If the Chicago Bears are going to address the offensive line with their first-round pick, it is going to be for a left tackle prospect who can replace Braxton Jones.
By all accounts, Armand Membou will not fall to No. 10 after his performance at the NFL Combine. Most mock drafts have him going between picks No. 4 and No. 7.
Will Campbell may not be a fit by Ryan Poles' standards, so this leaves Kelvin Banks and Josh Simmons. Banks and Simmons have a lot going for them. Three-year players, high-end athletes from big schools, and the ability to potentially become franchise left tackles. However, both come with flaws.
For Banks, it is his anchor and ability to generate and handle power. Brandon Thorn, one of the best offensive line evaluators in the media space, along with Lance Zierlein of NFL dot com, noted that Banks has issues with his ability to anchor, which may limit his upside as a left tackle.
Josh Simmons had two good years of tape at San Diego State, but when he transferred to Ohio State, he got hurt before he got to face their toughest competition. So, not only are teams worried about a serious knee injury, but there is also the reality that he has not faced the toughest competition despite the logo that will be displayed next to his name when he is drafted.
If the Chicago Bears picked in the 15-20 range, they would probably be all over either Simmons or Banks, but in the tenth spot, there is a question of whether either would be the best player available or if it would be more of a forced pick to fill a spot. While the Bears could set themselves up for a future left tackle, the timing may not be right this year.
