We’ve made it to draft week. All the mock drafts are (almost) over, and soon we’ll find out from Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles just how wrong we’ve all been.

The Bears are flush with draft capital, thanks to a top-10 pick and four total picks in the top 72, but this specific draft makes that No. 10 spot not the most enviable. There might not be a trade-back option. LSU’s Will Campbell, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and Michigan’s Mason Graham — three of the draft’s best prospects — might all be gone.

That possibility is reflected in our Bears mock draft 3.0. There are still plenty of blue-chip players available to Poles and coach Ben Johnson, but those prospects have more questions, whether it’s college production, positional value or ability to start right away. And whoever goes at No. 10 affects the options in Round 2.

Catch up on Bears mock drafts 1.0 and 2.0, and enjoy 3.0, one final scenario to consider.

Round 1, No. 10

My annual goal in these mocks is to present as many options as possible to a) increase the chances of being correct and b) give fans a thought exercise.

Jahns will lay out the potential first nine picks, and I agree that — based on prognosticators — we can look at that as a likely scenario. While waffling between Banks and Michigan tight end Colston Loveland, I couldn’t get past the idea that this is a new era in Chicago. It’s time to keep loading up on offensive linemen.

Banks was the popular pick in the fall and early winter. I wonder if extra games in Texas’ deep run almost hurt Banks’ stock, but he’s still one of the best offensive linemen in this draft. And here’s some synergy — he’s Dane Brugler’s 26th-ranked prospect. Two years ago, Darnell Wright was Brugler’s 24th-ranked player.

“With well-timed feet and handwork, Banks is a natural in pass protection and shows an instinctive feel to attack with leverage and create force through his body mechanics,” Brugler writes in “The Beast.”

Banks can compete to be the Day 1 left tackle, maybe beginning his career as a swing backup, and he could ultimately be a guard. Via Eric Watkins’ comparison tool on the Relative Athletic Scores site, here are Banks’ numbers lined up next to Joe Thuney’s.

The decision here is the premium position versus the luxury pick. Taking Conerly or one of the best pass rushers is the premium route. Tight end Tyler Warren is the luxury selection. The Bears need pass rushers, but protecting (and developing) quarterback Caleb Williams is essential to everything this season and beyond. With Conerly, Poles’ overhaul of the offensive line will be complete: left tackle Conerly, left guard Joe Thuney, center Drew Dalman, right Jonah Jackson and right tackle Darnell Wright.

Conerly is an outstanding athlete on the left side. He contained Carter in the Ducks’ matchup last season against Penn State. Improving his core strength was listed as a concern, but he “enters the NFL with a promising foundation based on athletic movements and body control,” according to Brugler. He also doesn’t have the injury concerns that Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons has entering the draft.

Round 2, No. 39 (from Carolina)

The nice thing about a deep running backs draft, when the Bears have a head coach who can best utilize the position, and a need next to D’Andre Swift, is they can get a pretty good one on Friday if they don’t take one in the first round.

Enter Johnson, who can be the David Montgomery for Johnson’s offense in Chicago. Brugler’s third-ranked back, Johnson averaged 6.4 yards per carry and had 21 touchdowns in an Iowa offense that didn’t offer much of a passing game. Take a look at a few of the strengths Brugler noted: “Physically put-together with power throughout frame,” “Consistently carries tacklers for extra yards,” and “Shines on toss, outsize zone or plays with horizontal flow.”

Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson or Quinshon Judkins could also work here or in Round 3. If the Bears take a running back in Round 2, it’ll be their first since Matt Forte in 2008.

Passing on Warren in a deep year for tight ends is acceptable, especially when prospects as good as Taylor are available in the second round. Taylor (6-foot-5, 246 pounds) set LSU records as a pass catcher, including making 55 catches last season. His bloodlines are notable as he’s the son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor and the nephew of Hall of Fame linebacker Zach Thomas.

With Taylor, Bears coach Ben Johnson will also have the blend of skill sets he wants for his skill-position groups. He’d complement Cole Kmet well.

“Taylor is a loose mover, which shows in his route running and at the catch point, and he has the hand-eye coordination to make natural adjustments and finish in traffic,” Brugler wrote in “The Beast.”

Round 2, No. 41

What made this exercise especially challenging was the abundance of options that fit the Bears in Round 2 based on Brugler’s rankings. Ohio State edge JT Tuimoloau, Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins and Arkansas edge Landon Jackson all garnered consideration here, and Minnesota offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery would’ve been the pick had I gone Loveland or Warren at No. 10.

That’s a good thing for Poles with his two second-rounders, but linebacker might be the position that raises some eyebrows among Bears fans — even though it’s the one “starting” position that has a clear void. Schwesinger would fill it and be a long-term option.

If the Bears lined up in their base defense tomorrow, who’s the strongside linebacker? Sure, that player might play only a handful of snaps, but it’s still important, and the depth chart reflects the drop-off after Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. Another reason to go linebacker this early — Edwards just received a two-year extension. The Bears will owe both players a lot of money in 2026. They should want a third linebacker to be on a rookie contract in case they want to move on from Edmunds, or try to keep both.

And that’s the long preamble to get to Schwesinger, Brugler’s second-ranked linebacker. “Schwesinger is an easy player to appreciate, because he is a tractor beam to the ball, a consistent finisher as a tackler and always plays at full speed to close on plays in a blink,” Brugler writes. “He has the instincts, demeanor and cover talent to be a four-down NFL starter early in his NFL career.”

