Chicago Bears: Predicted Roles for 2016 Draft Picks
ILB Nick Kwiatkoski, West Virginia, Fourth Round (113th):
Even after addressing the inside linebacker position prior to the draft by acquiring Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman, the Bears felt that drafting yet another inside linebacker was necessary. After moving up four spots in the fourth round, Chicago selected Nick Kwiatkoski out of West Virginia with the 113th overall pick.
This pick was a bit of a surprise to me, seeing that there really wasn’t a need for another inside linebacker. With this being the first of three picks in the fourth round for Chicago, I thought that they would’ve looked more closely at another needed position on the offensive side of the ball—specifically focusing on the tight end and quarterback positions. Needless to say, Ryan Pace felt otherwise.
At 6-foot-2, 243 pounds, Kwiatkoski is considered to be undersized for a linebacker in the NFL, but his stature didn’t prevent him from playing both inside and outside linebacker for the Mountaineers. Before playing for West Virginia, Kwiatkoski was a safety, which proves that he has some coverage skills against the pass. However, considering that Chicago has Trevathan, Freeman, Christian Jones, John Timu, and Jonathan Anderson already on the roster, Kwiatkoski’s best chance of catching the attention of the Bears’ coaching staff is on special teams.
Next: Deon Bush