How can the Chicago Bears navigate around Minkah Fitzpatrick in round one?
With less than a week to go, it is time for daily mocks to try to flirt with different scenarios that the Chicago Bears could be dealing with. 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.
With Quenton Nelson, Tremaine Edmunds and Roquan Smith selected in previous mocks, it would be interesting to see how the Chicago Bears could navigate a draft looking into the defensive backfield with their first pick.
When it comes down to it, they could be selecting between Minkah Fitzpatrick and Denzel. Ward is a great fit, and apparently, the Bears are interested, but Fitzpatrick is more intriguing overall given his fit with the team.
Fitzpatrick not only can come in and start in the slot next season, in dime situations he can run out as a hybrid linebacker.
Related Story: Minkah Fitzpatrick draft profile
The team can sub out Nick Kwiatoski for Bryce Callahan and have six defensive backs on the field, with Callahan and Fitzpatrick mixing and matching assignments in the box.
Fitzpatrick is a nice fit because of the fact that early on into his career, he can alleviate a lot of the obvious passing down threats that are presented to Kwiatkoski, while still carrying upside as an outside cornerback prospect in the long term. Fitzpatrick is known as a team leader, and that, the flexibility, and upside in a variety of spots make this an intriguing choice for the Chicago Bears.
Sam Hubbard is a player we profiled as a potential round two edge choice, and for good reason. On tape, he looks like he is more of a hustle player who gets a lot of his work down by finishing plays. Then, he showed up to the combine and showed untapped athletic potential.
Hubbard has bend and explosiveness, but it needs to be brought out of him. However, at the floor of this high upside bet is an edge setter in the running game who is not afraid to muck it up on the interior.
Related Story: Sam Hubbard draft profile
Hubbard is a great contrast to Leonard Floyd in Floyd’s ability to win with speed and out in space compared to Hubbard’s ability to push upfield and make plays in the running game. Add in the athletic upside and there is enough in the Ohio State product to be interested in.
Adams is flying completely under the radar and could be a find that Harry Hiestand sees in round four. Notre Dame played N.C. State last season and the position coaches always watch the opponent to help scout for the other position coaches. Hiestand knows what Adams brings, and he brings power and tenacity.
Lance Zierlein is one of the better scouts when it comes to offensive line play. His father was a 38-year coach in the NFL. Zierlien profiles Adams as his biggest sleeper in the draft and compared him to Josh Sitton. Zielein wrote:
"Three-year starter who lacks length, but carries a powerful, compact frame. Adams plays with plus balance and body control and it’s rare to see him fall off of blocks. As a youth tennis player until the age of 15, Adams has developed above average footwork for a big and has the play traits to fit into any run scheme. His lack of length will concern some teams, but he’s talented enough to become a solid NFL starter fairly early in his career."
An offensive line coach is going to salivate over players with tennis and wrestling backgrounds due to their footwork and understanding of leverage. Hiestand knows what he is working with, and has the base skill set, and arguably the toughest thing to teach in the footwork down. Now, it is time to work to turn Adams into an NFL starter, like a younger Josh Sitton.
Some are likely to come at this pick with hate. I, like many, understand that while there are exceptions to the rules, most of the best players on Sundays have to be better athletes than the majority of their peers as a base. Brown does not meet those qualifiers. In fact, according to his athletic profile, it would be a surprise for him to make it into the NFL.
However, you can see with his height, weight, and length, combined with tape that had many thinking he was a late round one, high round two players, and you take a chance in round four.
.@OU_Football #OrlandoBrownjr. is “a football player”. Probably won’t win the underwear Olympics in Indy; but someone is going to get an ANCHOR for their OLINE for a decade or more. The man is ready to fight the fight everyday. #BaldyBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/DSQrLHl4pJ
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) February 25, 2018
Love the way Orlando Brown plays the game pic.twitter.com/CBCslb2cCL
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) April 23, 2018
I had a 1st on him for many of those same reasons. I think/thought he was functional on the edge in protection. Never thought he was an athlete. And he’s much stronger on tape than on the bench. I’m not giving up on him, but I understand why teams will be very hesitant now.
— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) March 6, 2018
"Tackle with poor athlete traits, but rare size and length whose massive frame can work for him in pass protection and against him in the run game. Brown is a waist-bender with shoddy footwork and a tendency to play too straight-legged. These physical limitations create a much smaller likelihood of recovery once he’s beaten. With that all said, he typically gets guys blocked and he clearly understands how to use his size and length to his advantage. Brown’s physical traits and nasty demeanor give him a chance to become a decent starting right tackle if he can be coached to lessen his physical deficiencies and can keep his weight in check."
Related Story: Orlando Brown profile
Brown has the size and length in which he can start at right tackle. He just has to be better than Bobby Massie. Given the huge discount of seeing him this late in the draft due to his testing at the combine, it feels as though he is worth the swing here.
This has been a pro-KeKe Coutee site. We have profiled him as a mid-round deep threat choice and mocked him to the Bears with the second fourth-round pick as well. Seeing him fall into the fifth round is just too low for Matt Nagy to pass a guy he should be all over.
One look at the profile of Keke Coutee and you can understand why he is this low in the draft, but also why Nagy could interested.
Related Story: Keke Coutee profile
Coutee is small but fast. He was used out of the backfield, in the slot and outside. He was good after the catch but even better-tracking balls down the field. The versatility in usage are exactly what Nagy is looking for.
Dorian O’Daniel is another favorite of the site and a player we profiled as a mid-round off-ball target.
O’Daniel is interesting, because of his speed and change of direction ability. He can be used as a specific small linebacker in coverage. However, where is going to make his name, and get draft, is with special teams play.
O’Daniel is regarded as one of the top special team’s assets in the draft and has had rave reviews. His special teams play and speed could knock off a guy like Jonathan Anderson and in the sixth round, that is not a bad win.
Nichols surprised some and made a name for himself in the draft community when he had a strong NFL combine.
Nichols is a small school player who always stood out athletically. However, he never showed the upfield penetration, and always seemed like a big NFL nose tackler who could move a little. The athletic upside gives you, even more, to believe in. He could attempt to beat out John Jenkins as a rookie and has the upside to provide NFL snaps at some point on the defensive front for the Chicago Bears.