Hub Arkush: Let’s project all 6 Bears draft picks

I am not a fan of mock drafts. They portend a level of knowledge no one, including the very best of the NFL’s general managers and personnel experts, can possibly have. Once the first five to 10 players of more than 260 have come off the board, you’re claiming to know which players teams will pick without knowing who’s even going to be available.

Nothing is more frustrating than when someone asks me in an interview or calls me up on the radio for analysis and starts with “all the experts are saying the Bears will take Joe Blow …”

No one is saying whom the Bears will or should take, they’re guessing! Of course, that doesn’t stop media and fans alike from complaining, criticizing and attacking when the team doesn’t take whom “the experts said” they would.

[ Everything Bears fans need to know ahead of this week’s NFL draft ]

On the other hand, it is easy to see that mock drafts are wildly popular, I guess just for the entertainment factor and debate they spawn, and so like it or not we continue to post more mocks.

For entertainment only, I’m going to give you my full Bears mock, but with a small twist.

I’m convinced the Bears will make multiple trades to accumulate more picks. But I have no way of guessing which picks might be dealt to which teams and for what unknown return, so I’m going to try to project who the Bears will take at Nos. 38, 49, 71, 148, 150 and 186, the picks we know they had 36 hours before the draft begins.

The twist is I’m going to name three players that I think could be available and would be great values for the Bears at each spot and then tell you who I would take if more than one, or all, of my guys are available.

38. OT/OG Tyler Smith, WR Christian Watson, OG Kenyon Green

Smith is a project, but every scout you talk to mentions his nasty streak first, and he sounds like exactly what Poles is looking for. Watson may have the highest ceiling of the three, but how he projects from FCS to the NFL is a real risk. Green needs work on his pass protection but he could be the Bears’ best run blocker on opening day and running the ball effectively could be Justin Fields’ greatest asset. All have high ceilings, but Green has the highest floor.

Hub’s selection: Bears take Texas A&M OG Kenyon Green (6-3 ¾, 323).

49. OT/OG Tyler Smith, CB Kyler Gordon, WR Christian Watson

If Smith and Watson are both still there – and they just might be – either would look great in navy and orange from this spot. Gordon is the fifth-best cornerback on my board. He comes from a great CB program at Washington and may be the safest pick in this trio, but his ceiling isn’t as high. I’m just convinced general manager Ryan Poles is focused on his O-line right now.

Hub’s selection: Bears take Tulsa OT/OG Tyler Smith (6-4, 324).

71. WR Jalen Tolbert, WR John Metchie III, WR Alec Pierce

Metchie has the best bloodlines and should make a living in the slot, but he is coming off a December ACL tear. Pierce is the local kid with excellent size and athleticism but lacking elite speed, and Tolbert is a kid I have “steal” written all over but coming out of South Alabama has the biggest leap to take. Most would guess Pierce here, and I’m fine with that, but Tolbert just has more of a Poles/Chiefs feel to me.

Hub’s selection: Bears take South Alabama WR Jalen Tolbert (6-1, 194).

148. S Kerby Joseph, TE Isaiah Likely, CB Tariq Woolen

Hub’s selection: Bears take UTSA CB Tariq Woolen (6-4, 205).

150. S Kerby Joseph, TE Isaiah Likely, WR Makai Polk

Hub’s selection: Bears take Coastal Carolina TE Isaiah Likely (6-4 ½, 245).

186. S Smoke Monday, CB Tariq Castro-Fields, WR Tyquan Thornton

Hub’s selection: Bears take Baylor WR Tyquan Thornton (6-2, 181).

Get to know the top prospects

Shaw Local Senior Bears Analyst Hub Arkush has analyzed hundreds of draft prospects. He has ranked players at every position. Get to know the prospects here.

Who might be on the Bears’ radar? It’s tough – nearly impossible, really – to say. Even so, here is one prospect at each position to keep an eye on.