With the Chicago Bears holding 20th overall choice in the 2021 draft of the NFL, it seems highly unlikely that they will be in a position to select a prospective player with a quality quarterback who has the advantage to start as a rookie.
But just because it seems unlikely, it doesn’t mean it is impossible.
Take the latest simulation sketch from Sports Illustrated, for example. They have Bears catching Alabama quarterback Mac Jones in the first round, despite Jones taking advantage of an increase in his draft stock since the conclusion of the 2020 college football season.
SI has Jones as the fifth defender won in Round 1, with Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Trey Lane all off the board in fifth choice (the Panthers, in this mock, exchange the Bengals for 5th overall and select Zach Wilson) .
Still, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which any of the top five defenders really fall that far. The New England Patriots are desperate for young blood in the position and Jones feels very much like a Bill Belichick guy. The Patriots choose 15th place.
There is also the Washington Football Team, which chose 19th place and has a big gap in the quarterback. They’ll be looking for a rookie who can get started right away and Jones, except for Lawrence, is the most professional of the group this year.
If nothing else, this simulated draft is an example of how the draft process can be unpredictable. Just because there is a narrative in February that suggests that no quarterback will be at stake for the Bears in the first round does not mean that a high-ranking passer will not fall in April.