APC Community Mock Draft - The Bears are on the clock at 20

With the 19th pick in the APC Community Mock Draft, the Washington Football Team went with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, the rangy LB from Notre Dame. He’ll be manning the middle for Washington, as they rarely use two inside backers in their defense. Owusu-Koramoah is on the small side but makes up for it with elite athleticism and defensive back-like speed. Washington’s defense is already great, but could improve against the run, ranking 11th in DVOA there last year. If he lives up to his potential, he could be the piece to take Washington’s defense into the elite stratosphere they need.

Much like Washington, Chicago’s biggest need of the future is still QB. Andy Dalton is presumed to be the starter after signing in free agency, but with only a 1-year deal, the Bears will still be focused on the future of the position. However, the QB well is still dried up at this point in the draft unless we see a sleeper rise like Davis Mills or Kellen Mond.

With that being said, after Kyle Fuller became a cap casualty this offseason, the Bears have a sudden need at CB. Luckily, they could replace him with another Virginia Tech standout. Caleb Farley is still on the board and has CB1 talent that has been obscured by injury. If healthy, Jaylon Johnson and Farley would be a strong CB duo for years to come, as Johnson came on strong at the end of last season. The Bears could also target a WR to go along with Allen Robinson, who is currently playing on the franchise tag. Giving Andy Dalton as many offensive weapons as possible could be a priority in order to judge his fit with the team. Lastly, the Bears could go with a pass rusher, in the hopes that he can be an upgrade over Robert Quinn, and possibly replace him after 2021 when Chicago has a potential out in the contract. Let’s run down the past 19 picks before taking a look at their options at 20.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2. New York Jets - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3. San Francisco 49ers - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
4. Atlanta Falcons - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
5. Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
6. Miami Dolphins - Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
7. Detroit Lions - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
8. Carolina Panthers - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
9. Denver Broncos - Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
10. Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama
11. New York Giants - Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
12. Philadelphia Eagles - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
13. Los Angeles Chargers - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
14. Minnesota Vikings - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
15. New England Patriots - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
16. Arizona Cardinals - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
17. Las Vegas Raiders - Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
18. Miami Dolphins - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
19. Washington Football Team - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

The Bears still have plenty of elite talent on the board at 20.

Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

Farley would likely be competing with Patrick Surtain and Jaycee Horn for the CB1 status in this class if not for injuries and his decision to opt out of the 2020 season. A big corner (6-foot-2, 197), Farley has both great ball skills and coverage ability and can do it all in any scheme. The medicals are the big question for him, as he tore an ACL as a true freshman and has had recurring back issues that resulted in surgery this offseason. However, he said that his pre-draft medical checks came back clean, which may give teams the confidence to put him back near the top of their cornerback boards.

Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami

One of the most physically imposing edge defenders in this draft class, Phillips had a very good junior year in 2020 after sitting out 2019 following his transfer from UCLA to Miami. Phillips posted eight sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in the fall, then posted a very good workout at Miami’s Pro Day. However, Phillips’ big questions will be on the medical side, after missing most of his sophomore season to injuries, including multiple concussions. To make matters worse, Phillips missed the pre-draft medical re-checks in Indianapolis due to a positive COVID test.

Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

Among the wide receivers in the second tier of this year’s draft class, Bateman is one who projects well as a do-it-all guy. In 2018, Bateman had an impressive true freshman season, forming an intriguing tandem with Tyler Johnson. 2019 saw him explode as a deep threat, averaging over 20 yards per reception on 60 catches, 11 of them going for touchdowns. He isn’t overly large, but he’s an excellent route-runner as well as a very good athlete, able to win with technique or speed.

With the 20th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select…

That’s it for this week’s picks! With no glaring need besides QB, the Bears have decent options at 20. Whether they go with a replacement for Kyle Fuller or Robert Quinn, or get Allen Robinson a running mate at WR is anyone’s guess. It’s also possible the Bears trade up for a QB who can sit behind Andy Dalton for a season. We start off next week with a pair of AFC South teams in the Colts and Titans. Make sure to vote here and on Twitter @acmepackingco and check back Monday at 11 AM EST to see who the Colts pick at 21.