INDIANAPOLIS — As sure as Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be chosen first overall by the Raiders, Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate will be the highest Chicago native selected in the April draft. He started his high school career at Marist before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida.
“Growing up in Chicago was great,” Tate said Friday the NFL Scouting Combine. “It’s a tough city, so you had to learn how to fight. That’s all my life, what I’ve been doing, is fighting.”
Armed with intel from the Combine, here’s the Sun-Times’ Mock Draft 2.0 — featuring the Bears’ pick at No. 25:
1. Raiders — Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
At their Combine meeting, Mendoza was taught one play by head coach Klint Kubiak, complete with progressions and problem-solving tips — and then made Mendoza teach it back to him.
2. Jets — Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey
Agreeing to trade Jermaine Johnson to the Titans locks the Jets in at edge rusher here. Bailey helped his cause this week with a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and a 35-inch vertical leap.
3. Cardinals — Utah T Spencer Fano
The Cardinals could be the worst team in football next year, which would give them a crack at drafting a franchise quarterback in 2027.
4. Titans — Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
Adding Johnson doesn’t eliminate the need for another defensive end. With Robert Saleh as head coach, the Jets once picked a first-round edge rusher in consecutive years.
5. Giants — Miami T Francis Mauigoa
Mauigoa will try to ensure that new coach John Harbaugh runs the ball as efficiently at his new job as he did with the Ravens.
6. Browns — Ohio State WR Carnell Tate
Tate said one benefit of joining the team would be the short drive back to Columbus to meet up with old friends and teammates.
7. Commanders — Ohio State EDGE Vell Reese
Reese had an eventful week, saying he was an edge rusher and not an inside linebacker — he played both at OSU — and announcing he’d go by Vell instead of Arvell.
8. Saints — Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
The Saints’ second-leading wide receiver last year had 293 receiving yards. The Bears, by contrast, had four wideouts with more.
9. Chiefs — Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah could see the Chiefs trading down unless Love, “the second-best player in the draft,” is available.
10. Bengals — Ohio State S Caleb Downs
After posting one of the worst defensive seasons in NFL history, the Bengals get the draft’s surest thing.
11. Dolphins — Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy
The Dolphins hold five of the first 90 picks and still could look to trade down. McCoy fills one of many needs.
12. Cowboys — Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk
Devoting a first-round pick to edge rusher after trading Micah Parsons to the Packers makes a kind of only-in-Dallas sense.
13. Rams (via Falcons) — USC WR Makai Lemon
He’d thrive in a receiver room alongside the great Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
14. Ravens — Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor
Mesidor’s motor and production makes him feel like a Raven. He turns 25 before Week 1, though.
15. Buccaneers — Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
Styles was a Combine star, jumping 43½ inches, the highest by an off-ball linebacker in 24 years and wowing other drills.
16. Jets (via Colts) — Alabama QB Ty Simpson
After the Justin Fields experiment failed, the Jets take a chance on the draft’s second-best quarterback.
17. Lions — Missouri EDGE Zion Young
The Lions need a true edge threat opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Young started his college career at Michigan State.
18. Vikings — Toledo S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
If safety Harrison Smith retires, the Vikings would have to find a replacement in free agency or the draft.
