Chicago Bears Mock Draft: Ryan Poles does a masterful job filling holes

Although drafting one of the top cornerbacks at number nine overall is extremely tempting, snagging that missing offensive tackle is going to pay off. But, with the Bears’ second pick in the second round, they get a consolation prize in Syracuse cornerback Garrett Williams.

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Jaylon Johnson is locked in as an outside starter, but being able to keep Kyler Gordon in the slot is going to pay off for this team, assuming they get a good enough player to come in and supplant Kindle Vildor.

Williams has average size at 5-foot-10, but his overall traits make him a formidable starter on the outside. He is a highly-intelligent player who relies on his footwork to do the heavy lifting for him. Williams is a rarely-penalized cornerback that can keep up with just about any receiver, and not necessarily due to his size. It’s because he has put in the effort to possess some of the best footwork in his entire class.

With their third-round pick, the Bears go back to the trenches, making it three out of four picks coming up front. Poles goes after Baylor defensive lineman Siaki Ika, here, and suddenly this line looks drastically different than it did for the 2022 season.

Last year, the Bears were absolutely atrocious when it came to gap control, making them one of the worst teams against the run. That ends the day Ika comes to Chicago. The 6-foot-3, 335-pound big man hangs his hat on gap control. His size, alone, allows him to close off gaps easily. But, he’s a powerful player that uses his strength to his advantage in not only closing those gaps, but pushing them backward.

Not only is he strong, but Ika has a scarily-quick first step off the line, allowing him to do exactly what we just talked about — push the pile backward in a hurry.