2018 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears 7-round mock draft
By Joe Romano
Round 5 – 145
Kendrick Norton, DT, Miami
The Bears are relatively set up front with Akiem Hicks being one of the better lineman in the NFL. Opposite Hicks, the young Jonahtan Bullard has shown flashes but should not be considered a lock to retain his starting spot. Nose tackle Eddie Goldman is a solid starter as well. Competition along the defensive line should is a wise investment at this point of the draft.
Miami’s Kendrick Norton makes sense for the defense Chicago runs. Norton is a massive player at 6-foot-3 and 312 pounds. Some of that weight is not what teams want to see, centered on his stomach. However, Norton is the type of space eating defensive lineman that an odd front defense like Chicago could value. He has enough athleticism that he could bump out to that defensive end in the odd front but will make a living as a run stuffing nose.
Round 6 – Pick 181
Kylie Fitts, EDGE, Utah
With the release of Pernell McPhee, there is a lot riding on former first round pick Leonard Floyd to be an elite pass rusher. He has shown flashes and certainly has the upside to be a very productive player off the edge for Chicago. The two other edge rushers, Lamarr Houston and Sam Acho are aging veterans who are not in the team’s long term plans. Grabbing a developmental edge prospect is a smart move for Chicago.
Kylie Fitts from Utah is a pass rush specialist that may find more success for a 3-4 team like Chicago. At only 6-foot-4 and under 260 pounds, he is a long and agile edge rusher. Utah used him both with his hand down and standing up, so that bodes well for his draft status. However, he lacks elite strength against the run that could slide him down the board. Fitts offers the possibility of developing into a starter if he can stay healthy and add some play strength.
Next: Best NFL player from each state
Round 7 – Pick 224
Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State
It would not shock me to see Chicago double up on the wide receiver position. This is an incredibly deep class that offers different types of players all over the board. The Bears have shown a liking to big bodied receivers in their past draft history. In this class there are not many bigger than New Mexico State’s Jaleel Scott.
The 6-foot-5 receiver is the protypical tall, red zone threat receiver that can have success in certain situations. He will need to show straight line speed to ever develop into more than just that. Last year in college, he showed amazing ball skills and the ability to grab anything thrown in his vicinity. Scott is an ideal fit on the outside for a team like Chicago who needs to take a shot on playmakers for Trubisky.