General manager Ryan Pace said the Bears have more than 11 players he’s comfortable with taking with 11th overall selection.
Is just being coy? Probably, but either way, his options will dwindle with every selection made ahead of the Bears.
Here are my best and final guesses for the first 10 picks and the Bears at No. 11:
1.Los Angeles Rams (via Titans) – QB Jared Goff, California
I’m buying the buzz. Goff is the Rams’ guy.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (via Browns) – QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
Eagles get their guy, too. What a world.
3. San Diego Chargers – DB Jalen Ramsey, Florida State
Chargers draft a do-everything for their secondary.
4. Dallas Cowboys – RB Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
Jerry Jones can’t pass up the sexy pick. Elliott is a future star.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – DE Joey Bosa, Ohio State
Jags’ defensive front becomes big strength with the draft’s best pass rusher.
6. Baltimore Ravens – OT Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss
Ravens can’t pass on the best player available.
7. San Francisco 49ers – DE DeForest Buckner, Oregon
Chip Kelly is unpredictable, but Buckner is a special talent he knows well.
8.Cleveland Browns (via Eagles) – LB Myles Jack, UCLA
Browns say they’re “locked in” on a player. It could be (should be?) Jack.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – CB Vernon Hargreaves, Florida
Bucs add a play-making cornerback to solidify their defense.
10. New York Giants – LT Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame
Stanley may go higher, but he should be the best on the Giants’ board at this point.
11. Chicago Bears – OLB/DE Shaq Lawson, Clemson
With Elliott off the board, the Bears have Lawson, Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, Michigan State left tackle Jack Conklin and Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd to consider.
Lawson (6-3, 269 pounds) is a safe pick, but also a solid one. He’s one of the best pass rushers in a slim class, and he fills a need for the Bears, who want more weapons for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Lawson and Rankins are talented enough to play in different schemes, but Lawson may be able to do more, having played end and outside linebacker at Clemson. Rankins also is considered undersized at tackle.
Lawson’s history of production, which includes 12 ½ sacks and 25 ½ tackles in 2015, also trumps the potential that Floyd may have at the NFL level. Lawson has room to improve, but he doesn’t require the extra work that Floyd does.
