Chicago Bears – Favorite QB Targets
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Round 5 (#156) – Keith Wenning, Ball St (6’3, 218): Good size and a big arm with NFL velocity and nice touch. Wenning had a productive senior season (35 TD / 7 INT) and has the tools teams look for in a developmental QB. His biggest drawback is a lack of mobility and athleticism, but the arm is good enough to play in the league and he could develop into a solid back-up for the Bears.
Round 6 (#183) – Casey Pachall, TCU (6’4, 216): He’s the Colt Lyerla of draft eligible QBs this year. That comparison might be a little extreme since Pachall didn’t actually quit on his team after a drunk driving incident, but did spend time in alcohol and substance abuse rehab before rejoining the team. Pachall came back in 2013 but broke his non-throwing arm in week 2 of the season and struggled when he returned later with a 6 TD / 10 INT ratio. Pachall did have one great game that gave a glimpse of what he can do when healthy and focused, completing 40 of 58 passes for 394 yards and 3 TDs against West Virginia. Granted West Virginia’s defense was pretty bad, but before getting in trouble Pachall was dominant in 2012; he had a 38 TDs / 7 INT ratio, led the NCAA in passing efficiency and was projected to be no later than a day 2 pick when he entered the draft. He has prototype QB size, a cannon arm, good accuracy and the moxie and leadership (on the field at least) that you look for in a QB.
Round 6 (#191) – Jeff Matthews, Cornell (6’4, 223): Tall, cerebral QB with ideal size, a big arm, good accuracy, and leadership potential (3-time captain). The main problems are that he’s a statue in the pocket and hasn’t played against anything close to NFL competition coming from the Ivy league. Matthews should have no trouble picking up the Bears scheme and if the O-line can keep him clean he offers more potential upside than Jordan Palmer.
UFA – Tyler Russell, Mississippi St (6’4. 227): Prototype size and a cannon arm that can make every throw. Russell struggled with injuries his senior year, but was very successful as a junior (24 TDs / 10 INTs). Russell isn’t mobile and will need a good O-line to be effective in the NFL but he has a better arm than many prospects in the draft, good size, and has shown excellent accuracy at times. Other times Russell struggles to be on target with even short passes. He is inconsistent and his footwork needs some work, but with some coaching and technique improvement Russell could be a back-up QB that can win some games with his arm. Good developmental prospect for the QB Whisperer.
Twitter: @MikeFlannery_