Chicago Bears 2023 Mock Draft: ‘Keep Justin Fields alive’ edition

This could end up being where Poles steals the show. Later in the fifth round, the Bears snag a steal in Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson. A 6-foot-3, 210-pound receiver, Hutchinson has that prototypical outside frame the Bears need. He’s coming from a Cyclone program that saw him get better each of his three years there, with this most recent season being a dominant performance.

In 2022, Hutchinson caught 107 passes for 1,171 yards and six scores. He is your acrobatic catch type; the guy who makes the big plays when you need them most. Although, with that comes the inability to make some routine catches at times. It’s more of a mental thing, here, and if Hutchinson lives up to his potential, this could be a home run pick for Poles.

Lastly, the Bears once more go with a defensive lineman — this their third of the draft. San Diego State’s Jonah Tavai is a phenomenal dart throw, here, late in the draft. Tavai would come to the Bears as a guy who can be used as a situational type. His strong, compact frame allows him to win low more often than not and for that reason, he is an excellent run-stuffer.

Tavai doesn’t have the biggest frame, at just six feet tall, but again that’s what will allow him to be the lower man the majority of the time. He’s great at getting underneath the blocks of offensive linemen to try and get his hands on the running back.

For the Bears to come away with a third defensive lineman in this draft would be a great sign. Poles has done his job to both not get Justin Fields killed as well as beef up the defensive side.