The Chicago Bears will probably be selecting USC blue-chip quarterback prospect Caleb Williams with their overall no. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Picking the potential franchise-altering generational talent is pretty much a guarantee at this point.
Up for debate, however, is what the Bears should do with their other first-round pick in the no. 9 spot.
Some feel that another wide receiver should be targeted as an additional weapon for the incoming Williams. Names abound as to who that should be. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze are most tied to a Chicago wide receiver draft wish list.
Others, however, feel that defense should be a priority at no. 9. Edge rushers Jared Verse and Dallas Turner seem to be the names most linked to the Bears’ second first-round pick.
But there’s a third camp that believes that Chicago would do right by Williams — and their future — by drafting a high-end offensive lineman to help protect their quarterback investment.
The Chicago Bears and the Offensive Line
Austin Howard of Bears Goggles On is one of many media voices championing the cause of the Bears selecting an offensive lineman in the first round of this upcoming draft. And the name that appears to be atop most offensive lineman wish lists is Joe Alt of Notre Dame.
Per Howard:
“Joe Alt is a prime example of what an NFL Left Tackle looks like. According to NFL.com, he stands at a height of 6’9″ and weighs 321 pounds. At the combine, he had one of the highest athletic scores among tackles and was the highest-rated in terms of production. This indicates that he possesses the physical attributes and skill set required to be a top-notch tackle in the NFL.
…Alt has proven himself as a highly skilled left tackle during his three years at Notre Dame. According to PFF, he played 2,214 snaps at left tackle during his college career, only allowing four sacks and five quarterback hits. Three of those sacks occurred during his first year as a starter, while in the last two years, he allowed just one sack and four quarterback hits.
Alt was the staple of a very solid Notre Dame offensive line over the last few years, showing to be a great pass-protector. As great as Alt is in pass protection, he is just as good in run-blocking schemes. According to PFF, he scored a run-blocking grade of 90.3, which is second best in the 2024 draft class amongst tackles. Alt was only defeated on 5.3% of his run-blocking assignments in 2023, showing he rarely gets knocked off assignment.”
One of the questions with Alt, however, is whether he’ll even be available by the time the Bears pick ninth. With a run on quarterbacks and wide receivers apparently brewing, there seems to be a fairly decent chance that he may be still on the board at no. 9. Several mock drafts have already talked up the idea of drafting Alt at no. 9. If he’s not available, the consensus offensive line backup seems to be tackle Olu Fashanu from Penn State.
Whatever the case, it certainly wouldn’t be the craziest idea for Chicago to beef up the line of defense between rival teams and their new star quarterback.