With The First Pick
Fansided

2018 NFL Mock Draft: Super Bowl LII and Senior Bowl Edition

By Maxwell Ogden

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Baker Mayfield #6 of the North team throws the ball during the first half of the Reese's Senior Bowl against the the South team at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 27: Baker Mayfield #6 of the North team throws the ball during the first half of the Reese's Senior Bowl against the the South team at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 27, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 17: Calvin Ridley #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide attempts to break a tackle from Terry Caldwell #21 and Marquis Haynes #10 of the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 17, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 17: Calvin Ridley #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide attempts to break a tackle from Terry Caldwell #21 and Marquis Haynes #10 of the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 17, 2016 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

. Wide Receiver. Alabama. Calvin Ridley. 8. player. 57

It’s easy to see a popular choice amongst NFL Draft analysts and come to the conclusion that you should go against the grain. In the case of the Chicago Bears, a vast majority of fans and writers agree that Calvin Ridley is the obvious selection.

Tempting as it may be to argue against that belief, it’s hard to think of a player who’s better equipped to help the Bears in both the short-term and the long-term than Ridley.

Mitchell Trubisky was selected at No 2 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, which all but locks him in as the franchise quarterback. Finding him help will be critical, as running back Jordan Howard can only do so much when opposing defenses routinely stack the box.

Considering Kendall Wright was the only Bears receiver to go over 500 receiving yards in 2017, it’s safe to say that wide receiver is a position of need.

Alabama’s run-heavy offense and erratic quarterback play dampened Ridley’s statistical footprint, but he’s an elite talent. He’s a big play waiting to happen, with outstanding foot speed and an average of 16.2 yards per reception to display his explosiveness.

It’s possible that the Bears will look elsewhere, but for the time being, the Ridley pick makes too much sense to even play devil’s advocate.

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