During one of the busiest periods of the predraft process, new Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles sat in a room inside the Indianapolis Convention Center and acknowledged his responsibility in procuring more offensive talent for quarterback Justin Fields. At that week’s scouting combine, Poles was eager to identify players who could fit what the Bears are looking for.

Naturally, as a former offensive lineman, Poles emphasized the need to fortify the protection in front of Fields. But he also recognized Fields’ Year 2 growth curve will be heavily influenced by the pass-catchers he has and stressed the need to find “a dependability piece” for the starting quarterback.

Said Poles: “For a lot of the really good quarterbacks, especially the young ones, when things go crazy who can they go to that they trust and is dependable and can make plays?”

It’s no secret that Poles will head into this week’s draft — his first in the Halas Hall captain’s chair — determined to add to the receiving corps. The Bears currently own a pair of second-round picks (Nos. 39 and 48) and have a third-round selection at No. 71. Smart money says Poles will grab at least one receiver out of a deep draft class before Friday night is over. But there’s not necessarily a specific mold he’s looking to fill.

“They come in different shapes and sizes and speeds,” Poles said in early March. “(It’s about) guys who can make plays when their number is called. That’s what we look for.”

Without a first-round pick — the Bears’ No. 7 selection was traded to the New York Giants a year ago in the deal to land Fields — Poles and his staff may have to sit patiently as the best receivers come off the board. Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson. Southern California’s Drake London. Alabama’s Jameson Williams. Arkansas’ Treylon Burks.

Poles may find himself in a bit of a fingers-crossed exercise, hoping the board breaks in a way that gives the Bears an opportunity to land one of the receivers they most covet. Many draft experts expect at least a half-dozen receivers to be taken on the first night. But with an impressively deep class, Poles should still have an intriguing menu to peruse Friday. With that in mind, the Tribune takes a look at 12 receivers who could be on the team’s radar.

Chris Olave, Ohio State

Height, weight: 6-1, 188

Why the Bears will draft him: Are the Bears looking for a dependability piece for Fields? Do they want their young quarterback to have a receiver he inherently trusts and can build chemistry with? Through that lens, the dream scenario would be for Olave to somehow slip to Day 2 — or at least remain on the board late enough in the first round that Poles could consider an aggressive trade up.

As teammates at Ohio State in 2020, Fields and Olave had impressive harmony. Olave was Fields’ leading receiver with 50 catches, 729 yards and seven touchdowns over seven games in that COVID-shortened campaign. He followed up this past season with 65 grabs, 936 yards and 13 touchdowns. This is a pie-in-the-sky situation for the Bears. But Olave is a Day 1-starter. He’s a fluid route runner with impressive speed and ball skills and proven big-play production. A raucous Halas Hall celebration would be on tap if Poles were somehow able to land him.

Why they won’t: The idea of Olave being available to the Bears at No. 39 is extremely far-fetched. The possibility of him slipping out of the top 20 Thursday night is a longshot. Some talent evaluators question whether Olave has a sturdy enough build and enough strength to excel against some of the NFL’s more physical corners. But that likely wouldn’t be a deterrent for the Bears.

Analyst’s take: “I love the route running. He’s so smooth as a route runner. He knows where he needs to be versus zone coverage. And when you study his game, he has speed as well. … He’s a vertical threat. That’s what he does. Track star. He ran a 4.39(-second 40-yard dash) at the combine. And it’s not just track speed. He’s great at tracking the ball vertically.” — ESPN senior draft analyst Todd McShay

Jahan Dotson, Penn State

Height, weight: 5-11, 178

Why the Bears should draft him: Dotson was Penn State’s leading receiver in 2021, totaling 91 catches for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns on the way to being named an AP third-team All-American. After four seasons with the Nittany Lions, he tied for second in school history with 183 catches and 25 receiving touchdowns. McShay called him “a burner” and raved about his ball skills, body control and speed. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said he has the best hands in the draft. Dotson also returned 19 punts for 338 yards and a touchdown — and his career average of 17.8 yards per return is a Penn State record.

Why they’d stay away: There’s a possibility Dotson might be off the board before the Bears pick. The Athletic and ESPN each ranked him the sixth-best receiver in the class, with the possibility of him going in the first round. Dotson’s size and strength are the biggest question marks for draft analysts. Multiple analysts noted he doesn’t break a lot of tackles.

