Chicago Sports

MONTREAL — Few NHL players have wanted to sign in one specific place as much as Jake McCabe wanted to sign in Chicago in 2021.

Having grown up and gone to college in Wisconsin, and having lived in River North during his Sabres offseasons for years, it was an obvious first choice. He was thrilled the interest proved mutual, allowing him to sign a four-year contract with the Blackhawks.

Less than two years into that contract, however, the 29-year-old defenseman now finds himself heavily entangled in trade rumors. He understands it, but that doesn’t mean he likes it.

“Given the nature of where we’re at in the standings, it’s just part of it all,” McCabe said Monday. “[It’s] definitely not how I envisioned my tenure going here, being at the bottom of the standings, but it is what it is.”

McCabe does wield a seven-team no-trade clause, which reportedly includes every Canadian team besides the Maple Leafs, but that’s the extent of his control over the matter.

He has drawn “steady interest” on the market, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported, with the Hawks’ setting an asking price of a first-round pick. They could knock his salary-cap hit down to an extremely enticing $2 million by retaining 50%.

The one silver lining for McCabe would be an opportunity to play in the playoffs, something he hasn’t yet experienced in seven full seasons in the NHL.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time here, and my family loves it,” he added. “I’m going to continue to enjoy it. I can’t control anything outside of that. I’ll just take things day by day.”

In the meantime, McCabe has not only continued playing solid defense — he leads Hawks defensemen in both expected goals percentage and (by a mile) actual goals percentage, as the only one close to a positive plus-minus rating — but has also expanded the offensive side of his game.

He has benefitted the most from an increased team-wide emphasis on set plays — which coach Luke Richardson calls “automatics” — designed to get pucks to defensemen in space along the blue line.

“When we rim pucks out [around the boards] automatically, our defensemen are supposed to be ready for that on the wall,” Richardson said recently. “We have our ‘D’ being active, then we have to trust our forwards at the top to make the right plays so we don’t turn pucks over. It’s starting to work. We’re getting a lot more ‘O’-zone time.”

The entire unit has improved in terms of both volume and accuracy. The Hawks have gone from averaging 15.2 shot attempts by defensemen per game in October through December to 15.8 in January and 21.3 so far in February. Friday against the Coyotes represented their best performance yet, as they recorded a combined 26 attempts.

Likewise, the percentage of shot attempts by defensemen getting through unblocked has risen from 67.5% in October through December to 69.9% in January and 71.9% in February.

But McCabe, in particular, has flourished more than anyone.

On New Year’s Day, he was averaging 1.7 shot attempts per game, of which 65.5% had gotten through unblocked and 50.9% had been on-goal. Since then, he has averaged 3.3 attempts per game, of which a whopping 86.8% have gotten through unblocked and 58.5% have been on-goal.

He has added six assists in the past month, too. With 16 points in 48 games now, he’s on pace to exceed the career high of 22 points he set last season.

“Most teams shrink in the ‘D’-zone pretty tight in this league, so to get it away from their guys [down low] and into some space so we can handle the puck [is helpful],” McCabe said. “Whether we get a shot or just [find] a release point to get it back down to them, it’s a good automatic play.”

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UNLV coach Lindy La Rocque was 4 years old the last time the Lady Rebels were ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll.

Now the Las Vegas native has the team back in the Top 25 for the first time since 1994: UNLV entered the poll at No. 23 on Monday.

“Obviously it means a lot. When I took the job I had a vision of what this place could be and what it once was,” La Rocque said. “That’s what I remember and I’m trying to put the pieces together to make that come to fruition. This is one of the small milestones that gives you a little bit of joy and you know that you’re doing some things right.”

South Carolina earned the No. 1 ranking for the 34th consecutive week. That is tied for the third-longest run atop the poll with UConn. Only the Huskies (51 weeks) and Louisiana Tech (36) have had longer streaks at No. 1.

The Gamecocks (25-0), who were again a unanimous choice from the 28-member national media panel, routed then-No. 3 LSU on Sunday in a showdown of unbeaten teams. The Tigers fell to fifth.

Indiana, Stanford and Utah were behind South Carolina. It’s the best ranking in school history for the Utes, who moved up three places this week.

UConn dropped two spots to sixth after falling at Marquette, giving the Huskies their first losing streak in 30 years. Iowa fell two places to seventh after losing to Indiana.

