2018 NFL Draft: Who could Chicago Bears trade back for in the first round?

Josh Jackson, CB (Iowa)

Yep, if the Chicago Bears trade back into that 11-12 range, this is going to be really fun.

Not only will Edmunds and Smith be there, but Jackson will be too. And more than likely, they’re all going to be gone within the space of five picks.

Truthfully, if the Bears landed at No. 12 especially, it’s kind of a “last man standing” sort of argument. Whichever remains of these three players will probably end up in Chicago.

And given how much Vic Fangio loves tall cornerbacks, Jackson could make a push here that we don’t expect.

He doesn’t necessarily have the longest arms in the world, but the rest of his physical profile is there: 6-foot-1, 192 pounds and the frame to potentially get a bit bigger.

Also, while he’s not going to run the best 40 time (4.56 seconds at NFL Combine), he made plenty of plays without all that. And his uncanny ball-hawking ability, especially in off-coverage, could make him an instant attraction for Fangio.

The Bears play a lot of the “Seahawks” type of coverage—one outside corner in press, the other in zone). In that kind of system, Jackson could potentially fit right in and utilize his instincts and nose for the football early on.

Of course, he will need some work in his press coverage technique, and his penchant to gamble and anticipate routes could lead to him getting burned a time or two early in his career. It happens to everyone.

But if Jackson can get a bit faster and improve his very upright, sometimes stiff footwork to cover up for some of his lack of elite speed, he could very well be the best corner on the Chicago Bears by next year if Pace drafts him.

That potential, especially in today’s pass-happy NFL, could lead the Bears to take a shot at him if they move back from No. 8.