Thanks to a trade with the Carolina Panthers in last year's event, the Chicago Bears have the distinct luxury of having the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That means that unless something severely drastic happens, they'll be taking USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a chance for them to have some sleeper picks, including in the first round as they also have the No. 9 overall pick as well.
Not many teams have ever been in a spot in the draft quite like the Bears are, having two top 10 picks, especially with the No. 1 overall. With Williams likely going No. 1, the Bears find themselves with a few different options with the ninth pick. They could look to give their rookie quarterback more help with one of the many talented receivers in this year's draft, or they could go completely elsewhere. They could even trade the pick to gain more draft capital.
“Having that No. 9 pick is a really good spot to be in,” head coach Matt Eberflus said, per Larry Mayer of the Bears' official site. “It's right there at the top. We're going to get a ‘blue' player there, for sure. What we've done in free agency allows us to be flexible, to really be able to take the best player, one we feel fits us in that spot.”
Outside of their two first-round picks, the Bears only have two more picks for the entire 2024 NFL draft. They'll have the No. 75 pick in the third round and the No. 122 pick in the fourth round after their first-round selections. In a recent trade for wide receiver Keenan Allen, they sent a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange.
Having said all that, the Bears begin the draft as the most predictable team with the first overall pick and then quickly become perhaps the most unpredictable with their remaining picks, making essentially all picks a sleeper pick, more or less. So, here are three Bears sleeper prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
If it's not going to be a receiver like Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze at No. 9, then one of the best players available still at the pick should be UCLA's Laiatu Latu.
Realistically, the Bears can still find another valuable receiver to go along with Keenan Allen, maybe in the third round, but they can't find as good of an edge rusher as Latu in a later round. For what has been labeled a defensive-minded team thanks to their head coach, the Bears only had 30 sacks last season, which ranked 31st in the league. Adding someone like Latu on the other side of Montez Sweat could possibly cure their pass rush problems.
Brenden Rice, WR, USC
To make Williams more comfortable in his transition to the NFL, the Bears could find a sleeper prospect in wide receiver Brenden Rice out of USC. Rice, of course, holds the last name of his legendary father, Jerry Rice, the most recognized wide receiver in NFL history.
Some are calling Rice a possible steal in this year's draft, where the 22-year-old is getting comparisons to Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua, according to The 33rd Team. The only real question for the Bears would be if he's still available at No. 75. This would be a nice pickup for the Bears that fits many needs and again, makes Williams even more comfortable in his transition to the NFL.
Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Getting into the third round, the Bears' final pick at No. 122, again, it gets to the point of the best player available and what they feel is a necessary upgrade or need at a position. They could look at everything from the defensive line, offensive line, or once again adding to the offense.
Many people may not know the name Ben Sinnott, but he could become a name to know in this year's draft. Sinnott may not be the biggest of tight ends, which is his only real knock, but he's one of the most versatile players, having lined up in the backfield, inline, or slot position. New offensive coordinator Shane Waldron could utilize Sinnott in a number of different ways as he looks to make improvements to the Bears' offense this season.
Sinnott is not just a sleeper prospect for the Bears, he's one of the entire draft. He may have opened up a lot of eyes with his NFL Combine performance, where he ran a 4.68 40-yard dash and posted some of the best numbers of tight ends that participated, per NFL.com.
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