Maryland, Duke and Notre Dame rounded out the top 10.

UNLV (24-2) has won 15 straight games, second to only South Carolina for the longest streak in the country. It is the team’s best start since the 1989-90 team went 28-3.

“It’s cool. If you look at our roster, the two best players are from Vegas,” said La Rocque, who played at Stanford. “There’s some good karma that we got working.”

USC joined the Lady Rebels in the Top 25, entering the poll at No. 25. It’s the first time since 2016 that the Trojans are ranked. They visit Stanford on Friday night.

South Florida and N.C. State fell out of the poll.

STREAK BUSTED

North Carolina State is not ranked for the first time since Feb. 5, 2018. The Wolfpack had been ranked for 96 consecutive weeks, which had been the fifth-longest active streak behind UConn, Maryland, South Carolina and Stanford.

CRUISING WILDCATS

Buoyed by star Maddy Siegrist, Villanova continues to climb up the AP Top 25. Siegrist scored a Big East-record 50 points in a win over Seton Hall on Saturday to become the conference’s all-time leading scorer. With 1,550 conference regular-season points, Siegrist surpassed former Boston College standout Sarah Behn’s (1989-93) 1,546 points. Siegrist has the Wildcats at No. 14, the school’s best ranking in 20 years.

THE TOP 25

1. South Carolina (28 first-place votes) 25-0

2. Indiana 23-1

3. Stanford 24-3

4. Utah 22-2

5. LSU 23-1

6. UConn 22-4

7. Iowa 20-5

8. Maryland 21-5

9. Duke 22-3

10. Notre Dame 20-4

11. Virginia Tech 20-4

12. Michigan 20-5

13. Ohio St. 21-4

14. Villanova 22-4

15. Oklahoma 20-4

16. UCLA 20-6

17. Texas 20-6

18. Arizona 19-6

19. North Carolina 18-7

20. Gonzaga 23-3

21. Colorado 20-5

22. Iowa St. 15-7

23. UNLV 24-2

24. Florida St. 20-7

25. Southern Cal 19-6

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Alabama is the new No. 1, rising to the top spot in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the first time in 20 years.

Purdue’s loss to Northwestern last week caused a jumble at the top of the AP Top 25 and that helped the Crimson Tide.

Alabama received 38 first-place votes from a 62-person media panel Monday, moving up two spots to leapfrog No. 2 Houston. The Cougars had 22 first-place votes to remain at No. 2 and Purdue, down to No. 3, still had two first-place votes.

UCLA and Kansas rounded out the top five.

Alabama has made a name for itself as more than just a football school since coach Nate Oats arrived from Buffalo in in 2019. The Crimson Tide reached the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight two years ago and Oats pulled in one of the nation’s best recruiting classes last year.

Alabama is No. 1 for the first time since spending two weeks atop the poll midway through the 2002-03 season. Alabama (22-3, 12-0 Southeastern Conference) beat Auburn and Florida last week, with its only loss since mid-December coming at Oklahoma in a nonconference game on Jan. 28.

“Our team is playing good basketball right now,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said after a 77-69 loss to the Crimson Tide on Saturday. “We’re playing well. We’re just not playing well enough to beat the best team in the country.”

BOUNCING BOILERMAKERS

Purdue managed to remain at No. 1 last week despite losing to No. 14 Indiana. The Boilermakers weren’t so fortunate after a 64-58 loss to Northwestern on Sunday.

The Wildcats swarmed 7-foot-4 Purdue center Zach Edey, who had 24 points but committed six turnovers. The Boilermakers shot 36% from the field and missed their final 13 shots from 3-point range.

“Just got to show more poise and toughness than we did,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

RISING/FALLING

No. 9 Baylor and No. 18 Creighton made the biggest moves of the week, each gaining five spots.

The Bears beat Oklahoma and picked up a road win at No. 22 TCU last week. The Bluejays beat Seton Hall and eked out a 56-53 win over No. 20 UConn to stretch their winning streak to eight games to remain in contention for the Big East regular-season title.

No. 19 Iowa State had the biggest drop, losing eight places following losses to West Virginia and Oklahoma State.

IN AND OUT

Florida Atlantic was the only team to move into the poll, returning at No. 25 after dropping out last week. The Owls beat Rice and Louisiana Tech last week after being ranked for the first time in school history earlier this season.

