Bears predicted to land second first-round pick in major Rams trade

The entire NFL Draft community has been trying to predict what the Chicago Bears will do with their No. 10 overall pick. However, the Bears have enough draft ammunition to make things interesting beyond just No. 10.

Due to their trade with the Carolina Panthers, which landed Chicago Caleb Williams and DJ Moore among others, the Bears have an extra second-round pick. Overall, the team has four picks inside the top 75. If there is a player on the board that the new head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles can’t leave the draft without, they can be aggressive to ensure they land in Chicago.

That is exactly what happens in The Athletic’s latest beat reporter mock draft. Kevin Fishbain has the Bears trading picks No. 39 and No.72 as well as a 2026 fifth-rounder to land the Los Angeles Rams’ No. 26 and No. 127 overall picks. In turn, Chicago selects wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.

“Sometimes you have to go get your guy,” Fishbain wrote. “Taking advantage of the two second-round picks, the Bears were able to move up, recoup a fourth and get a game-changing receiver in Egbuka. If you’re trading up, it should be for a premium position and someone you feel really good about.”

“While Egbuka might not flash dominant traits, he’s “a very quarterback-friendly target,” per Brugler, and would be a perfect complement to Rome Odunze and DJ Moore, providing Caleb Williams quite the trio of receivers,” Fishbain continued.

How Emeka Egbuka affects Chicago Bears

DJ Moore and Rome Odunze are the unquestioned leaders atop Chicago’s wide receiver depth chart. But especially with Keenan Allen remaining a free agent, the Bears could look to add a bit more firepower. Drafting Egbuka gives the franchise a dangerous receiving trio and an intriguing weapon for Johnson to work with.

Egbuka spent four years at Ohio State, appearing in 49 games. He set a new Ohio State school record for receptions with 205, turning them into 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns. During both his sophomore and senior season, the wide receiver gained more than 1,000 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Egbuka ended his time in Columbus with a bang, winning a national championship and being named Second-team All-Big Ten.

The wide receiver’s hands and athleticism have him flying up draft boards. Any team in need of help in the passing game is surely looking Egbuka’s way. Furthermore, Egbuka earned a comparison to fellow Ohio State star Jaxon Smith-Njigba from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

“Fluid athlete with good size and quality ball skills who works primarily from the slot. Egbuka runs his routes with tempo and pace. He does a nice job of influencing coverage when needed,” Zierlein wrote. “He lacks the explosiveness to race past the coverage and is a little tight in his hips getting in and out of breaks.”

“Egbuka’s baseball background shows up with his laser-focused ball-tracking and ability to make sudden adjustments to bring throws in for a safe landing,” Zierlein continued. “He’s not elusive or sudden after the catch but is competitive and can squeeze out additional yardage. Egbuka projects as an early starter at slot for teams running heavy amounts of three-wideout sets.”

The Bears finished their 2024 campaign ranked second-to-last in passing, averaging just 181.5 yards per game. Having a player like Egbuka, next to Moore and Odunze, would certainly go a long way toward raising the average. The only question is whether Chicago is willing to trade up for him if needed.

Bears’ original first-rounder 

Egbuka marked Chicago’s second first-round pick in The Athletic’s mock. At No. 10, the Bears select Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams.

“Ryan Poles and first-time, offensive-minded head coach Ben Johnson get a weapon for veteran defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense in Williams, who has the size and length that fits what Allen likes at the position,” Fishbain wrote. “With Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo already on the roster, Williams doesn’t need to be more than a rotational edge rusher early on, as he can continue to grow into the position and help a Bears pass rush that sorely needs it.”

Williams may not be as heralded as other players going in the top 10. However, he was a dominant force during his time at Georgia, racking up at least 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for a loss in all three of his seasons with the Bulldogs. Overall, he made 67 tackles, 23 for a loss and 14 sacks. Williams set new career-highs in tackles for a loss (nine) and sacks (five) as a senior, helping him earn Second-team All-SEC honors. It was a fitting conclusion after the edge rusher began his tenure with Georgia by winning a national championship.

Chicago’s defensive line is built around Montez Sweat. Their goal is to get him back to being an elite quarterback disruptor. The arrival of Dayo Odeyingbo will certainly help. Coming off of back-to-back 17 quarterback hit campaigns with the Indianapolis Colts, Odeyingbo knows how to get to the quarterback. With two explosive forces coming at them, the line can no longer focus solely on Sweat.

Adding a player like Williams only exacerbates that point. The Bears want playmakers all over the gridiron, not just on offense. While Johnson’s arrival obviously has analysts pointing to that side of the ball, Chicago has defensive needs, too. Williams would bring an entirely new element to the pass rush and make the Bears a scary opponent for any quarterback in the NFC North.