Chicago Bears 2023 Mock Draft: ‘Keep Justin Fields alive’ editionRyan Heckmanon January 7, 2023 at 5:10 pm

Going into Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season, the Chicago Bears are all but locked into premier position for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Whether or not the Houston Texans help them out on Sunday, the Bears should end up finishing with at least the second overall pick if they lose to Minnesota.

In landing one of the top two picks, the Bears would certainly entertain trading their selection to a quarterback-needy team, especially if it means the opportunity to draft more protection up front for Fields.

While some might not like the idea of trading within the NFC North, that’s exactly what the Bears do in this mock draft.

In trading with the Lions, the Bears receive a haul for moving back just four spots.

With the 4th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski

This is the correct pick, should Peter Skoronski be on the board. The Bears can land their cornerstone tackle for the next decade in Skoronski, and cannot pass up the opportunity.

As an Illinois native, Skoronski in a Bears uniform would just feel right. The 3-year starter comes to the NFL as the consensus number one offensive lineman in the class.

The 6-foot-4 Skoronski does most things well, and has a great feel for the game. He’s highly intelligent and has elite hand placement and technique which gives him the ability to handle craftier pass rushers. But, he also has the power and frame to handle the tougher, stronger rushers.

The only big red flag is that his arm length is a little on the short side. But otherwise, Skoronski is as sure of a bet there is in the 2023 draft class, and Justin Fields now has one concrete layer of protection in front of him.