Rutgers fell out of the poll for the second time this season, dropping from No. 24 after losing to Indiana and Illinois.

THE TOP 25

1. Alabama (38 first-place votes) 22-3

2. Houston (22) 23-2

3. Purdue (2) 23-3

4. UCLA 21-4

5. Kansas 20-5

6. Texas 20-5

7. Virginia 19-4

8. Arizona 22-4

9. Baylor 19-6

10. Tennessee 19-6

11. Marquette 20-6

12. Kansas St. 19-6

13. Gonzaga 21-5

14. Indiana 18-7

15. Miami 20-5

16. Xavier 19-6

17. Saint Mary’s 22-5

18. Creighton 17-8

19. Iowa St. 16-8

20. UConn 19-7

21. San Diego St. 20-5

22. TCU 17-8

23. NC State 20-6

24. Providence 18-7

25. FAU 24-2

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There are few certainties each year when the NFL offseason goes into full effect, but this year there are a couple of things we can count on the Chicago Bears to do.

One thing, for sure, is that the Bears are going to address the wide receiver position. Last year, trading for Chase Claypool was a start to addressing the position. But, the Bears still have a long way to go. Behind Claypool and Darnell Mooney, there isn’t a true, proven name.

Adding a couple of players this offseason, at receiver, should be a priority for general manager Ryan Poles. In this year’s draft, there are a lot of intriguing names and some depth at the position.

Ideally, the Bears come away with multiple rookie wide receivers. If they wanted to take a shot on a guy in the middle rounds, there might not be a higher upside pick than Maryland wide receiver Rakim Jarrett.

The Chicago Bears could find tremendous value in Maryland wide receiver Rakim Jarrett

What you might not know about Jarrett is the fact that he had originally committed to LSU, which is a bit of a wide receiver factory over the past decade or so. However, Jarrett opted to go to Maryland instead.

Although he hasn’t become a household name there, Jarrett’s playmaking ability gives him a great chance at getting drafted in the middle rounds.

The six-foot Jarrett is absolutely lethal after the catch. If he gets the ball in space, look out. He can take off in a hurry. One of his best traits is the yardage after the catch. He is a monster in that area, and that’s a spot where the Bears lacked any true prowess.

Jarrett’s skill set is one that can be used in a variety of ways. He can line up outside, in the slot or even used out of the back field in creative opportunities. Luke Getsy could do a lot with Jarrett’s speed, shiftiness and ability with the ball in his hands.

The Bears would likely still need a true alpha wide receiver to put on this roster, but adding Jarrett to the corps would just about round out this depth chart, should Chicago indeed get that alpha.

Jarrett caught 40 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns last year. His lack of big numbers should allow him to go a bit overlooked, but make no mistake, he is a real playmaker. The Maryland offense wasn’t prolific by any means, and Jarrett would do much better as a pro if given the opportunity.

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PHOENIX — Next stop, draft season.

When the Chiefs beat the Eagles in Sunday night’s Super Bowl, the NFL calendar turned earnestly toward the offseason. That means the NFL Scouting Combine starting Feb. 28, followed by free agency and then the draft, which starts April 28.

With the most salary cap space in the NFL and the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears are in position to dictate the offseason. They appear committed to quarterback Justin Fields, a strategy many around the league agreed with during Super Bowl festivities here. That means the Bears are most likely to trade the top pick.

Here’s where the Sun-Times’ mock draft stands now that the Super Bowl is settled — complete with a Bears trade:

1. Colts (trade with Bears) — Alabama QB Bryce Young

Teams should be wary about putting too much stock into the NFL Scouting Combine, but Young’s official measurements will be a big deal. He’s currently listed at 6 feet tall, but he wouldn’t be the first player whose height was fudged by their college team.

2. Texans — Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud

Some teams will talk themselves into Stroud being a better prospect than Young. The Texans will be thrilled to find out if that’s true.

3. Cardinals — Georgia DT Jalen Carter

Either Carter or Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson will be a welcome addition for a team that gave up the second-most points in the NFL last year.

4. Bears (trade with Colts) — Alabama EDGE Will Anderson

The team that gave up the most? The Bears, who seem more likely to fill their glaring defensive tackle need via free agency. After trading down to get the Colts’ No.1. draft pick in 2024, they’d be thrilled with either SEC defensive stud.

