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2015 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears Must Take Pass-Rushing Linebacker In Round 1

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Ryan Pace Chicago Bears

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It’s that time of the year again — mock drafts. Everyone in the world who’s ever covered a second of the NFL will put out their mock draft. Many websites will put out mock drafts and seemingly update them weekly if not daily. People who live and breathe football will be putting in their two cents, as well as people who haven’t watched five minutes of college football all season.

Sifting through the noise is rather difficult, but if you are a fan of the Chicago Bears here is a good place to start. Go to a mock draft and look at the Bears’ selection at No. 7. If the mock draft doesn’t have the Bears taking a pass-rushing specialist to be put as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, look no further.

This is a no-brainer for the Bears. They must draft a pass-rushing specialist and there are several available. If Vic Fangio is turning the Bears into a 3-4 defense, and all indications are that he is, a dynamic pass rusher is critical to the success of the defense.

There will be a voice that says the Bears need to draft a true nose tackle to anchor their defense; and while the Bears could use a player like that, they do have Jeremiah Ratliff who succeeded at the position five years ago for the Dallas Cowboys, and there are free agents available such as Terrance Knighton who would be an excellent free agent acquisition.

The fact is, the Bears need a dynamic pass-rushing outside linebacker if they are going to make the 3-4 work. The current roster doesn’t have one. Shea McClellin might be better in a 3-4 set and Christian Jones could succeed as an outside linebacker is this scheme, but neither of team are the type of play-makers the Bears need. Free agency is not a route the Bears can go to get someone like this. Fans are going to run to Justin Houston, the Kansas City Chiefs star who tallied 22 sacks last season, but there is zero chance the Chiefs let Houston walk, so don’t even consider him.

This draft is loaded with pass-rushers. There’s no consensus as to who the Bears will take with their first-round selection. Shane Ray from Missouri, Randy Gregory from Nebraska and Dante Fowler from Florida are all possibilities that GM Ryan Pace could be looking at for his first selection as Bears general manager. We will see how these players do at the upcoming Combine, and of course how the first six picks break down will determine what direction the Bears can go. But Pace is too smart of a personnel guy not to realize the Bears’ need at outside linebacker.

So enjoy those mock drafts, but if you see the writer with the Bears selecting Marcus Mariota, roll your eyes; if Danny Shelton is the choice, shake your head; if it’s Landon Collins, laugh away. These writers might think they know the NFL, but they don’t know the Bears.

Bill Zimmerman is a Chicago Bears writer for www.RantSports.Com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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