3 Eddie Jackson Replacements the Bears Should Target in the 2024 NFL Draft

2. Javon Bullard, Georgia

Georgia has essentially been a defensive player factory for the NFL for the past few years. It is no secret that selecting players from the best teams in the best conference in college football often works out. Eddie Jackson was taken in the fourth round out of Alabama, for example, and we know how that went.

I think Bullard will be drafted before the fourth round, but isn't likely a first-round player which can land him somewhere in reach for the Bears.

Bullard is 5'10, 197lbs which is slightly undersized, but he makes up for it in instincts and football IQ. While he is able to turn and run with receivers in man coverage, it is zone coverage and his eyes facing the quarterback where he excels. This is exactly the role that the Bears need to fill with Eddie Jackson's departure. Bullard can provide excellent zone coverage behind Jaquan Brisker who is utilized more so in the box and blitzing.

A knock on Bullard's game is his recovery speed. At times, he will find himself out of position and lacking the elite speed to make up for it. As mentioned earlier, it isn't often that this happens due to his IQ and stellar coverage, but when it does, big plays can happen for the opposition.