5. Seahawks — Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njiba

One of the great shocks of the 2022 season was the emergence of quarterback Geno Smith into a building block. The Seahawks will give him a contract extension — and then give him help at receiver.

6. Panthers (trade with Lions) — Kentucky QB Will Levis

Levis running a pro-style offense at Kentucky — Liam Cohen, his offensive coordinator in 2021, came off the Sean McVay tree — makes him an easier projection than Young or Stroud, though with a shorter ceiling.

7. Raiders — Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski

The last time the Raiders drafted an offensive lineman in Round 1, they landed Alex Leatherwood, whom they cut within a year. The Bears tried to resuscitate his career; thus far it’s not going well.

8. Falcons — Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr.

Not wanting to overdraft the last remaining relevant quarterback, the Falcons instead turn protecting the one they’ve got.

9. Lions (trade with Panthers) — Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson

They made huge gains last season – but not on defense. Drafting Wilson to put opposite last year’s No. 2 pick, Aidan Hutchinson, would be scary.

10. Eagles — Texas RB Bijan Robinson

It’s criminal the Eagles get to draft this high. A smart trade with the Saints last season gives the run-first team a chance to make the ultimate luxury pick.

11. Titans –Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer

After the Falcons took Kyle Pitts fourth overall two years ago, mocking a tight end to go 11th doesn’t seem so crazy.

12. Texans — Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon

DeMeco Ryans, the Texans’ defensive-minded head coach, makes Witherspoon the highest-drafted U of I player sine Kevin Hardy in 1996.

13. Jets — Georgia OT Broderick Jones

The Jets are looking for a veteran quarterback — and that quarterback will need help staying upright.

14. Patriots — Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.

Bill Belichick will certainly be intrigued by someone with the pedigree of Porter, whose father went to four Pro Bowls in 13 seasons as a linebacker.

15. Packers — Florida QB Anthony Richardson

Aaron Rodgers is gone in this scenario. Jordan Love is unproven. And Richardson is the biggest boom-or-bust pick in Round 1.

16. Commanders — Alabama CB Brian Branch

Pairing a strong cornerback with the Commanders’ nasty defensive line is a smart formula in a division with the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants.

17. Steelers — Iowa EDGE Luke Van Ness

Maybe it’s seeing him in Hawkeyes black and yellow, but the Barrington native just feels like a Steelers pick.

18. Lions — Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez

Pro Football Focus graded out the Lions as the worst coverage team in the NFL last year.

19. Buccaneers — Florida G O’Cyrus Florence

The Bucs should get plenty of looks at Florence via their local pro day.

20. Seahawks — Georgia Tech EDGE Keion White

He could be the steal of the draft. If he’s merely good, he’ll still be an upgrade.

21. Dolphins (FORFEITED)

22. Chargers — TCU WR Quentin Johnston

Drafting a receiver will depend on whether the Bolts cut Keenan Allen.

23. Ravens — Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt

No team in the NFL — not even the Bears — needs talent at the receiver position more than the Ravens.

24. Vikings — Georgia CB Kelee Ringo

The physical cornerback will fit well in new coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme.

25. Jaguars — Utah TE Dalton Kincaid

If tight end Evan Engram leaves via free agency, this fills an obvious need.

26. Giants — USC WR Jordan Addison

In the modern NFL, you either have a stud receiver or you’re looking for one.

27. Cowboys — Baylor DT Siaki Ika

Big D stays local — Waco’s an hour-and-a-half away — to add beef.

28. Bills — Texas A&M S Antonio Johnson

Is he a pure safety? A linebacker? The Bills will figure it out.

29. Bengals — Clemson DL Bryan Bresee

He could go much higher, but the Bengals are thrilled he slipped this far.

30. Saints — LSU EDGE BJ Ojulari

In his second season, defensive-minded head coach Dennis Allen gets a first-round defender.

31. Eagles– Maryland CB Deonte Banks

A lot of teams claim they’ll take the best available player. The Eagles, with depth across positions, can actually do so.

32. Chiefs — Boston College WR Zay Flowers

The best landing spot a receiver could hope for.

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Instead of being anywhere near the Super Bowl, the Chicago Bears are actually on the clock. As of right now, they are getting ready to make the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after having the worst record in the league.

In watching Super Bowl LVII, you can see a lot of what makes the Bears terrible. For one, each team has a roster filled with impressive players instead of just three or four.

