The Bears only have five picks in this year’s draft. That still may not stop them from being the most successful team at the annual conference.

Three short months ago, the Bears were eight points away from an NFC title and a trip to the Super Bowl. With such a near-perfect season comes one important question: What went wrong?

Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo's answer is symbolized by their first round pick at No. 29 overall. The Bears allowed a league-worst 56 sacks in 2010, six sacks more than the second-place Cardinals and Panthers. Among the results were a concussion and MCL sprain to quarterback Jay Cutler, the latter coming in the NFC title game. Therefore, to protect Cutler and the Bears' offensive production, the team made T Gabe Carimi (Wisconsin) their first round selection. Carimi can play either tackle position and was expected to go a few picks earlier on most draft boards. He has been described as a "mauler" and a "safe pick" who can be a formidable role player for a good team.

In the second round, the Bears went after another hole: Defensive tackle. Julius Peppers single-handedly provided the Bears' pass rush in 2010 with limited noise coming from the inside of the line. At No. 53, the Bears stole Stephen Paea (Oregon State), a defensive tackle with the potential of that of a first round pick. Paea was an All-American and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. He was offered a spot at this past winter's Senior Bowl, but a torn meniscus in his first practice for the game left him out of the event. With teams fearing his health in the first round, Paea fell into the Bears’ hands in the late second round. If Paea's meniscus heals, he may be one of the top five defensive linemen in this draft. If not, he'll be a worthy gamble.

The Bears also drafted SS Chris Conte (California) with the 93th pick. The Bears play their best football when their threat of interceptions is at full swing. Conte can evolve into a crucial piece of depth for the defensive-oriented Bears.

Even with two picks left, the Bears front office should sleep well. The NFC runner-ups may have all ready done enough to improve that title.

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-- JEFFREY EISENBAND
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Here is what two mock drafts have pegged for the Bears in the first round:

The Blue Bird Herd
Jonathan Baldwin – WR – Pittsburgh: The Bears already have some quickness and speed at receiver in Knox and Hester, but they lack a big, physical, go-to target and Baldwin could be that guy. The former Pitt Panther has drawn plenty of criticism surrounding character questions and off-field activity. On the field though, he possesses a combination of size and speed that scouts drool over. His hands and route running are inconsistent, and he’ll have the occasional mental lapse, but the skill set and athleticism make him extremely hard to resist at the end of the first round.

For its complete three-round mock draft, click here..

Fantasy Phenoms
Nate Solder OL Colorado: The Bears can use help in protecting Jay Cutler and the run game, and Solder is the best of the rest of the lineman in this class. Solder is huge at 6-8, 319 lbs and could be viewed as a steal here. He has many tools that can turn him into an elite left tackle in this league. A Solder on the Field in Chicago ... it's almost too perfect.

For the full mock draft of the first round, click here..

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