Analyst’s take: “He really attacks the football. He’s got outstanding ability to adjust. He can catch it back hip, above the rim. You name it, he can do it.” — NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah

George Pickens, Georgia

Height, weight: 6-3, 195

Why the Bears should draft him: Jeremiah called Pickens “really, really gifted” and “a fun one.” McShay said he thought Pickens might make it into the first round before the ACL tear that limited his 2021 season. Pickens made a big impact as a freshman when he led the Bulldogs with 49 catches for 727 yards and eight touchdowns. He had 36 catches for 513 yards and six touchdowns in eight games in 2020. Analysts call him a vertical threat with quickness, speed, strong ball-tracking skills and an ability to make in-air adjustments.

Why they’d stay away: The ACL injury that Pickens suffered during 2021 spring practices is the major question mark. He made a quick recovery and returned to play in four games, making five catches for 107 yards, including a 52-yarder in the College Football Playoff National Championship game against Alabama. He also did on-field work at the combine, running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. But it’s a matter of a team being comfortable with his medical evaluations and the missed development of most of his junior season.

Analyst’s take: “That guy, he can really go up and get the football. He just has that ability to play above the rim, and he’s a pretty crisp route runner for somebody who’s 6-3.” — Jeremiah

Skyy Moore, Western Michigan

Height, weight: 5-10, 195

Why the Bears will draft him: Moore was an immediate difference maker at Western Michigan, an all-conference player as a freshman and able to remain consistently productive over his three seasons. He totaled 95 catches, 1,292 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Broncos in 2021. Moore projects to be used primarily in the slot and can excel there with his feel for the game and willingness to make contested catches. McShay calls him “silky smooth.” Talent evaluators have lauded his crisp route running and overall savvy in getting open. He is also productive after the catch, which would give him added value in Luke Getsy’s new offense.

Why they won’t: Moore’s overall burst and athleticism isn’t freakish, and some evaluators question his ability to consistently create separation at the next level. Furthermore, with Darnell Mooney (5-11, 173 pounds) and Byron Pringle (6-1, 203) currently slotted in as the Bears’ top two receivers, Getsy may prefer to add more size to the receiving corps first.

Analyst’s take: “I saw some Antonio Brown traits from him when you studied him. … That dude will just eat cushion. He’s really dynamic and crisp. … He’s quicker than a hiccup and just puts guys in a blender. Just really fun to watch.” — Jeremiah

Alec Pierce, Cincinnati

Height, weight: 6-3, 211

Why the Bears should draft him: Pierce is a former Glenbard West football, basketball, volleyball and track athlete who played four seasons — including three as a starter — at Cincinnati. As a sophomore, he had 37 catches for 652 yards and two touchdowns, and he put together his best season in 2021 with 52 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. Pierce utilizes size, athleticism and speed that resulted in a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the combine. McShay said he’s “really good on vertical throws and good after the catch for a long-levered receiver.” He also has special teams experience.

Why they’d stay away: Multiple analysts, including Jeremiah, suggested his route tree is limited, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote Pierce is still honing his separation skills. He battled knee and shoulder injuries in 2020.

Analyst’s take: “You’ve got big-time sprinter speed. He’s just real strong and powerful in what he does. You can watch the Notre Dame game, and you can see the big-time catches, kind of those wild catches. In scouting a lot of times we use the phrase ‘quicker than fast.’ He’s the opposite. He’s faster than quick. He’s got big-time speed. Some of the subtleties getting in and out, that’s going to be a little bit more of a challenge with him at the break point.” — Jeremiah

Christian Watson, North Dakota State

Height, weight: 6-5, 208

Why the Bears will draft him: Watson’s most bullish believers are tempted to stamp him with the “Cooper Kupp 2.0″ label, seeing a star from the Football Championship Subdivision who has both the talent and drive that will translate to the NFL. Watson put together a head-turning week at the Senior Bowl in late January, then ran his 40-yard dash in an eye-opening 4.36 seconds at the combine. Over four seasons at North Dakota State, he averaged 20.4 yards per catch. Last season, his four longest touchdown receptions were for 71, 85, 67 and 65 yards, a testament to his big-play ability. Watson had 43 catches, 801 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games last season but also has the ability to contribute as a ball carrier and kickoff returner. With his dedication, Watson would fit well into the culture Poles and Matt Eberflus are trying to build.

