Chicago Tribune

Unless Jalen Carter falls to No. 9, which would be a sign teams seriously dinged the Georgia defensive tackle for character and makeup concerns, there might not be a premium defensive player on the board for Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles to select. The Bears could deem Carter’s Bulldogs teammate Nolan Smith, who measured 6-foot-2, 238 pounds, large enough to fit in Matt Eberflus’ scheme as a hybrid pass rusher. Perhaps Carter will experience a wait when the draft kicks off April 27 and he’s there for the Bears to consider. If not, the Bears — who have made only marginal improvements to a shoddy pass rush and defensive line — would have to go a different direction. It’s impossible to say how things will shake out, and maybe a talent no one expected will remain when Poles has the chance to make the first first-round pick of his tenure.