With the Chicago Bears having the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, it seems very unlikely that they will be able to select a good quarterback prospect who has the edge it takes to run as a rookie. to start.
But just because it seems unlikely doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Take Sports Illustrated’s latest mock concept for example. They’ve got the Bears landing Alabama quarterback Mac Jones in the first round, despite Jones getting a boost in his draft stock since the completion of the 2020 college football season.
SI has taken Jones as the fifth quarterback in Round 1, with Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Trey Lane all off the board at the fifth pick (the Panthers, in this mock, trade with the Bengals for number 5 overall. and select Zach Wilson).
Still, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where one of the top five quarterbacks falls that far. The New England Patriots are desperate for young blood on the position, and Jones feels very much like a Bill Belichick man. The patriots choose the 15th.
There’s also the Washington Football Team, which picks 19th and has a huge void at the quarterback. They’ll be in the market for a rookie ready to get started and Jones, with the exception of Lawrence, is the most pro-ready of this year’s bunch.
In any case, this mock version is an example of how the design process can be unpredictable. Just because there’s a story in February that suggests there won’t be quarterbacks playing for the Bears in Round 1 doesn’t mean a high-ranking passer won’t fall in April.