Why they won’t: Questions persist about Watson’s overall strength and how that might limit his effectiveness. He also had drop issues at times in college and may need time to adjust to the jump in competition. Some evaluators point out that Watson’s route running will need significant polish in the early stages of his career.

Analyst’s take: “Ridiculously fast. That’s the way he plays. He just has that explosiveness in his routes. So you have to respect him on the underneath stuff but he will also beat you over the top. Throughout his career, he’s had high-end production. … I really like the way he competes and the way he fights for the football. The only thing you get a little nervous on is he has shown that he can struggle with concentration drops. I don’t think he has bad hands. I think it’s concentration. You’d have to work through that with him.” — Mark Dominik, Sirius XM draft analyst

John Metchie III, Alabama

Height, weight: 5-11, 187

Why the Bears should draft him: Metchie had 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns over 13 games in his junior season while playing alongside wide receiver Jameson Williams, a likely first-round pick. Metchie finished his career at Alabama with 155 catches for 2,081 yards and 14 touchdowns. Jeremiah called him “a ready-made slot,” noting his toughness, strength and route running. Metchie has earned strong reviews for his work from coach Nick Saban, who called him “the epitome of what you look for in a wide receiver.” This may not affect his draft status, but he also has made quite a journey on his path to the NFL. He was born in Taiwan and lived in Ghana and Canada before moving to a U.S. boarding school when he was 14 to pursue athletic opportunities.

Why they’d stay away: Metchie tore the ACL in his left knee in December and didn’t participate in on-field, predraft activities. He also played through multiple injuries in 2020. He doesn’t have elite size or speed and didn’t have a catch of more than 46 yards as a junior. But Jeremiah believes he could be a good value pick in the third or fourth rounds.

Analyst’s take: “Jameson was such a huge part of the offense and was a big-play guy. But Metchie does all of the dirty work, over the middle, third downs. When you have to rely on a receiver, he finds a way to separate and get open. He made a lot of tough catches, and I think he’s a lot better after the catch than people give him credit for.” — McShay

Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama

Height, weight: 6-1, 195

Why the Bears will draft him: The college video of Tolbert shows playmaking ability. In his final two seasons, he had 146 catches for 2,659 yards with 16 touchdowns. In 2020, he set a single-game school record with 252 receiving yards against Arkansas State. The operative word with Tolbert is “smooth.” He is crisp getting into and out of his breaks and has a feel for adjusting to passes that aren’t on target. He has the ability to play outside, but can easily move inside and has shown a willingness to block as well.

Why they won’t: Playing in the Sun Belt Conference, Tolbert wasn’t tested as much as other talented receivers in this class. (It should be noted that he made seven catches for 143 yards against Tennessee last fall.) He doesn’t project to be a significant run-after-the-catch threat and will have to focus on improving his run blocking.

Analyst’s take: “He’s a guy I really like a lot. You see the big plays out of him. And the beautiful thing about him is he was a kid who improved every year at South Alabama, both (skillfully) and production-wise. I like the fact that he is able to contort his body and make the difficult catch adjustments. And he has that top-end speed where you feel like he can be that vertical threat for you.” — Dominik

Calvin Austin III, Memphis

Height, weight: 5-9, 162

Why the Bears will draft him: Coming up through the scouting ranks with the Chiefs, Poles learned to adjust his mindset as he evaluated prospects, focusing on what a player does really well rather than being driven away by limitations. Poles should recognize Austin as a receiver who is passionate, fearless and lightning quick. After joining Memphis as a walk-on and redshirting in 2017, Austin grinded to become a key contributor for the Tigers and finished his college career with 137 catches, 2,202 yards and 19 touchdowns over his final two seasons. He can be a bottle rocket just waiting to be lit. Austin ran the 40 in 4.32 seconds at the combine, the third-fastest time in the receiver class, and added a vertical leap of 39 inches. That kind of explosion is intriguing.

