(670 The Score) From Kevin White and Mitchell Trubisky to Eddie Jackson and Roquan Smith, the Bears' draft results have been mixed since Ryan Pace became general manager more than six years ago.
But the process remains the same for Pace and his Bears brass. They lean on physical traits, football makeup and character. They stack the draft board with their firm convictions and see how the dominoes fall.
This NFL Draft will feature more uncertainty than ever, with game reps reduced for some prospects and medical information proving elusive to obtain for others. Several of the top talents didn't play football in 2020. Others have injuries or conditions that are a mystery to teams.
That makes it more challenging for the Bears, who hold the No. 20 overall pick in the first round, and every other team.
"As an organization, we’ve got to be ready for every single scenario," Pace said Tuesday. "However this thing plays out, however this board falls, that’s where all the preparation comes into play.
"Whether it's trading up, staying put, trading back, all those things are in play for us."
Admittedly, Pace is holding his cards close ahead of Thursday, careful not to tip his hand. But he did point to the first-round depth in the quarterback class. For the Bears, their most important decision will come at that position. The likelihood is that Chicago will select a quarterback at some point in the draft. If that move were to come in the first round, it almost certainly would require an aggressive trade up -- a move Pace is no stranger to pulling.
One potential scenario in play is for Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields to fall in the draft. A two-time all-Big Ten selection, Fields being available at No. 8 -- where the Panthers are open to a trade -- or even further down would leave the Bears with a decision to make. Of course, that would require mortgaging future draft capital, and a swing and a miss would set the franchise back considerably.
This draft is also deep in wide receivers, tackles and cornerbacks -- which happen to be a few of the Bears' most important needs. The Bears were limited in free agency due to salary cap constraints and failed to upgrade their roster after back-to-back 8-8 regular seasons. With each pick, that means Pace must balance selecting an instant-impact player or a prospect whose development might come on a longer-term track.
The goal is always to fortify the future in the draft, but Pace is unlikely to be back with the Bears in 2022 if the team isn't vastly improved in 2021.
"You're also thinking now and you're thinking the future," Pace said. "For us, the draft's just about collecting talented players."
The mixed information surrounding this draft is expected to create more variation on each team's board. Scouts haven't operate with the same confidence of years past because they've seen fewer game reps. Team doctors have conducted fewer medical examinations, and some of their reports are lacking key information.
It all means teams have to be prepared for more unpredictability than usual. The Bears could watch a player -- or maybe several -- with a top-10 grade remain available approaching their pick. Will they trade up, stand pat or even move down?
It's all part of that pursuit of a conviction pick.
"You know when there's a consensus pick and you can feel it from our coaches and scouts," Pace said. "And I know everybody's going to be excited when we make that selection and walk out of the room. It gives me more confidence to go do that."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.