Ryan Poles revitalizes Chicago Bears roster in this early 2023 mock draft

This past offseason, the Bears signed veteran Lucas Patrick to come in and be their starting center. After this year, Cody Whitehair may no longer be around and Patrick is only going to get older. While Patrick will only be 30 by the time next season rolls around, Poles will already be planning ahead on the interior of this line.

The Georgia Bulldogs enter this season as the NCAA defending national champions, and last year, Sedrick Van Pran started all 15 games for them at center. When you can snag an experienced, championship-winning interior lineman with multiple years starting under his belt, it’s usually a good move.

Van Pran has a strong, compact build and at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, he has great size for the position. One of the things Poles and Eberflus covet, though, is a lineman who can move quickly and smoothly. Van Pran does just that, and can get to his spots swiftly.

He blocks well in zone, which is a huge plus, and Van Pran also handles pass rushers well. He shows a good base and rarely gets caught off-balanced. Adding him in the third means the Bears have an immediate starter on the interior line, as they look to revamp that area for the future.