Official NFL Draft Thread - Bear Fans Only - and No Montucky!

[TL1961]

I think it's jumping the gun to say Campbell has the floor of a plus guard. First, he's never played the position. Beyond that, he has an extremely high stance that he'll have to completely rework transitioning to guard. Could he transition well? Sure, but it's a huge question mark. Not all OTs could just become good guards and you see examples of it failing all the time. Keep coming back to it, but Peter Skoronski is a prime example and is basically the Will Campbell of this draft. Although again, I think Skoronski had better tape, technique, and was the better prospect overall.

I do agree it's 100% a weird draft. I want to trade down but I don't know why any team would trade up. Walker is an interesting evaluation because he's more of an undersized tweener. Those guys are risky...I don't have a concrete opinion on him one way or the other. Although, if I had to pick a defensive player at 10, and Graham were gone, I'd probably pick Mike Green.

It's speculation, of course, but every analyst I have seen discussing Will Campbell as Top 10 seems to feel he can play OT due to his footwork, quickness, fundamentals, hands, etc., and all seem to defend the high rating by saying "worst case scenario, you plug him at guard and he plays well there for 10 years."

 

[TL1961]

Bears fans every season: Our o-line sucks! Our D-line sucks! Fire poles for his ignoring trenches!

Bears fans every offseason: let’s draft a tight end or running back or wide receiver!

I really can't recall an offseason where Bears fans were saying "let's draft a TE or RB" until now, and even now it's far from a majority.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

Nothing screamed elite about Warren until 2024. A five-year player who did not move the needle in his first four. Looking at his whole college career is the definition context.

Though Warren will be a first-round pick, I would say the Bears have more pressing needs at 10 than a TE.

Tbf, he was playing behind other nfl TEs a lot of that time. Sometimes in college you don't get a chance to shine early even if you are the better player. Plus Franklin is a moron.

 

[Enasic]

It's speculation, of course, but every analyst I have seen discussing Will Campbell as Top 10 seems to feel he can play OT due to his footwork, quickness, fundamentals, hands, etc., and all seem to defend the high rating by saying "worst case scenario, you plug him at guard and he plays well there for 10 years."

And none of them can point to a starting LT with a 77 inch wingspan in the NFL or any past example of a LT with a 77 inch wingspan ever making the pro bowl, yet alone all pro. Those experts are essentially betting and selling everyone on will Campbell being the first and only outlier at the position. If they want to take that bet, more power to them. I wouldn’t bet 10 bucks on it, yet alone the 10th overall pick.

 

[thenewguy]

I really can't recall an offseason where Bears fans were saying "let's draft a TE or RB" until now, and even now it's far from a majority.

Agree, and I didn't start that way. It's just that if you don't like Campbell there is not a trenches guy at 10 that fits well and isn't a big risk. At that point you are focusing on drafting one only for positional value. Poles has drafted a QB. WR. And OT with his first round picks. All good from a positional value perspective. He has spent 2nd and 3rd rounders on DL and OL and found a starting LT in the 5th. He hasn't deprioritized the trenches, he's just been not great at picking or signing them.

Ben Johnson values elite weapons and this year there are maybe two possibilities to draft them at 10, while the trenches guys have risks and there is good value for those guys in the 2nd and 3rd round. I just feel people are so locked into positional value that they are just dismissing players that could be difference makers and may be the real value in this draft. Every draft is different.

 

[bamainatlanta]

Who's the elite edge at 10?

I’d rather take a stab at Green or even Membou(who has never played LT) than to take Warren. Or a BPA like Johnson or Walker if available.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

Almost always agree , but trenches for the players available at 10 aren't a ton different than the value at 39 and 41. If you want a true blue chip player at 10 it is unfortunately Warren or Jeanty. If Graham slips great, but won't happen. Campbell is the only OL worth taking at 10 and he will be gone and I'll get screamed down anyway because of T-Rex syndrome.

Yeah I don’t agree with that

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

I’d rather take a stab at Green or even Membou(who has never played LT) than to take Warren. Or a BPA like Johnson or Walker if available.

Ross Tucker dropped a Jason Peters comp for Membou…..

 

[DefNextYear]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1908570194361876589

 

[bears51/40]

Tbf, he was playing behind other nfl TEs a lot of that time. Sometimes in college you don't get a chance to shine early even if you are the better player. Plus Franklin is a moron.

Agree, Franklin is a horrible college coach. Warren started 12 games in 2022, 13 in 2023. and 16 last year.

