JUST IN: Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus named an idea and perfect replacement for Justin Fields at QB

With each passing week, the Bears appear to be gaining control of the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. The Panthers lost again in Week 14, bringing their record to 1-12. Meanwhile, the Patriots defeated Mitchell Trubisky and the Steelers, putting them two games ahead of the Panthers and Cardinals at 3-10. That’s significant because the Bears own the Panthers’ first-round pick as a result of last year’s trade that sent the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina.

What the Bears do with the No. 1 overall pick if the Panthers continue on their path to the worst record in the NFL will be debated for months.

Should they keep Justin Fields and build around him? Should they go with a new rookie to restart their rebuild?

In this mock draft, we’ll look at the 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 into some of the most intriguing college prospects this season and how those players might fit in Chicago.

CALEB WILLIAMS – QUARTERBACK – USC – NO. 1

Last year, Ryan Poles passed on a new quarterback and instead traded 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, talented quarterback. There are reasons to believe Justin Fields can be a successful NFL quarterback, but he’ll need to be paid soon, and the Bears aren’t quite ready to compete for Super Bowls yet. Poles chooses to trade Fields, draft Williams, and give the Bears more room to win 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 turn bad plays into explosive gains with his off-the-cuff improvisations. With nine fumbles this season, ball security issues arose, but 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.

JER’ZHAN NEWTON – DEFENSIVE TACKLE – ILLINOIS – NO. 7
The best 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 plug holes in the run game and dent the pocket during the pass rush. His eight sacks are tied for second among all interior linemen 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 rank first.

BILLY BOWMAN JR. – SAFETY – OKLAHOMA NO. 71

If the Bears are concerned about Eddie Jackson’s foot, which has kept him out of five games in 2022 and five games this season, they may look 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 evidenced 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 shows a willingness to contribute in the run game when asked to play at the line of scrimmage. He’s had seven TFLs since 2021.