The Kansas City Chiefs were losing early to the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly looked like they were going to run away with it at one point because they somewhat contained the Chiefs’ offense while scoring some points themselves.

However, the Chiefs have something that Bears fans can only dream of and that is Patrick Mahomes who is the best player in the NFL. Coming off his second career MVP, he has now also won his second Super Bowl.

The Chicago Bears made a huge mistake by passing on Patrick Mahomes.

After five years, he has five appearances in the AFC title game, two MVPs, three trips to the Super Bowl, and two victories in those Super Bowls. It has been nothing short of all-time great.

To be honest, it is crazy to be talking about someone as an all-time great following only five years but that is what we have to be doing with Patrick Mahomes. There is no reason that he can’t win a couple more and get himself into the conversation with Tom Brady.

This is all sickening when you think about it from a Chicago Bears standpoint. They traded up to select Mitchell Trubisky when Mahomes was still on the board. It is the biggest mistake in the history of the franchise.

Some people want to defend the bears by saying that he wouldn’t be this good if the Bears drafted him or by bringing up what scouts were saying going into the draft. None of those things should be acceptable answers though.

For one, Mahomes very well could have been as good if he were selected by Chicago. After watching him play for the last five years, you’d put anything past him? He would make everyone great by association. Things would be different if he was there.

When it comes to the scouts’ argument, that can’t be an excuse. Patrick Mahomes was electric factory at Texas A&M and everyone knew he’d be taken in the first round. He was a tad bit rawer but clearly an outstanding player. It isn’t at all like Trubisky was any better at North Carolina.

Sorry, this one is going to haunt the Bears for a very long time. Until the Bears have their franchise guy in place and they know it for a fact, Mahomes will continue to haunt them. We hope it is Fields but he has a long way to go.

Congrats to both the Chiefs and Eagles on a fantastic season. They were each the best team in their respective conference and deserved to win big. There can only be one winner but it sure was close. Now, we move into the off-season.

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Marvis Hiner was thrilled that two Black quarterbacks were facing off in the Super Bowl for the first time, something he said he didn’t think would happen in his lifetime.

“Mostly it’s been either white quarterbacks or one or the other,” Hiner said while waiting for the game to kick off Sunday evening at Williams Inn Pizza & Sports Bar. “It’s a great time to see that two Black quarterbacks are leading the teams in the Super Bowl. To see this is amazing.”

Hiner and other Black Chicago football fans celebrated the historic significance of the match-up between the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, saying it shattered stereotypes of Black players at the position.

“It’s showing that Black quarterbacks can do the same thing as other quarterbacks,” Hiner said. “They always try to make them play a different position, like a wide receiver or something because they think that they can’t make the quick decisions. But they’re showing them right now that they can.”

For decades, white team owners and coaches operated under the assumption that African Americans were unable to grasp the technicalities to be successful at the quarterback spot.

Both Mahomes and Hurts acknowledged history was being made during their media blitz last week. But they hope that having two Black starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl becomes so commonplace that it ceases to be notable.

”You’re on the world stage,” Mahomes said. ”And to have two Black quarterbacks playing the position at a high level and consistently playing great football just shows where we’re at in football and in society. We’re moving forward. We want to continue to move forward. We’re not done.”

Milan Hill, who was also at Williams Inn, echoed Hiner. “It shows that Black quarterbacks are equally as talented and intelligent as white quarterbacks, and they should be given more opportunities,” Hill said.

He said similar leadership opportunities should also be extended to Black coaches and executives in the NFL.

“Coaches and front office people in the NFL need to be more represented by people of color,” Hill said. “But it’s gonna take a lot of changes and litigation to help transform the league.”

In 2006, two Black head coaches faced off in the Super Bowl for the first time when Tony Dungy’s Indianapolis Colts and Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears battled it out. There was optimism at the time that it meant the NFL was making progress in regards to diversity in coaching, but the league has struggled to hire people of color in leadership since then.

Washington’s Doug Williams was the first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl following the 1987 season. That’s back when Black quarterbacks were fairly rare across the NFL.

Mahomes can become the first two-time winner if he leads the Chiefs to victory. Hurts aims to become the fourth Black QB to win the Super Bowl, joining Williams, Mahomes and Russell Wilson.

Steve McNair, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton and Wilson also started in a Super Bowl, but they lost.

