How could the Chicago Bears build their 2018 NFL Draft over all seven rounds?
As the days tick down until the NFL draft, we will use a couple different mock drafts to see some situations in which the Chicago Bears should be looking at during the draft weekend. As always, the discussion should be aimed at how specific players fit in certain spots, rather than whether or not they will be there at that particular time. To find a pool of players, we will use fanspeak.com. So complaints about whether or not a player will be around really are falling on deaf ears.
In two of our three mocks, we have seen Quenton Nelson fall. After going Tremaine Edmunds in the third mock, it just felt like a good chance to see how a board could be constructed with Roquan Smith. Smith did not complete his full testing at the combine, but his combination of speed and instincts shows.
Related Story: Roquan Smith draft profile
As profiled in the Roquan Smith vs. Tremaine Edmunds film room, Edmunds may have a higher upside, but due to his understanding and ability to read and react at a lightning pace makes Smith a much safer bet at pick eight. If around, he could be the teams top player on the board. The pick makes sense.
Price was once a fringe first-round prospect but with a pectoral injury finds himself in the second round. However, he has heard nothing but positive news regarding his injury. He does not blow you away with measurables and athletic traits and had he participated in the combine healthy, it would not have changed much.
However, while Price does not have the upside of a James Daniels, or maybe even a Frank Ragnow, he arguably has an even higher floor, even with the injury asterisks. Coming from Ohio State, there seems to be a high pedigree in what can be had after recent years.
Ohio St. OL drafted since 2014:
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 11, 2018
Jack Mewhort (2nd-round, 2014)
Corey Linsley (5th-round, 2014)
Taylor Decker (1st-round, 2016)
Pat Elflein (3rd-round, 2017)
Add Andrew Norwell to the list too. Big reason why many teams will like C/G Billy Price and OT Jamarco Jones this year.
Their lineman may not be the biggest or most athletic. They are not winning All-Pro awards but are turning into valuable starters across the offensive line. This is exactly how Price profiles.
It gives the team a chance to push Cody Whitehair back to guard, his natural position, and gives Mitchell Trubisky a smart and powerful center in the middle. If Price is to miss too much offseason time, Hroniss Grasu is around. From there, they can hand over the keys and see what they have in their newly fixed offensive line.
With a linebacker taken in round one, the team can sit back for a bit and wait on edge. However, now it would be time to jump. Nwosu is a completely different edge prospect than most, and that is what is going to make him fall. However, in the Vic Fangio defense, he is probably going to love what Nwosu brings.
As shown in his athletic profile he is a smaller pass rusher who wins with speed and a springy burst. Nwosu is excellent when it comes to deflecting passes at the line of scrimmage. While he is not a refined edge rusher, and should not come in hot on every single snap, his ability to blitz and use speed to take a clean path to the quarterback makes him a valued piece in the passing game.
Related Story: Uchenna Nwosu Draft Profile
Versatile pass rushers are the name of the game for Fangio. Nwosu can let Floyd rush the passer more, and the mix and match blitzing and dropping of Floyd and Nwosu could give teams headaches. In the fourth round, he is a great addition.
The team went out and signed Benny Fowler and Marlon Brown immediately following the loss of Cameron Meredith. It shows that the team did want Meredith back at a certain price and that they do understand that they are currently weaker at wide receiver entering the draft than they would like
.
Gallup is an intriguing prospect for the Bears. He is a physical receiver but a finesse route runner. He can line up outside and in the slot, and can be you over the middle and with the ball in his hands. His ability to create separation near the line of scrimmage and down the field makes him a perfect addition to the offense. Below, he separates against Anthony Averett and Isaiah Oliver, two draft prospects.
The Bears have shown interest in Oliver and if they watched Michael Gallup against him they should be interested in Gallup in the fourth round as well.
Related Story: Michael Gallup Draft Profile
With the signing of Bryce Callahan, it is worth noting that he signed a one-year deal at well below starter value. It is not like the team is tied down to him. Enter Avonte Maddox. Maddox is interesting and comes in similarly sized to Callahan.
However, Maddox plays much bigger. He has quick feet and physicality to line up on bigger receivers. He just is not physically big enough to hang on the outside in the NFL, but with his ability to blitz and break physically on inward breaking routes he can find a job in the slot.
Maddox plays with the toughness to contribute on special teams and if he opened 2019 penciled in as a starter, no one should be surprised.
The Chicago Bears are likely going to want to look tackle at some point in this draft. They cannot hang onto Bobby Massie as a starter forever. In the sixth round, given the size and athleticism of Brandon Parker, he is worth a shot.
Parker was a player who was still filling his body in college and is still filling out his body to this day. His reach, size, and athleticism combined make for a much higher upside prospect than anyone who went to NC A& T. However, he is an awkward mover who is still getting used to his body. He needs to do a better job of understanding how to leverage and use his reach better. It may take time, but with the top offensive line coach in college football last season in Chicago, the project can begin.
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Ostman is a short-armed, short strider who did not get a combine invite. However, he tested off of the charts at his Pro Day and is rocked up like an NFL pass rusher.
Ostman led Division I in sacks last year. No Combine invite. Here is a pic of him from his Pro Day (which he crushed): pic.twitter.com/uC2MNNFY8F
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) April 14, 2018
Ostman has limited upside due to his short reach. However, he is a precise mover who has the entire repertoire of pass rushing moves. He is a hustle player who clearly has worked hard to get to where he is. Ostman can play on special teams, and while he may never be a starter, should translate into a situational pass rusher. With Nwosu being such a versatile edge player, adding a pure pass rusher this late is worth the swing.