Mock Draft! [J/K]

I need another mock like I need another app to download.

This ain’t my first rodeo, and I was much more invested in the draft before. I even bought hardcopies of Hub Arkush’s “Pro Football Weekly.”

Later I would print-out pages of the top 300 or so, thumb through them, use different colored highlighters for the guys I liked, cross them out as the draft unfolded. I was into it. I’ve always loved puzzles, and the draft is a puzzle, soap opera and competition all-in-one; it offers a little bit for everyone, from the casual fan to the analytic nerd.

However, now I’m not as into it. I got tired of screaming at my TV, “Trade up for Aaron Donald!” [new blog, same gripe], “Why are we drafting a 230 pound LB who doesn’t fit into Lovie’s scheme!”, “Trubisky – Trubisky?”

Years and years of bitter disappointment sucked my draft enthusiasm. I’m an optimist by nature, but boy come draft time, Bears always find a way to really test that.

Nevertheless, I still enjoy it. I find myself every March/April looking at way too much college tape, mock drafts, and combine. Old habits die hard.

So how is this Bears’ draft any different than the previous?

It’s not, really. Or – that is to say, we won’t know until about 3 yrs, but that’s no fun.

So live a little.

What makes this draft more fun for us:

1. Bears finally roster a franchise QB. Whether Caleb is a HOFer, or better than Jayden, Stroud, Mahomes, who knows? But we know what he’s not.
   Caleb is NOT McNown, Trubisky, Fields or the trainwreck of others like Dalton, Glennon, Barkley…other teams may take a starting lvl QB for granted but NOT us, and that in itself distinguishes the ’25 draft.
2. Bears MIGHT finally employ a REAL offensive oriented HC in Ben Johnson. Again, try to remember the last time the Bears could boast that. Yeah, exactly.

These two factors should bring more hope to us Bear fans in this draft.

And as Emily Dickenson once wrote, “Hope is a thing with feathers…and trade downs.”