The NFL Draft season is cause for much excitement for the 259 prospects who will move one step closer to their dreams of playing the sport they love for a living. While one would find it difficult to locate a prospect who would loudly complain about a potential destination, some teams, inarguably, loom as better landing spots than others due to how conducive it can be to a young prospect's development.
With that in mind, it definitely seems unlikely that the Chicago Bears, owners of the number one overall pick, would select another quarterback after taking Justin Fields first overall in 2021.
However, nothing is truly set in stone. While the most likely outcome is that the Bears would decide to trade out of the number one overall pick and deal the coveted selection to a team in need of a quarterback, they could still veer in another direction and take Bryce Young or CJ Stroud despite Fields' presence.
That outcome, however, would not be ideal for CJ Stroud, as, according to Mark Grote of WSCR Radio, he acknowledges that the Bears are his old collegiate teammate Justin Fields' team and that a reunion between the two could end up being “awkward”.
Article Continues BelowStroud and Fields had just one year of overlap in Ohio State; back in Stroud's freshman season, Fields wrapped up his two-year stay with the Buckeyes. During this season, the Buckeyes managed to vanquish the Clemson Tigers in the Sugar Bowl.
It's not too much of a stretch to say that CJ Stroud is a much better prospect than Justin Fields was two years ago. Stroud shows great composure in the pocket, tallying 85 touchdown passes against just 12 interceptions during his two-year stint as the Buckeyes' QB1. For a team with dynamic receiving threats, Stroud looms as an enticing prospect.
On the other hand, Fields is more explosive on the run, and his dual-threat ability helps keep defenses on their toes.
Nonetheless, should the Bears decide to go in another direction, it may not be the worst idea in the world to draft a blue-chip quarterback prospect with a different profile. But there doesn't appear to be any indication that the Bears are willing to give up on Justin Fields heading into the NFL Draft.