The Chicago Bears Are Telegraphing Their Picks. We’ve Discovered How

Last year, the Chicago Bears showcased a clear strategy going into the draft when they selected four players who they’d met with privately. It seems that paid off. Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, and Gervon Dexter all became immediate contributors. Even Tyler Scott flashed some potential. So it shouldn’t be a huge surprise GM Ryan Poles would stick to the same strategy in 2024. The Bears have made three picks through the draft’s first two days. All three of them met privately with the team over the past month.

One has to presume they will stick to that list for their final pick of the draft, which takes place at #122 in the 4th round. Here are the remaining names available who met with them.

• EDGE Austin Booker (Kansas)
• TE Tanner McLachlan (Arizona)
• S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (Texas Tech)
• RB Dylan Laube (New Hampshire)
• CB Cam Hart (Notre Dame)
• CB Nehemiah Pritchett (Auburn)
• WR Jha’Quan Jackson (Tulane)
• IOL Trevor Keegan (Michigan)
• LB Bryce Gallagher (Northwestern)
• WR Ryan Flournoy (So. Missouri)

If we’re assigning favorites, the names to watch are Booker, Taylor-Demerson, and McLachlan. Booker is an ascending edge rusher who only played one full year but was productive. He’s unpolished but physically gifted with size, length, and athleticism. Taylor-Demerson has concerns about his size, but he is a good athlete, is highly instinctive, and is a tremendous leader. McLachlan has good size and athleticism. He isn’t special in any category, but he is well-rounded. He shows a relentless ferocity as a blocker and runner after the catch.

The Chicago Bears have stuck to their word.

Poles admitted that this 2024 draft class is shallow. After a certain point, the pool of talent dries up, so not having a lot of picks isn’t exactly a bad thing. Instead of trying to move down and acquire more, they’ve stayed put and made their picks. That is why their 4th rounder early on Day 3 will likely be their last of the weekend. Poles will want to make it count, hoping to add somebody who can make an impact on the team in the short and long term. Everything points to them leaning on their list of private visits.

If they did decide to deviate from it for the first time, there are some intriguing names they could target. Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright, Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, and UCLA pass rusher Gabriel Murphy are some highly graded prospects still available. Any one of them would be a big help to the Chicago Bears. Everything depends on how the board falls through the top half of the 4th round. Maybe other teams will cooperate.