The NFL Draft is just over a week away, and like the other 31 teams in the league, the Chicago Bears are doing everything they can to ensure that they make the best picks. Teams are allowed to host up to 30 prospects for an official pre-draft visit, and the Bears already have a long list of names that have been, or will soon be, at Halas Hall.
It's a new day in Chicago under the leadership of new head coach Ben Johnson, which means the old rules of the Matt Eberflus era no longer apply. Ryan Poles is still in place as the team's general manager, but if Bears fans are to believe what they've been hearing, that doesn't mean that this year's picks will follow the same set of guidelines that previous Poles selections did.
Poles and Johnson are clearly collaborators on this process, which means that the Bears are going to be pursuing players that fit what Johnson wants to do. The HITS principle is long gone, and with it, hopefully the losing ways of old.
The Bears have three selections in the first 41 picks. There's a lot of talent in this draft, especially at Chicago's top positions of need. This puts Poles in an enviable position, as he should be able to build upon what's already been a dynamite offseason by adding a lot of young talent.
Teams don't exclusively select players that have visited them before the draft, but knowing which players have taken the trip can still be revealing. Knowledge is power around draft time, especially as teams try their best to disseminate false information and throw other teams off the scent of what they're trying to do.
As of now, there are 10 prospects with a chance of being selected in the first two rounds that the Bears have shown this interest in. Let's take a look at all 10 along with a quick blurb on what the Bears might see in them.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Just to warn you, the first few are going to be fairly obvious. Jeanty is the Heisman runner-up, a guy who generated more missed tackles and big plays than entire teams did last fall. He's the top back in the draft, and all reports indicate that the Bears are in love with him. The question is whether the Bears love him enough to trade up to fifth to get him, because that might be what it takes to keep him from going to the Raiders at six.
Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Campbell is thought by many to be the top offensive lineman in the draft. Most years, he'd have no chance of being around when the Bears pick at 10, but a shorter-than-average arm length opens up the door to a potential fall. Even though the Bears have made offensive line their top priority this season by trading for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signing Drew Dalman in free agency, last year's string of injuries in the trenches showed that you can never have enough beef up front, especially if the Bears believe that Campbell could be an eventual upgrade over incumbent starting left tackle Braxton Jones.
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
Tight end isn't thought to be as high on the priority list as running back and offensive line, but the way that Warren is projected to be such an all-around talent could change that calculus. The Bears already have Cole Kmet on the roster, though he was underused under the previous coaching staff. Adding Warren would give the Caleb Williams a weapon not unlike what Ben Johnson had in Detroit with Sam LaPorta.
Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
The Bears have one side of the field locked down with Jaylon Johnson, and they recently made Kyler Gordon the highest-paid nickel corner in the league. They could still feel it necessary to look for an upgrade over Tyrique Stevenson after his uneven year that was plagued with mental errors, though, one of which was the Hail Mary he surrendered to the Commanders that sent Chicago's season into a death spiral. Barron won the Jim Thorpe award as the best defensive back in the country, and is right there with Michigan's Will Johnson as the top-rated corner in this class.
Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
If the Bears don't get Campbell or Missouri's Armand Membou with their first pick, they may be hoping that Conerly will be there when they come back up at 39, because he's 6-foot-4 and one of the most athletic tackles in the draft. Scouts believe he needs to get stronger to be a top-end blindside protector, but most believe he has the ceiling to get there. Selecting him in the first two rounds would give yet another signal to Caleb Williams that unlike in his rookie season, the team's top priority is keeping him upright.
Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M
The Bears signed Dayo Odeyingbo away from the Colts to bolster their pass rush, but that shouldn't preclude them from adding more guys that can get to the quarterback. Stewart might have the highest upside of any edge rusher in this draft, Abdul Carter included, but his tape has been so inconsistent that drafting him could be a huge gamble. Bringing him in for a visit is a smart move to see if he has a chance to live up to his considerable potential.
Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
Ashton Jeanty has gotten the majority of the press among running back prospects, but NFL fans shouldn't forget about Omarion Hampton. NFL general managers certainly won't, not after Hampton graded out as one of the best running backs the combine has ever seen. If the Bears think he's in the same class as Jeanty, they could absolutely pick him at number 10, or even trade down and try to snag him a little later. They can't go too far though, because there doesn't seem to be any chance that Hampton is still there at 39.
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
It just goes to show how deep this running back class is that the Bears brought a third running back in for a visit. It also proves how little faith they have in D'Andre Swift to be their lead back, which is unsurprising if true since Johnson's Lions once traded Swift away and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round. Johnson is a versatile back that isn't going to make it out of the second, and he'd make a heck of a consolation prize if Ryan Poles isn't able to snag Jeanty or Hampton.
Omarr Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee
Norman-Lott isn't a lock to land in the top two rounds due to a lack of ideal size, but his athleticism could inspire someone like the Bears to take a chance on him. He feels like a player that new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, known for his exotic looks and aggressive blitz packages, could use as someone that can get to the quarterback off of stunts. The Bears are going to draft at least one defensive lineman in this draft, and Norman-Lott could be the guy.
Jonah Savaiinaea, OG, Arizona
If there's one thing we learned about Ben Johnson in his time in Detroit, it's that he likes his offensive linemen to be big. Not just big, but massive. Everyone on the Lions' offensive line in Johnson's final season as Lions offensive coordinator was at least 6-foot-3 and well over 300 pounds, and if he's looking to replicate that M.O. in Chicago, then Jonah Savaiinaea could be a fine pick in the second round. The guard is 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, and his experience at tackle in college gives him the versatility that the Bears need if any member of their revamped O-line goes down.