This is not the year for suspense when it comes to the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

Signs have pointed to the Chicago Bears using that selection on USC quarterback Caleb Williams for months, and that’s expected to come to fruition Thursday when the draft kicks off in Detroit.

But the top half of the first round could be a wild ride. One general manager predicts that scenario, noting the number of teams in the market for a quarterback, including a handful sitting just outside the top 10.

There could be a whole lot of “deal or no deal” early in the round as teams jockey for position. We take a final shot at figuring out what promises to be a fascinating draft for Bears general manager Ryan Poles in mock draft 4.0.

1. Bears (from Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams, QB, USC

The Bears have a better roster for a quarterback set to go No. 1 than there has been in a mighty long time. Wide receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett and an offensive line that should be improved will put Williams in position to avoid some of the bumps in the road encountered by many rookie quarterbacks — including some in the recent Bears past.

2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

Suspense begins with the second pick and much has been made about a crowded list of visits by QB prospects last week, but most signs have pointed to the Heisman Trophy winner Daniels for a while. Still, first-year GM Adam Peters has done an excellent job of masking his intentions and this will be interesting.

3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Maye has excellent size and mobility and a strong arm, and some of his uneven tape with the Tar Heels can be attributed to the talent around him at times. Some believe he profiles a bit like Justin Herbert and there’s no question the makeup is there as well. There’s just not a lot to surround a quarterback with in New England right now.

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