 

[Wild_x_Card]

This team solely lacks actual game wreckers on both sides of the ball. They have exactly ZERO on the current roster as it stands. Moore is the closest thing they have. Maybe a few of the young guys can develop into that but it's still wishful thinking at this point.

They SHOULD be targeting a player with game wrecking potential on either side of the ball. All this pining for one specific position on here is comical and shortsighted.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

This team solely lacks actual game wreckers on both sides of the ball. They have exactly ZERO on the current roster as it stands. Maybe a few of the young guys can develop into that but it's still wishful thinking at this point.

They SHOULD be targeting a player with game wrecking potential on either side of the ball. All this pining for one specific position on here is comical and shortsighted.

Yeah pining for trenches is comical and short sighted.

 

[bamainatlanta]

Ross Tucker dropped a Jason Peters comp for Membou…..

I also read Terron Armstead too. I’m tired of watching awful OL play.

 

[Wild_x_Card]

Yeah pining for trenches is comical and short sighted.

I won't be upset if they draft in the trenches at all. But that's not the end all be all. Find me a Superbowl team in the past 25 years that didn't have absolute dogs somewhere on the roster that could change games. Mack was the last one Chicago has had and that was forever ago now and it's pathetic.

 

[BaBaBlacksheep]

I won't be upset if they draft in the trenches at all. But that's not the end all be all. Find me a Superbowl team in the past 25 years that didn't have absolute dogs somewhere on the roster that could change games. Mack was the last one Chicago has had and that was forever ago now and it's pathetic.

Who is the “dog” available at 10?

 

[Wild_x_Card]

Who is the “dog” available at 10?

Who says they're staying at 10?

 

[Xplosive]

The Bears have a good TE now and can add one in the draft if they want, without using a highly valuable draft pick.

Maybe I am predisposed to thinking TEs are harder to project. Sure Bowers excelled, as we expected. But Kyle Pitts went #4 and is hardly ever heard from. HOF TE's have been drafted in the middle rounds with some regularity.

Hard, hard pass on using #10 on Warren. There are few ways the Bears can go at #10 that would upset me, but that is the clear #1 for me.

EDIT: "Middle rounds" may not be accurate, but after the first round anyway.

The modern NFL offense can use more than one TE in the passing game, so there is room for Warren on the game day roster and both can be on the field at the same time.

That can't be said for OT/OG because if you draft those positions they can't be used at the same time as the players we currently have. So drafting Cambell/Banks/Membou means they are paying someone to only sit on the bench.

The DE position has the most money invested on the entire roster. Just because fans don't believe Dayo will be good, it doesn’t mean the Bears will invest even more top line money into that position by using #10 there.

DT is the deepest position in the draft and the Bears will be easily able to take one at #39 or #41.

Warren may or may not be the choice but if they do take him at #10, it does make a lot of sense.

 

[dabears70]

Gronk could block DEs 1 on 1 if needed. Warren's arm length makes that a real challenge for him. Gronks versatility as a blocker opened things up scheme was with him on the field.

I think a better comp for Warren if he hits his ceiling is kittle. Although kittle is still a far superior blocker and creates better separation. But the physicality in run after the catch has a similarity.

Yeah Gronk is the obvious better blocker which is why i didn't compare the two, i was just commenting on you saying Warren was a average blocker saying i think he's better than average at blocking.

 

[TL1961]

And none of them can point to a starting LT with a 77 inch wingspan in the NFL or any past example of a LT with a 77 inch wingspan ever making the pro bowl, yet alone all pro. Those experts are essentially betting and selling everyone on will Campbell being the first and only outlier at the position. If they want to take that bet, more power to them. I wouldn’t bet 10 bucks on it, yet alone the 10th overall pick.

Yes, certainly. I fully understand your hesitation in drafting an outlier when there are no other examples of an OT with arms that short. I get that.

But the fact that many analysts are not shying away from drafting him is due to a) belief he can be the exception, and more importantly b) they feel he'd be a great guard. That's an important factor.

You mentioned that it's not automatic a college T can just become a guard - again, I agree. But in this specific case, it seems he's projected at least as a top guard and unlike many other college OTs this year being projected to be guards, some feel he's good enough to be that exception.

I think if he had played G in college and was projected as a great prospect at G in the NFL, he'd be talked about in the 20 range of the first. So you're gambling with a higher pick on that LT possibility. But you're not using #10 on LT or bust.

 

[Beast15]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1908570194361876589

We should take him at 10