Chicago Bears Draft Scout: Sam Hubbard

Parker Hurley

COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 7: Sam Hubbard

Should the Chicago Bears be interested in Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard

Sam Hubbard is a high school safety turned Ohio State defensive end. He enters the NFL Draft as a second-team All-Big 10 performer, coming from the best defensive line in college football. Does his skill translate to a Chicago Bear?

Measurables:

Age: 22
College: Ohio State Buckeyes

Strengths:

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Hubbard is a very technically sound player. He plays with good leverage and is always the first to strike. Screens draws, options, none of that gets by on the side of Sam Hubbard. Hubbard also has a variety of pass rushing moves and counters in his arsenal. Overall, the floor is very high for Sam Hubbard.

Weakness

Hubbard is not an over the top athlete who will thrive in the NFL. He lacks the elite burst to get off of the line of scrimmage and has average bend getting around. Statistically, Hubbard was never the best player on the Ohio State defensive line and it showed on tape. He did a good job of hustling, staying in the right place, and being there to clean up the mess. It is a needed job, even in the NFL, but it is not one that leaves a high ceiling for Sam Hubbard.

Pro Comparison- Anthony Zettel, Detroit Lions

Sam Hubbard is going to be in the NFL and he is going to have himself a decent career. Every once in a while, a player of his caliber is able to be placed in a position where his skill and role really show into the box score. That is what happened in the second season for Anthony Zettel. Do not get it mistaken, Anthony Zettel is a fine player for the Detroit Lions. However, Zettel is not an over the top athlete. Last season Zettel had 6.5 sacks. A few of them came unblocked off of the edge, but the rest came down to good hand usage, and an ability to beat a one-on-one matchup with better technique than his opposition. A 6.5 sack season is definitely out there for a player like Sam Hubbard as well. He can get on the field early, and produce these numbers early like Anthony Zettel did in his second season.

Fit for Chicago Bears?

Hubbard did not provide much of a threat when dropping into coverage. That is what makes him a questionable fit with the Chicago Bears. With Leonard Floyd in the mix, being elite in pass coverage is not the most important aspect

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of a prospect. However, to have no ability in space limits what the team wants to do in terms of scheme. That, along with the high ability to provide a strong return make him a questionable fit. There is the chance that in the best player available scenario in the later to middle rounds, he could be a fit. However, it is unlikely for a known Ohio State defensive lineman to fall that far.

Given the scheme fit, the lack of upside, and the price attached to him, Hubbard does not quite feel like a fit. It would be a surprise to see the Chicago Bears wind up with Sam Hubbard, the defensive end out of Ohio State.

Parker Hurley

IUP Alum. Pittsburgh native. Follows NFL, NCAAB, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Steelers and Pirates critic, Penguins homer. Write about the Chicago Bears and other relevant NFL news