There is nothing like a prime-time SEC football game between Alabama and LSU, two schools that despise one another. It adds to the drama when one or both have aspirations of winning the National Championship. Add the fact that the other fired their big-name coach after a disappointing start to the season, and you have yourself an incredibly entertaining match.
Each of these schools is rich with five-star talent, and a lot of these players are going to get chances to play in the NFL. The Chicago Bears, who are on the come-up, still need to address some of their needs through the draft.
These are the three players that general manager Ryan Poles and his staff must watch, based on talent, attitude, determination, and overall team need, as they scout for the 2026 NFL draft:
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Is there a chance that Alabama QB Ty Simpson is the first Alabama player taken in the draft? Of course. Teams always mistakenly overdraft quarterbacks in the top-20 of the draft. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Although Simpson might be the first, that doesn’t make him the best.
Right now, it’s hard to argue against offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. At this point, he looks like someone who could come to the NFL and help whatever team takes the chance. At 6’7″ and 366 lbs, it is hard to argue against Proctor’s current resume. This is a player with incredible size and skill, which are the natural tools needed. Now it’s about putting it all together when the lights are the brightest. Although LSU isn’t as good as anticipated, they are still a top-flight program with NFL-caliber talent trying to take down their quarterback. It is on Proctor and his teammates to keep the quarterback clean.
Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU
Are Tremaine Edmunds and/or T.J. Edwards going to be with the Bears for the long term? Probably not. Matt Eberflus wanted them in Chicago, and that is one of the few decisions he made that mostly helped the team. However, it may be time to think about life after them as the linebacker position decreases in value over time.
Although it is a dying breed of elite players, it is still important to have guys who play the position well. Is it as important as an edge rusher, left tackle, or defensive backfield? No. But being able to stop the run or having big fellows make skillful plays using their speed is an asset to any football team.
Harold Perkins Jr. of LSU is a linebacker looking to get drafted. Although he is not projected to be a first or second-round pick, he is still one of the five best players at his position in the draft. If the Bears see him on the board in the third round, it may be wise to take a look. Scouting him to see how he does against an elite team like Alabama will be very telling.
LT Overton, EDGE, Alabama
Another potential first-round pick coming out of Alabama is edge rusher LT Overton. We have mentioned that the Bears need help in this department time and time again. Everybody gets it now. If they can’t get to the quarterback, they might as well not have a good quarterback themselves because it won’t matter when the lights are the brightest. If Overton is going to be a first-round pick, the Bears must be debating between Overton plus some of his edge-rushing colleagues in addition to offensive line help.
The Bears, if the season ended today, would be selecting 18th. That could be right in the wheelhouse of Overton. However, this season could go terribly the rest of the way, and they’d drop eight spots. On the flip side, it could go incredibly well, and they finish in the bottom third of the whole league when it comes to the first round. It is that case in which the Bears make the bold move for a great edge rusher like Overton.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: LSU vs. Alabama: Draft prospects to watch
