Chicago Bears Mock Draft: Expect The Unexpected

Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Third Round: Byron Jones,  CB, Connecticut 

Playing in the NFC North, the Bears see some very good quarterbacks. Facing Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and now Teddy Bridgewater twice a season each, they need to have some good cornerbacks.

In steps Byron Jones.

At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Jones has the height and the strength to play against not only the opposing quarterbacks, but also the big receivers that are taking over the league.

Last year, Tim Jennings was rewarded with a contract extension after playing well in Charles Tillman‘s absence due to injury in 2013. Tillman again went down in 2014, but Jennings could not repeat his great performance from the previous two seasons.

At 5-foot-8, Jennings is at a disadvantage. The interesting thing from last season was that the coaching staff was going to have Jennings move over inside on nickel situations (which at this day and age means a lot of the time) and have rookie Kyle Fuller play outside.

Now with Jones, Jennings could move to the inside and the Bears would have two tall, athletic corners.

Jones spent his first two years in Connecticut playing safety. After the team lost their best corners to the NFL, Jones moved over to cornerback and thrived there. Being a former safety gives Jones the toughness that he plays with.

Jones really put himself on the map during the NFL Combine when he broke not just the combine record but the world record standing broad jump of 12-foot-3.

Fuller and Jones would give the Bears an extremely athletic cornerback combination, and they could be the talk of the NFL for years.

Next: Fourth Round: Bryce Petty