Bears Official Draft Prospect Visits
DE Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma St – Productive pass rusher who has gotten better every year. Ogbah has 24 sacks over the last two seasons and has evolved from a pure speed rusher to a more balanced player with speed, power, and raw but effective rush moves.
He finished the 2015 season as the BIG12 Defensive Player of the Year and led the conference in sacks (13), tackles for loss (17.5) and QB hurries (19) and should be able to step in to an NFL d-line rotation immediately. Ogbah has the skill-set to play DE in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme which could make him attractive to Bears DC Vic Fangio who likes to change alignments on the fly.
The Bears coaching staff has made it very clear that they are looking to get faster and more explosive off the edge. Ogbah isn’t a stand up OLB, but with his hand in the dirt at DE could use his strength to set the edge verse the run, while unleashing his 4.56 speed to chase down QBs and provide a rare pass rush from a 5-tech DE.
The Bears got little to no pressure off the edge from their 5-techs last season, but Ogbah has the ability to be a force as a pass rusher while not hurting the Bears run defense. Ogbah came late to organized football, but has improved rapidly and has the physical attributes and 4.5 speed to be a rare 5-tech who is strong enough to set the edge against the run and provide double-digit sacks.
I would be a little surprised if the Bears used the #11 overall pick on Ogbah, but we don’t know what he showed the Bears brass in his private workout and the chances are slim that he will still be available when the Bears pick in round 2.
WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss – With the Bears seemingly set at wide receiver with Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White, Eddie Royal, and Marquess Wilson, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to bring in a receiver like Treadwell who most draftniks project as a top 15 pick, but the Bears interest in Treadwell has been mentioned multiple times during draft season. Treadwell himself said that the Bears were one of the four teams that have expressed the most interest in him.
There are a couple of angles that make sense. First, the Bears could be looking for negotiating leverage with Alshon Jeffery. Adding a big-bodied possession receiver like Treadwell to an explosive target like Kevin White, could lessen the Bears need to give Jeffery the expensive long-term deal he is asking for. Another option could be that the Bears just want to add some high-upside depth behind Jeffery and White, since their back-ups were liabilities in 2015 once forced into the lineup. Either way, I would be shocked if the Bears used consecutive first round picks on a wide receiver.
Treadwell has excellent size (6’2 | 221), enough speed (4.56), the route running ability to separate, reliable hands, and is dangerous after the catch. Despite his 1st round skill-set, Treadwell has been timed as low as the mid 4.6s which could drop him down to early in the 2nd round… Where he could be a steal for the Bears.
WR Corey Coleman, Baylor – Another receiver with the same questionable reasoning as the Treadwell visit, but a few differences that make a little more sense why the Bears may be interested. One is that Coleman has a better chance to be available with the Bears 2nd round pick. Another is that Coleman’s skill-set differs more from the Jeffery, White, Treadwell group in that he is much smaller (5’11 | 190) and primarily a speed merchant who can play in the slot and contribute as a return specialist.
Coleman averaged a ridiculous 18.4 yards per reception and led all FBS receivers with 20 touchdowns in 2015. He’s most likely a slot receiver at the NFL level who would provide a whole different dimension to the Bears receiving core. With big receivers Jeffery and White outside and a burner like Coleman in the slot… It could make the Bears offense much more explosive in 2015.
Coleman did have some issues with drops throughout his college career and has admitted to only knowing a very limited route tree, but his speed and acceleration is elite and he was one of the most dangerous payers in college football with the ball in his hands. I’ve got Coleman being drafted late in round 1, but if he were somehow to slip to the Bears early second round selection it would give Cutler his best group of weapons since he came to Chicago.
Next: Ragland & Robertson-Harris