NFL writer Matt Miller has released his 2023 mock draft. The national writer is the latest to put out a detailed mock as we approach the week of the draft. 

Miller prefaces the mock by stating that the picks are based on what he is hearing, not necessarily what he would do. With that in mind, Miller has the Bears going in a unique direction with the ninth pick. 

The Bears have a few glaring needs on both sides of the ball, and in this mock, Miller addresses the defensive needs first. 

Lukas Van Ness is the pick for the Chicago Bears at No. 9. The edge rusher out of Iowa would immediately be a force on a Bears' defensive line that generated the fewest sacks in the league in 2022. 

Regarding the Van Ness pick, Miller said the following:

The Bears are positioned to take the best player available in Ryan Poles' second draft, and Van Ness offers both an immediate impact and a stunning ceiling. He didn't start at Iowa but produced seven sacks in 2022. At 6-5 and 272 pounds, with 34-inch arms, he has fantastic open-field agility. During position drills at the combine, one scout texted me that he "looks like a strong safety" given his movement and ability to change directions. In coach Matt Eberflus' 4-3 defense, you would love to see an interior pass-rusher here, but there isn't a defensive tackle worthy of the No. 9 pick with Carter off the board.

While many anticipate the Bears adding to the offensive line, Miller believes the Bears are "positioned to take the best player available." The writer also mentions that an interior pass-rusher should be a priority, but with Jalen Carter going at No. 5, there is not one worth picking here. 

Van Ness is a quality pass-rusher in his own right, however, who is probably best suited for a 4-3 defensive end role in the NFL. Van Ness does have experience in the interior, but probably does not have the size to do so at the next level. 

One knock on LVN is his inexperience. Van Ness technically never started in college, but he did play significant snaps as a rotational edge-rusher. Van Ness collected 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in two seasons at Iowa.