The Chicago Bears could find themselves in a very advantageous position once the NFL Draft rolls around.
Picking at No. 7 overall, the Bears have a litany of needs. The defense was a mess last season and the Brandon Marshall trade leaves a big hole opposite Alshon Jeffery. If the top of the draft board breaks right, the Bears may have their choice of potential No. 1 receivers or impact pass-rushers. Specifically, Alabama's Amari Cooper and Clemson's Vic Beasley could still be on the board when Chicago is deciding. If that's the case, which direction will the team go in?
"That would be a difficult position to be thrust into, but it's a good one because I believe that both of the players you mentioned are capable of making immediate contributions," ESPN Bears reporter Michael C. Wright wrote in his weekly mailbag. "Bears general manager Ryan Pace recently said that you can never have enough quality pass-rushers, which might tip things toward Beasley. But all the moves made by the team up to this point have solidified the pass rush. When you've already got an outside linebacker depth chart that features Lamarr Houston, Jared Allen, Pernell McPhee and Willie Young, I think you're in decent shape at the position. So if it were me making the pick, and I had the choice between Vic Beasley and Amari Cooper, I'm going with the receiver because this team needs someone to pair outside with Alshon Jeffery. Pace has said he believes in drafting the best available player on the board regardless of position or need, and I think the Bears have put themselves in position to do exactly that with all the moves they've made in free agency. But as I said, if given the choice between the guys you mentioned, I'm going with Cooper."
Cooper set SEC records with 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. That's not to say that Beasley didn't impress as well. The Clemson product totaled 114 tackles and 12 sacks in 13 games last season.
ESPN NFL Draft Insider Todd McShay projected Cooper to be selected third overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars and Beasley going 13th to the New Orleans Saints in his Mock Draft 4.0. In that mock draft, McShay had West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White going to the Bears.
