Chicago Bears mock draft: Justin Fields is replaced as quarterback by Caleb Williams

It becomes increasingly likely that the Bears will have the No. 1 overall choice in the NFL draft with each week that goes by.

The Panthers dropped their game in Week 14, dropping their record to 1-12. In the meantime, the Patriots defeated the Steelers and Mitchell Trubisky, moving them up to 3-10, two games clear of the Panthers and the Cardinals. That matters because, as a result of the transaction that sent Carolina the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, the Bears now hold the Panthers’ first-round selection.

For months to come, everyone will be debating what the Bears should do with the first overall pick if the Panthers manage to finish with the poorest record in the NFL. Shall they continue to support Justin Fields and develop around him? Or should they choose a fresh rookie to start over from scratch with their rebuild?

During this mock draft, we will investigate that second option.

This mock draft, as always, is not an attempt to predict what the Bears will do when they return to the War Room next offseason. That is not possible. It is also not intended to be a recommendation of what the Bears should do. This mock draft is intended to delve at some of the more intriguing college prospects this season and how those players might fit in Chicago.

NO. 1: CALEB WILLIAMS – QUARTERBACK – USC

Last year, Ryan Poles skipped on a new quarterback and instead gave away the No. 1 pick for DJ Moore and a slew of other draft picks. He can’t pass up the chance to bring in another young, gifted quarterback. There are grounds to believe Justin Fields may be a successful NFL quarterback, but he’ll need to be paid soon, and the Bears aren’t nearly ready to compete for Super Bowls yet. Poles chooses to trade Fields, pick Williams, and give the Bears more room to succeed with a rookie quarterback.

Williams possesses the same big-play potential that Fields does. He can score with his legs, has a great deep ball, and can transform bad plays into explosive gains with his off-the-cuff improvisations. With nine fumbles this season, ball security worries arose, although Williams has taken excellent care of the football throughout his career. He also works well as a rhythm and timing passer. There’s a reason he’s one of the most highly regarded quarterback prospects since Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

NO. 7: JER’ZHAN NEWTON – DEFENSIVE TACKLE – ILLINOIS

The top defensive lines in the NFL attack in waves, and the Bears’ defense begins with their front four. Whether or not Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens develop as the Bears hope, they’ll want to keep adding young talent to their defensive line’s interior.

Newton is a dynamic three-technique who can patch holes in the run game and dent the pocket on the pass rush. His eight sacks are tied for second among all interior lineman in the country, his 44 total pressures are third, and his 15.5% pass rush win rate is fourth among all interior linemen with at least 200 pass rush snaps. His 25 run stops tie him for sixth place.

NO. 71: BILLY BOWMAN JR. – SAFETY – OKLAHOMA

If the Bears are concerned with Eddie Jackson’s foot, which has kept him out of five games in 2022 and five games this season, they may want to replace him as soon as next season. In that case, they’ll need someone with ballhawking skills to fill his spot on the defensive line. Bowman Jr. has the ranginess, instincts, and ball skills needed to play free safety, as seen by his nine interceptions over the last two seasons.

He also swipes at the ball while tackling, which Bears coaches advocate for in order to force fumbles. Bowman Jr. also showed a desire to help in the run game when asked to play at the line of scrimmage. He’s had seven TFLs since 2021.