle as a priority for the Bears, presenting a candidate for their second pick in the draft.The focus on wide receiver or edge rusher for the Bears at the 9th pick has occasionally been diverted by mentions of offensive tackles.
In a recent NFL.com mock draft by Peter Schrager, JC Latham was projected to the Bears after trading down to the 15th spot, raising eyebrows due to the player choice and missing out on LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, who was available at No. 9. Even if the Bears aimed for a defensive player at all costs, passing on Nabers seemed implausible.
However, two recent mock drafts have introduced a surprising position, one that the Bears could certainly benefit from.
One mock draft, a seven-rounder by Marcus Mosher for The33rdteam.com, and another, a concise 10-pick mock draft by an ESPN team of unidentified NFL scouts, both proposed the same position: defensive tackle. Byron Murphy II from Texas was slated to be the Bears’ second pick in the first round, with ESPN placing him at No. 9 and Mosher at No. 13 after a trade down.
The ESPN scouts chose Murphy after Caleb Williams at No. 1, with none of the top three receivers available at No. 9.of Williams, one scout commented, “Caleb is the most likely player in this class to become a Hall of Famer. That’s the dude I want.”
While the Bears would likely be content with Williams, they are also seeking the best option at No. 9. If the top receivers are off the board, opting for defense wouldn’t be a bad choice.
This scenario could materialize for the Bears, as many projections have Dallas Turner as the only defensive player drafted before No. 8 by Atlanta. However, in this mock, the Falcons chose cornerback Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo at No. 8.
Thus, the Bears selected Murphy, with their decision being made by an AFC area scout.
“Murphy is a true game-changer who has yet to reach his full potential,” the scout remarked, followed by the inevitable, “We can’t believe he’s still available.”
The scout also emphasized the value of Murphy’s rookie contract, given the rising salaries of interior defensive tackles.
This value holds true regardless of whether they opt for an edge rusher or a 3-technique or any other position.Considering the Bears’ previous draft picks for defensive tackles without immediate impact, the scout saw Murphy as an ideal solution to their problem.
“Murphy is the perfect 3-tech for Matt Eberflus, and it’s the one position the Bears haven’t figured out on defense,” he noted.
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller, who wrote the article with the scouts’ comments, admitted surprise at the Bears selecting Murphy, as he hadn’t been mentioned in many top 10 mock drafts.
Mosher’s mock draft didn’t place Murphy in the top 10, as the Bears traded down to No. 13 with the Raiders. They then chose Murphy.
“The Bears miss out on the top three receivers at No. 9, making a trade-down much more palatable,” Mosher explained. “They pivot to defense at No. 13, taking arguably the best defensive player in the class. Byron Murphy is an incredible athlete who should be a disruptive player immediately.”
Considering the high and unexpected praise of Murphy as the best defensive player in the class, it’s clear that the Bears could significantly bolster their defensive front with him at the 3-technique position, complementing DeMarcus Walker at defensive end.
However, it would require breaking the news to Pickens and Dexter that they’ve been replaced as successors to Justin Jones’ position.
