NFL mock draft 1.0: Chicago Bears boost interior of defensive line

For the first time since 2002, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles will be in a different spot heading into the NFL Draft than in the past — he won’t have a top-10 pick in the draft.

Poles didn’t have a first-round pick in 2022 when he took over as Bears general manager. This time around, Poles will have different areas on his roster to address to build upon last season’s NFC divisional appearance.

A year after using most of his top draft capital on the offense, Poles will likely use his top draft selections to bolster different parts of his defense. He’s also made it clear he’ll take the best player available as opposed to looking for a certain position.

The draft will start with its first round on April 23 in Pittsburgh and continue over the next two days.

Shaw Local’s Michal Dwojak projects how the first round of this year’s draft will unfold. Below is his first mock draft.

Team	Player, position, college	Analysis
1. Raiders	Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana	Mendoza has been linked to the Raiders since they earned the No. 1 pick at the end of last season. Las Vegas should get its franchise quarterback.
2. Jets	Arvell Reese, LB/Edge, Ohio State	The Jets have the pick of the litter when it comes to choosing who they want to anchor their pass rush. It’s a tough choice but they land on Reese and his explosiveness.
3. Cardinals	Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami	Normally the Cardinals would take a quarterback here after letting Kyler Murray go. With none worth No. 3 overall, Arizona builds for the future with a cornerstone tackle.
4. Titans	David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech	Tennessee might be tempted to grab Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to pair with their quarterback Cam Ward. But without a franchise pass rusher, the Titans grab Bailey.
5. Giants	Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State	New head coach Giants John Harbaugh has always had a dominant linebacker during his time with the Ravens. He’ll find his next one with the Giants in Styles.
6. Browns	Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia	The Browns are doing an offensive line revamp and the other best tackle is still available at No. 6. They run to make this pick.
7. Commanders	Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State	This year’s best defensive player falls a bit in our mock draft. Defensive-minded Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is happy to see it, adding an elite talent to his secondary.
8. Saints	Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU	Grabbing a new offensive weapon for quarterback Tyler Shough might be enticing here for the Saints. But they grab the cornerback of their future in Delane after the departure of Alontae Taylor.
9. Chiefs	Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami	The Chiefs have needs on other parts of their defense after some of their offseason moves. But it’s hard to pass on a talent like Bain’s, even with the shorter arms.
10. Bengals	Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee	The Bengals just missed out on Downs, Delane and Bain. But they grab McCoy to shore up their secondary after giving up plenty of passing yards last season.
11. Dolphins	Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State	Miami needs to build from the ground up as it resets its roster. But after trading Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos this month, the Dolphins grab the best wide receiver in the draft.
12. Cowboys	Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn	Dallas missed out in the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes earlier this offseason. The Cowboys find a good complement to what the Cowboys have on the line with Faulk, who fits well in their 3-4 defense.
13. Rams (via Falcons)	Makai Lemon, WR, USC	After missing out on some trade targets earlier in the year, the Rams get their new wide receiver in the draft. Lemon creates a dangerous room with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
14. Ravens	Spencer Fano, OL, Utah	The Ravens need to boost the interior of their offensive line to protect quarterback Lamar Jackson. Fano is a perfect candidate, though it’s hard to pass on Love since he fell this far.
15. Buccaneers	Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame	Love drops to Tampa Bay and the Buccaneers can’t pass up this talent despite other needs on their roster. They’ll have a dominant backfield with Bucky Irving and Love to support quarterback Baker Mayfield.
16. Jets (via Colts)	Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State	The Jets addressed the defense with their first pick earlier in the draft. They bring in a talented wide receiver to pair opposite Garrett Wilson instead of drafting a quarterback.
17. Lions	Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah	Detroit lost Taylor Decker at left tackle and need a long-term solution at the spot to spark its offense. The Lions go with Lomu, even though they have pass rush needs help too.
18. Vikings	Dillon Thienemen, S, Oregon	These two have been linked with each other for most of the offseason. Given Harrison Smith’s future is up in the air, this makes the most sense for Minnesota.
19. Panthers	Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon	The board unravels as well as it could for Carolina. With the Bucs taking Love earlier, the Panthers jump at the chance of grabbing Sadiq for quarterback Bryce Young.
20. Cowboys (via Packers)	CJ Allen, LB, Georgia	After adding to their pass rush with their first pick, the Cowboys continue improving their defense later in the first round. Dallas shores up its linebacker room by taking Allen.
21. Steelers	Vega Ioane, G, Penn State	Pittsburgh’s future at quarterback isn’t a sure thing with Aaron Rodgers weighing whether he wants to return. But the Steelers have have a glaring hole at left guard and they select the best one available in the draft this year.
22. Chargers	T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson	The Chargers fall one spot short of boosting the interior of their offensive line. Instead, Los Angeles addresses another area of need by adding to its defensive line.
23. Eagles	Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama	The pass rush is a need for the Eagles after Jaelan Phillips left for the Panthers. But with what’s out there at this point, Philadelphia chooses to bolster its offensive line instead.
24. Browns (via Jaguars)	Denzel Boston, WR, Washington	Cleveland entered the draft with needs on the offensive line and at wide receiver. The Browns accomplish both in the first round with their picks.
25. Bears	Peter Woods, DT, Clemson	The Bears need a starting safety heading into the draft. But with the future at defensive tackle uncertain after this season, Chicago grabs a talented playmaker with their first-round pick.
26. Bills	Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M	After the Bears decided not to go with a pass rusher, the Bills decide to add to their defensive line. Howell’s speed should be a nice addition for Buffalo.
27. 49ers	Akheem Mesidor, Edge Miami	Pass rush is a major need for San Francisco this offseason. The 49ers choose Mesidor instead of adding to their offensive line.
28. Texans	Blake Miller, OT, Clemson	Houston has an obvious need to boost their offensive line after a poor showing at times in the playoffs. The Texans add a protector for quarterback CJ Stroud by selecting Miller.
29. Chiefs (via Rams)	Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson	The Chiefs boosted their defense by addressing the defensive line with their first pick. They add to the secondary with their second pick.
30. Dolphins (via Broncos)	Zion Young, DE, Missouri	After snagging the best wide receiver with their first pick, the Dolphins replenish their defensive line departures over the past year by selecting Young.
31. Patriots	Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State	New England struggled to protect quarterback Drake Maye in the Super Bowl. They address that need with someone who can develop into a starter at No. 31.
32. Seahawks	Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame	Seattle lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker in free agency. They get his young replacement in the first round.