Chicago Bears 2015 NFL Draft Day 3 Preview
Sep 7, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; A detailed view of the Chicago Bears helmet during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Day 3 of the 2015 NFL Draft will be an important day for the Chicago Bears and GM Ryan Pace. Pace has done a solid job in the first two days of the draft, selecting wide receiver Kevin White in the first round, adding defensive tackle Eddie Goldman in Round 2 and beefing up the offensive line by selecting Oregon center Hroniss Grasu in Round 3.
The Bears still have a handful of needs but only three selections on Day 3. The good news is there are still plenty of good prospects available. Here’s our Chicago Bears 2015 NFL Draft Day 3 Preview.
NFL Draft Day 3
Rounds 4-7
Start Time: 11AM CDT
TV Coverage: ESPN and NFL Network
Selection Time:
Round 4-6 = 5 minutes per pick
Round 7 = 4 minutes per pick
Bears Draft Picks
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Kevin White (West Virginia) is selected as the number seven overall pick to the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Round 1 (7): Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Round 2 (39): Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
Round 3 (71): Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
Round 4 (106):
Round 5 (142) (from NYJ Brandon Marshall trade):
Round 6 (183):
Bears Remaining Needs
The Bears have done a good job of selecting best available talent and getting great value while filling some big needs. I guess that’s what happens when you have a lot of needs! Some obvious areas for the Bears to address and top remaining options include:
Safety
The Bears still need help in the secondary. Ryan Mundy and Antrel Rolle are not the future and the Bears need to add some youth to go along with unproven 2014 draftee Brock Vereen.
Adrian Amos, PSU
Derron Smith, Fresno State
Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss
James Sample, Louisville
Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern
Clayton Geathers, UCF
Pass Rusher
The Bears added Pernell McPhee in Free Agency, but otherwise appear to have a bunch of square pegs (Jared Allen, Willie Young and Lamarr Houston) to play outside linebacker in Vic Fangio’s 3-4 defense.
Kwon Alexander, LSU
Davis Tull, Chattanooga
Mike Hull, Penn State
Zach Hodges, Harvard
Cornerback
The Bears appeared to strike gold with Kyle Fuller in last season’s draft, but need to add more young talent. Alan Ball and Tim Jennings figure into the rotation alongside Fuller.
Josh Shaw, USC
Doran Grant, Ohio State
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
Quarterback
Jay Cutler appears that he’ll be staying put for at least another season, but the Bears need to start grooming a successor. Ryan Pace said he’d love to draft a QB every year, but with so many needs and so few picks, it’s unclear if the Bears will be able in invest a pick on another signal caller.
Brett Hundley, UCLA
Bryce Petty, Baylor
Brandon Bridge, South Alabama