Ranking the Chicago Bears' Biggest Needs to Address in the 2015 Draft

With a little over a week until the draft, the Chicago Bears have to start tightening up their big board and identifying where they can fill some of their holes. 

A successful draft usually means you can come away with at least three starters. Considering the Bears need at least that many, this draft is vital. 

What are the biggest needs on this team? They're split down the middle with three needs on offense and three on defense. Click ahead to see what they are in order. 

The Chicago Bears are on the books for at least two more seasons of Jay Cutler, barring a trade or roster cut, but it seems more and more like he isn't the team's long-term quarterback. 

It's not necessarily urgent for the Bears to draft a quarterback this year, but they should strongly take a look at the Day 2 prospects. If one they like is on the board in the right spot, then they should pull the trigger. 

Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are first-round picks, but things get interesting for the quarterback prospects after them. Colorado State's Garrett Grayson, UCLA's Brett Hundley and Baylor's Bryce Petty are the next best choices. 

Grayson is likely to go in the second round, but the Bears might be able to grab Hundley in the third. Hundley's a developmental project who needs to improve as a pocket passer but could develop into a solid starter under offensive coordinator Adam Gase's tutelage. 

Kyle Fuller, last year's first-round pick, is a defensive cornerstone for years to come, but the team still needs another cornerback in the long term. 

Tim Jennings regressed last season and isn't getting any younger (he's 31). The Chicago Bears would be wise to look at some mid-round prospects who can possibly develop into starters a few years down the line. 

Oregon's Ifo Ekpre-Olomu would have been a first-round pick if he didn't suffer a torn ACL during bowl practice. He now likely slips into the third-round range, making him a viable option for the Bears. 

Another intriguing prospect is Utah's Eric Rowe. He's a big corner (6'1", 205 lbs) who can play physical press-man coverage, which can come in handy in the NFC North. Rowe also has experience at free safety, which is another hole in the Bears' defense.  

Brock Vereen was the Chicago Bears' fourth-round selection last year, and he played like a typical fourth-round pick. He was up and down all year in 2014, and once again the Bears find themselves looking for a free safety. 

Vereen might develop into the long-term answer in this new-look defense, but it wouldn't hurt to add some depth and competition to the team. Free-agent acquisition Antrel Rolle is already 32 years old, so drafting a player who can play either safety spot would be wise.

Samford might be a small school, but there's nothing small about the way Jaquiski Tartt plays football. Tartt has the speed (4.53 40-yard dash) to cover ground and the size (6'1", 221 lbs) to battle NFL players. He can play either safety position and could push Vereen for a starting spot in training camp.

Ohio State's Doran Grant is another solid option if the Bears are bargain shopping in the middle rounds. Both Grant and Tartt should be available in the third or fourth rounds.  

At the start of free agency, outside linebacker was clearly the Chicago Bears' biggest draft need, but signing Sam Acho and Pernell McPhee changed that. 

In addition to Acho and McPhee, the Bears have Jared Allen, Willie Young, Shea McClellin, Lamarr Houston and David Bass, who can all see time at outside linebacker. 

Even with the above-mentioned players, it still might be hard for the Bears to take an outside linebacker in the first round. This is the best class at the position since 2011, so it's very possible the best player available at seventh overall is an edge-rusher. 

Clemson's Vic Beasley, Florida's Dante Fowler, Jr., Missouri's Shane Ray and Nebraska's Randy Gregory are the first-round options.

If the Bears want to look at one at the top of the second round, then there's a chance Virginia's Eli Harold is still on the board. Harold needs to get a little bigger (he's only 247 pounds), but the speed and explosion are there to develop into a long-term star opposite McPhee. 

Trading Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets left a big hole in the Chicago Bears' wide receiver corps. Alshon Jeffery is still there, but he needs another every-down threat to line up opposite him, and that isn't Eddie Royal's game. 

Alabama's Amari Cooper is probably the most NFL-ready prospect in this draft. He runs crisp routes and has the speed (4.42 40-yard dash) to turn any defender around. He has to be priority No. 1 for the Bears in this draft. 

It remains to be seen whether Cooper will be taken before the Bears' No. 7 overall pick, but West Virginia's Kevin White is also a fantastic player. If Cooper is gone before the No. 7 pick, then the Bears might take an edge-rusher and grab a receiver in the middle rounds. 

Like outside linebacker, wide receiver is very deep in this draft. Arizona State's Jaelen Strong is big (6'2", 217 lbs) and physical like Brandon Marshall, while Ohio State's Devin Smith (6'0", 196 lbs) and Kansas State's Tyler Lockett (5'10", 182 lbs) are smaller home run hitters. 

Strong is a late first- or early second-round prospect, while Smith and Lockett can go anywhere from the second to the fourth round. 

The hole at right tackle for the Chicago Bears just isn't being talked up enough. Yes, wide receiver, outside linebacker and quarterback are sexier positions to break down, but the fact remains that the Bears cannot afford to trot Jordan Mills out there for another season. 

Mills struggled to stay healthy last year and was bad when he was on the field. Charles Leno Jr. and Jason Weaver are currently the backup options, further proving the Bears have nobody to play right tackle. 

Due to where the Bears pick, it's going to be hard to find a tackle in the first or second round, largely based on potentially reaching for a player. 

The middle rounds are where the Bears can find a tackle who fits the value of where he's drafted and can still come in and start over Mills. 

Texas A&M's Cedric Ogbuehi, Oregon's Jake Fisher and Oklahoma tackles Daryl Williams and Tyrus Thompson are all players to keep an eye on.