Round 4: CB Damontrae Kazee, San Diego St (5’10 | 190 | 4.50)
The two-time MWAC Defensive Player of the Year has flown under the radar nationally playing in the Mountain West, but NFL teams are surely aware of Kazee. He lacks the ideal size to play outside at the next level but has the strength and ball skills to play there in the NFL.
He’s been a ballhawk for the Aztecs with 15 interceptions over the last two seasons and was also one of their best run stoppers with 235 tackles during his career. Kazee is aggressive against both the run and pass and has the speed and quickness to play multiple roles in an NFL secondary.
He’s being projected as a mid-to-late round pick on most sites, but I’d be ecstatic if he falls to the fourth round for the Bears. His ball skills would be a welcome addition to the Bears secondary and he could contribute in sub packages or on the outside if needed. In most drafts, Kazee would go much earlier, but with all the depth at corner in this year’s draft Kazee could slip to early on day three and be a steal for the Bears.
*Also considered: WR Carlos Henderson, La Tech; DL Nazair Jones, North Carolina; RB Jeremy McNichols, Boise St; DL Jarron Jones, Notre Dame; OLB Carroll Phillips, Illinois