That should play well in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme, and those traits should also translate to Richard Hightower’s special teams unit until Schwesinger becomes a full-time starter.

It’s an offense-first league, and the Bears could use a young slot receiver for Johnson’s offense. He suggested as much at the NFL’s annual meeting earlier this month.

Noel, who is 5-10 and 194 pounds and ran the 40 in 4.39 seconds, is one of the best slot options in this year’s draft class.

“His scouting report and college tape give flashbacks to those of Christian Kirk when he was an NFL Draft prospect,” Brugler wrote. “Noel can have a similar pro career.”

If Noel needs time, he can play behind Olamide Zaccheaus. However, Noel, a team captain at Iowa State, should have an immediate impact on special teams. He was named the Big 12 co-special teams player of the year because of his return abilities.

Round 3, No. 72

Fannin was absurdly productive last season — 117 catches for 1,555 yards. That doesn’t come by accident. He’s only 20 and can develop into his role alongside Kmet as a pass-catching threat. The Bears aren’t going into 2025 with only Kmet and Durham Smythe. This is a solid tight ends draft, obviously buoyed by the two at the top, but Fannin could be a wild card.

Brugler calls Fannin “somewhat of an unconventional prospect.” He’s not going to be coveted for in-line blocking. He’s not the smoothest. But he “catches just about everything in his catch radius because of his adjustment skills.” Sounds like a nice target for Williams. While Johnson and tight ends coach Jim Dray work to refine Fannin’s technique and take advantage of his skill set, he doesn’t need to be thrust into the lineup right away.

If you’re looking for mid-round prospects who fit the physical profile that Allen wants for his ends, look no further than Jones. He measured in at 6-5 and 283 pounds with 33 1/2-inch arms and a wingspan of 82 3/8 inches.

Similar to other pass rushers in this draft, Jones’ production isn’t inspiring, but this is the third round, and he did increase his production throughout his career. He’s also younger than other pass-rush options on Day 2.

Here’s a highlight from Brugler: “He is at his best when relying on his long levers to work through contact and affect the quarterback or working down the line as a run defender (NFL scouts routinely bring up his toughness as a differentiating factor).”

Round 5, No. 148

The Bears could go edge rusher as high as No. 10 (Shemar Stewart, Mike Green, Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker, if he drops) and will have plenty of viable players on Day 2 as well. The way the board fell in this mock, they waited until Round 5, and that would put some pressure on Austin Booker to take a Year 2 jump in the new scheme.

Diggs has the height and speed — his relative athletic score was 9.35, eighth-highest among defensive ends in this class. According to MockDraftable, his comps based on his physical profile include Laiatu Latu, Will Anderson and James Pearce Jr. Diggs had 14 tackles for loss and 7 1/2 sacks last season. With Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo as the starters, there’s an opening to be the No. 3 edge rusher, an important spot with Odyeingbo’s ability to slide inside.

A heralded year for running backs should provide the Bears with options late on Day 3, just in case they decide to wait out the position. Smith (5-9, 194 pounds) spent his first three seasons at Miami before heading to SMU, where he became a prolific threat, trailing only Jeanty, Cam Skattebo and Omarion Hampton in all-purpose yardage last season.

“Smith needs to continue developing his run discipline and tempo, but he runs hard and explosively with terrific control for abrupt cuts,” Brugler wrote. “Given his versatility as a runner and receiver, he has the upside of a dynamic role player who can be flexed across the offense and affect the defensive game plan.”

Brashard Smith (RB SMU) is a player.

Most underrated RB in the draft. Former WR ran a 4.39 at the combine.

Round 7, No. 233 (from Cincinnati)

Keep drafting offensive tackles. You can never have enough. And if Banks’ future is at guard, it wouldn’t hurt to have a tackle in the wings to develop. It never hurts, really, to use a late-round pick on a premium position.

Pole has a phenomenal backstory, as chronicled by colleague Nick Baumgardner. It’s the type of arc that any front office would gravitate to, and Ryan Poles probably would, too. It doesn’t hurt that Pole didn’t allow a sack in 850 snaps last season and has great size. The Bears don’t really have that late-round, developmental tackle who can begin on the practice squad. Pole fits the bill.

When it’s this late in the draft, you’re taking swings on players from small schools with upside in positions of need. And you’re targeting players who could be on your wish list for undrafted free agency. Frazier is a big cornerback with room to grow: 6-3, 186 pounds, 32 7/8-inch arms. He also ran the 40 in 4.36 seconds at the combine. Those aren’t bad traits to bet on. Frazier set a school record with six interceptions last season, earning first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors.

Round 7, No. 240 (from Cleveland)

A tradition unlike any other — the local prospect. Jackson played his high school football at Freeport before heading to Normal, Ill., for an impressive career (14 tackles for loss overall; three interceptions in 2024). Jackson had a strong all-star circuit and made some waves at the Senior Bowl. He could compete for a roster spot based on special teams, and in an absolute best-case scenario, he’d be in position to compete for a starting job after this season, when the Bears figure to have some questions at safety.

One of the more intriguing small school prospects in the 2025 draft: Illinois State DB Keondre Jackson.

Checked in at nearly 6-2 and weighed 211 at the @seniorbowl, where he worked at safety.

A Ryan Poles offseason isn’t complete without the addition of a local player. West played at Cary-Grove High School. West was the second player in Western Michigan school history to become an FBS Consensus All-American. The other was receiver Corey Davis, who was also from the Chicago area and went on to become the fifth overall pick in 2017 by the Titans. West played guard and center (one game) in his final season at Western Michigan.