GM Ryan Poles said after the Chicago Bears selected Caleb Williams #1 overall, their hopes centered on Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze being available at #9. They felt he fit their culture and was an outstanding talent. He’d be the perfect player to grow alongside Williams. However, it was still the NFL draft. Things are impossible to predict. Unexpected things happen every year. Poles knew he had to be ready for the possibility that Odunze wouldn’t be available. That meant having a list of names ready in case.
The Bears never bothered to reveal those names because what they wanted to happen happened. Odunze got past New York at #6. Tennessee went offensive line, and Atlanta took a quarterback. Poles got his guy. However, it was always interesting to wonder how different things couldn’t been. Now we have an idea. Chicago split their scouting department into three groups before the draft. Each group would get a specific position with a list of key players and argue why the team had to focus on them. Odunze eventually won out, but NFL Films revealed what those other names were on The Pick Is In for the Roku Channel.
Rome Odunze
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Malik Nabers
Brian Thomas
Joe Alt
Olu Fashanu
J.C. Latham
Taliese Fuaga
Laiatu Latu
Byron Murphy
Dallas Turner
Jared Verse
The Chicago Bears likely knew what would happen if Odunze didn’t fall.
Footage right before that revelation showed Poles stating that he would likely work the phones to trade down from #9. The idea was simple. Chicago would collect an extra draft pick or two and hope one of those listed names would still be available when they were on the clock again. Given how things unfolded in the teens, there is a strong likelihood the Bears would’ve taken one of the top defensive linemen. The group was still plentiful, and they needed another body to help Montez Sweat up front.
Alas, it didn’t matter. Odunze fell. The Chicago Bears got their guy. Nobody seems to have any regrets. Even the draft community poured tons of praise on them for the choice. It is easy to see why. For the first time in what feels like forever, the Bears prioritized their young quarterback. Even though they already had D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen on the roster, they made it a point to give Williams as many weapons as possible. The defense would be fine. If Chicago wanted to ascend, it was time to focus on the QB.