In Grand Crossing on the South Side, Rico Mays, 44, sported a green Hurts jersey outside the 50 Yard Line sports bar. He said the duel between two Black quarterbacks showed how far the game had progressed.

“The game has evolved to where you have Black quarterbacks representing both leagues right now in the Super Bowl,” Mays said. “It’s as historic as it should be.”

“It’s going to give a lot of Black quarterbacks the opportunity to compete at this level, it’s going to open up doors,” Mays said. “And that it’s happening during Black History Month is an added bonus.”

Contributing: Patrick Finley, AP

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LAS CRUCES, N.M. — New Mexico State called off the rest of its men’s basketball season Sunday after reviewing a police report that cited three players for false imprisonment, harassment and counts of criminal sexual contact against a teammate.

In a statement, chancellor Dan Arvizu said “this action is clearly needed, especially after receiving additional facts and reviewing investigation reports related to the hazing allegations involving student-athletes on the team.”

The campus police report, obtained by The Associated Press, redacted the names of the players involved. The report, filed Friday, detailed the victim telling investigators that last Monday, three members of the team held the victim down “removed his clothing exposing his buttocks and began to ‘slap his (buttocks).’ He also went on to state that they also touched his scrotum.”

The victim told police he had no choice but to let this happen “because it’s a 3-on-1 type of situation.”

The victim said other incidents had been occurring since last July or August, and that inappropriate physical and sexual touching by his teammates had been occurring in the locker room and on road trips.

“We must uphold the safety of our students and the integrity of our university,” Arvizu said. “It’s time for this program to reset.”

He said he had spoken with the commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference, which said it was reviewing how to treat the six New Mexico State games that will be wiped off the schedule in regards to seeding for next month’s conference tournament. The report said the victim went to campus police to report a possible assault, but did not want to press criminal charges for the time being.

On the same day the report was filed, the school announced it was suspending its season indefinitely. Then, on Saturday, Arvizu acknowledged the suspension was occurring because of hazing allegations on the team.

At about the time Arvizu revealed the hazing allegations, two players on the team quit. One of them, redshirt freshman Shahar Lazar, said he was leaving because “I don’t think the program that I originally committed to aligns with my beliefs and core values.”

These allegations come less than three months after the suspension of forward Mike Peake, who is being investigated in the case of the fatal shooting of a student from rival school, University of New Mexico on Nov. 19.

Peake has not been charged in that case, which included state police stopping the team bus on Interstate-25 as it headed back to Las Cruces shortly after the shooting, and missing Peake and three of his teammates, who had taken him to the hospital with an injured leg.

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In the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears are going to have a multitude of options on the table.

General manager Ryan Poles might be the most powerful GM in all of the NFL following Super Bowl LVII, and that’s putting it lightly.

The Bears are set to have the most cap space in the league once free agency opens in March, and the next-closest team has over $30 million less than Chicago.

Not to mention, the Bears also own the no. 1 overall selection in the draft. Most would agree that the Bears will end up keeping quarterback Justin Fields, although Bryce Young is right there for the taking. If Chicago trades the pick, Poles could wind up getting a historical value in return. One particular expert seems to think that the Bears will get exactly that, and more.

If this Chicago Bears mock draft scenario came true, Ryan Poles would be set up for years to come

In his most recent 2023 mock draft, CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso has the Bears moving down to no. 4 overall with the Indianapolis Colts and getting an absolute haul for the number one selection. With the no. 4 pick, Trapasso has the Bears going after Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson.

“Anderson gives me serious Khalil Mack vibes, which makes this perfect for the Bears, particularly after trading back. In the trade, the Bears get this pick, the Colts’ selections in Round 2 and Round 4 along with a 2024 first-round pick and third-round pick, plus a 2025 second-round choice.”

Here’s what that would look like, visually.

The Bears would then have two second-round picks, a third-round pick, three fourth-round picks, two fifth-round picks and a seventh rounder for 2023, with plenty of additional capital in the coming two drafts as well.

Just think about what Poles could do with those remaining nine picks. First and foremost, those second and third rounders could easily turn into starters at positions of need like wide receiver, offensive and defensive line.

But, Poles could also do what he did a year ago and continue adding more draft capital via trade. Those nine picks, realistically, could turn into 12-16 picks in the end.

To land Anderson at four is a huge win, but it’s what Poles could do with the following picks after that could lead to such a dramatic change for the franchise in just a short amount of time.

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