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NFL Mock Draft 2013: Bears in good spot to land Brian Urlacher's replacement

Picking at No. 20 in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears could look to pick a linebacker.

By James Brady
USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears are likely seeing the departure of one of their franchise's greatest players in linebacker Brian Urlacher. The two sides have been unable to come together on a deal, and the team has already signed D.J. Williams to fill Urlacher's spot for the 2013 season.

More: Visit Windy City Gridiron for more on the Bears

But the Bears will need to address the position in the NFL Draft at some point if they hope to find a long-term replacement. Picking at No. 20 in the first round, the Bears are in a solid position to land one of the top players at the position, and it happens to be a relatively strong draft for said position.

Don Banks of SI.com released his latest mock draft on Wednesday, and he has them taking Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree:

The Bears have added linebackers D.J. Williams and James Anderson after the Brian Urlacher divorce became final, but they would still happily make room for Olgetree if he convinces them his character issues are a non-factor. Also tempting might be Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert, if new head coach Marc Trestman wants to bring Chicago's offense into the two-tight end formation era.

That would likely be a smart pick for the Bears. In Banks' mock, Ogletree is the first inside linebacker taken, with Kansas State's Arthur Brown, who visited with the Bears on Wednesday, going 24th to the Indianapolis Colts and Notre Dame's Manti Te'o going to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 25.

The latest SB Nation mock draft from Dan Kadar has the Bears going in a different direction, taking North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper. Cooper would fill a huge need for the Bears, given that they had one of the worst offensive lines in football last season. That pick went through with Ogletree, Te'o and Brown still on the board in that scenario.

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