Why they won’t: Slight. Small. Diminutive. Tiny. Any other synonyms we should add? Quite simply, the NFL is a physical freak show. And it takes a whole lot of intangibles to overcome the size disadvantage Austin has. That’s height. That’s arm length. That’s overall bulk. All of that will limit Austin against press coverage and in making contested catches and ru-blocking. Many talent evaluators believe Austin has a chance to carve out a complementary niche in an NFL offense. But he may have a ceiling as a third receiver at best in a productive passing offense.

Analyst’s take: “Man, he’s fun to watch. He really is. He’s so quick and he has the speed that you look for. He’s obviously undersized. So you worry a little about that frame, getting off press (coverage) and those sorts of things in the league. But if you move him around, from what I saw on tape, he’s so quick with those first two or three steps. That jitterbug move and the quick shuffle with his feet, he’s able to get himself off press coverage.” — McShay

David Bell, Purdue

Height, weight: 6-1, 212

Why the Bears should draft him: Bell topped 1,000 yards receiving in both 2019 and 2021, when he was Big Ten freshman of the year and then receiver of the year, respectively. He finished his three-year Purdue career with 232 catches for 2,946 yards and 21 touchdowns. Jeremiah said the former basketball player has outstanding hands and a huge catch radius that wins him a lot of 50/50 balls. Brugler touted his body control and dependability, as Bell uses savvy and technique to be productive. Jeremiah also called him tough and physical after the catch, noting he could be a good third- or fourth-rounder.

Why they’d stay away: Bell is not the fastest option among the top 15 receivers in the draft. He ran a 4.65 40-yard dash at the combine and 4.71 at his pro day. Jeremiah called him “more smooth than explosive,” and Kiper said the big question is if he will be able to separate from defenders at the NFL level.

Analyst’s take: “His consistency was outstanding. The separation? How will that be in the NFL? Those types of things will dictate what kind of pro he is. … The production and the consistency was there (at Purdue). But will NFL corners be in his hip pocket? Will he be able to get open (regularly) against NFL-caliber corners?”— Kiper

Justyn Ross, Clemson

Height, weight: 6-4, 205

Why the Bears should draft him: Over three seasons at Clemson, Ross had 158 catches for 2,379 yards and 20 touchdowns. That included a career-high 1,000 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman, including an eye-catching performance in the national championship win over Alabama. After spinal surgery kept him out in 2020, he was determined to play his redshirt junior season, continuing through a stress fracture in his foot to make 46 catches for 514 yards. Ross had good size and length and analysts tout his body control and ball skills.

Why they’d stay away: Ross has some of the most questions of any prospect on this list and could be a Day 3 option because of the congenital fusion discovered in his spine. He had surgery in June 2020 and returned to play in 2021 after receiving advice from a panel of experts, some of whom did not think he should play, according to ESPN. Crucial for teams will be medical evaluations on his neck and spine, as well as his foot, which also required surgery.

Analyst’s take: “He’s an elite talent, he’s an explosive leaper, unbelievable body control and ball skills. He’s incredibly explosive in and out of his cuts, great change of direction, lateral movement. He’s fast and a great finisher on the ball, so there’s a lot of good to talk about Justyn Ross as a football player.” — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told ESPN.com.

Romeo Doubs, Nevada

Height, weight: 6-2, 200

Why the Bears will draft him: If the Bears opt to address other needs in Rounds 2 and 3 — namely offensive line and cornerback — they can do so with comfort that talented receivers like Doubs could still be around. Doubs plays with a nasty competitive edge, which figures to make him attractive to Poles. He was also consistently productive in college, a two-time All-Mountain West selection who eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his final two seasons. Doubs’ highlight reel showcases both his tenacity and intriguing ball skills. He has potential to become a reliable punt returner as well, averaging 11.9 yards per return at Nevada.

Why they won’t: Doubs may be a bit of a project initially, needing much more sophistication in his route running. He must also learn how to create separation consistently at the NFL level while also understanding how to finish contested catches against more talented defensive backs.

Analyst’s take: “That was a deep-strike offense with him at Nevada. It was fun to watch. They’d get him vertical a lot. A lot of deep posts. He tracks the ball really well. Now, he has a little bit of tightness to him, a little bit of stiffness there. But I think he can get over the top and can track the ball well. The other issue with him … is he had what I would call ‘face-up drops.’ Some guys track the ball over the shoulder really well but sometimes when you’re facing the quarterback and you’re squared up, you have some drop issues. That’s what his thing was.” — Jeremiah

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