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Bears Draft Primer

Who analysts think Bears will pick at No. 20

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With the NFL Draft less than a week away, here's who 17 analysts are predicting the Bears will select with the 20th pick in the first round:

Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune (April 18)
Pick: Mississippi receiver Elijah Moore
Comment: If the Bears cannot get into position to draft a quarterback, they need to find another way to get more explosive on offense. Trading back, if Ryan Pace can find a willing partner, would make sense. Moore would add an element missing from Matt Nagy's offense.
Previous pick: Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley (April 1)

Charley Casserly, NFL.com (April 15)
Pick: Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II
Comment: The departure of Kyle Fuller created a void in the defense. Newsome is a versatile corner with good size and speed who can fill in on the back end.
Previous pick: Florida receiver Kadarius Toney (Feb. 25)

Charles Davis, NFL.com (April 16)
Pick: Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau
Comment: The towering pass rusher didn't quite perform up to expectations at his pro day, but his play speed is evident and his upside extensive.

Nate Davis, USA Today (April 19)
Pick: Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II
Comment: Plenty of gaps to plug on this roster. But barring a hard-to-execute maneuver for a young passer, probably best to address the cornerback position after the team was forced to make Kyle Fuller a cap casualty. Newsome is confident and talented, coming off a pro day performance that included a 4.38 40-yard dash.
Previous picks: Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman (Jan. 28), TCU safety Trevon Moehrig (March 12), South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn (March 27)

Josh Edwards, CBS Sports (April 14)
Pick: USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker
Comment: Vera-Tucker has the versatility to play tackle but is better suited inside. The Bears start building a wall for whenever they are capable of adding a long-term fix at the quarterback position.
Previous picks: Texas outside linebacker Joseph Ossai (Jan. 28), Michigan tackle/guard Jalen Mayfield (Feb. 18), Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins (March 18 and April 3)

Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic (April 12)
Pick: Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins (at No. 26 after trading down with the Browns and acquiring a third-round pick)
Comment: Jenkins posted outstanding athletic numbers at his pro day, affirming that teams can feel comfortable taking him in Round 1. He plays with the type of nastiness that this Bears O-line could use. The Bears have some flexibility here. Jenkins could come in as a right tackle, compete with Germain Ifedi and eventually take over that job. If that happens, he could man the right side throughout his career. Maybe his athletic traits, intelligence and versatility allow him to work at left tackle, too, where he could play down the line or compete right away to take over from Charles Leno Jr.
Previous picks: Florida receiver Kadarius Toney (Feb. 25), Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman (March 29)

Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News (April 22)
Pick: Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins
Comment: The Bears are in the market for some kind of offensive line impact and getting the prototypical right tackle to be a rock for the running game with a smooth-enough frame for pass protection is a smart move should Toney not be available.
Previous picks: Northwestern tackle Rashawn Slater (Jan. 26), Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore (Feb. 18), Florida receiver Kadarius Toney (March 25)

Adam Jahns, The Athletic (April 12)
Pick: Michigan edge rusher Kwity Paye
Comment: A pass rusher? Seriously? Yep. With Paye, the Bears get a pass rusher with a high ceiling while opting to wait until the second round to address their offensive line. Paye was a second-team All-Big 10 selection the past two seasons. As a team captain for the Wolverines, Paye likely also meets some of the intangible requirements that [Bears general manager Ryan] Pace wants his scouts to target in their evaluations.
Previous picks: Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw (Feb. 25), Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins (March 29)

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com (April 6)
Pick: Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II
Comment: Newsome is a plug-and-play guy who can replace Kyle Fuller. The Bears could also go with an offensive tackle here.
Previous picks: Michigan tackle/guard Jalen Mayfield (Jan. 22), Florida receiver Kadarius Toney (Feb. 16)

Maurice Jones-Drew (April 13)
Pick: Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II
Comment: Newsome is a tough, physical corner whose ability jumps off the charts after a strong performance at his pro day. A good addition for the Bears.
Previous pick: Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis (March 9)

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN (April 13)
Pick: Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins
Comment: Jenkins is the last of four offensive tackles on whom I have first-round grades. A three-year starter at right tackle for Oklahoma State, he's outstanding in the run game. He'd fill the spot created by the release of Bobbie Massie. Chicago could also be in play for a pass-rusher, though it has put a lot of capital toward Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. A young edge defender such as Jaelan Phillips could be a situational player as a rookie.
Previous picks: Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins (Jan. 26), Florida receiver Kadarius Toney (Feb. 25), USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker (March 23)

Nick Klopsis, Newsday (April 19)
Pick: Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins
Comment: The Bears released Bobbie Massie, leaving them with a hole at right tackle. Teven Jenkins started for three years on the right side at Oklahoma State and is a powerful run blocker.
Previous picks: Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi (Feb. 8), Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley (April 5)

Todd McShay, ESPN (April 5)
Pick: Florida receiver Kadarius Toney
Comment: Chicago is likely out of reach to trade up for a top-five QB, at least without completely leveraging the organization's future. So it might as well give Andy Dalton—and his eventual replacement—another playmaker to work with, even after placing the franchise tag on Allen Robinson II. Toney is a different kind of receiver: He isn't polished, but he's versatile and explosive. Get the ball to him and he'll make things happen. The Bears could use that skill set on offense.
Previous picks: Mississippi receiver Elijah Moore (Jan. 7), Alabama quarterback Mac Jones at No. 12 via trade with 49ers (Feb. 9), Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw (March 4).

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports (April 22)
Pick: Stanford quarterback Davis Mills
Comment: Hey, they have to get their long-term guy at some point. Andy Dalton could play this year and then they could go to Mills next season.
Previous picks: Michigan tackle/guard Jalen Mayfield (Feb. 17), Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins (March 9 and April 3)

Peter Schrager, NFL.com (April 20)
Pick: Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman
Comment: I think the Bears are prime candidates to move out of the No. 20 spot to collect some additional picks in the later rounds. They love their young WR, Darnell Mooney, but with Allen Robinson on the franchise tag and Anthony Miller's future unknown, I could see Bateman being the guy if Chicago stays put.
Previous pick: Florida receiver Kadarius Toney (April 8)

Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports (April 22)
Pick: Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman
Comment: Bateman is a well-rounded wideout with deceptive route-running and YAC capabilities.
Previous picks: Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins (Jan. 27), USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker (Feb. 17), Bateman (March 18), Jenkins (April 3)

Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports (April 22)
Pick: Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II
Comment: Newsome, who had a standout season for Northwestern, adds some much-needed depth to the Bears secondary. QB is obviously a huge need but with the top five passers already long gone, Chicago will have to find help later in the draft.
Previous picks: Alabama defensive lineman Christian Barmore (Jan. 26), Virginia Tech tackle Christian Darrisaw (Feb. 15), North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance at No. 13 via a trade with the Chargers (March 22), Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi (April 5)

With the Bears holding the 20th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, take a look at the players who have been selected No. 20 overall since 2001.

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