Chicago Bears 2018 NFL Draft Primer

Round Four

Now approaching the halfway point of the draft, it’s likely that the Bears look mainly at depth options.

In years past, the Bears have found solid players in the later parts of the draft many of which have gone on to serve valuable roles on the team. Guys like Adrian Amos, Jordan Howard, Nick Kwiatkoski, and Eddie Jackson come to mind when thinking about how much success the Ryan Pace has had in the middle part of the draft.

CB Holton Hill, Texas

While I mentioned Isaiah Oliver earlier in the draft, there’s a slight chance he’s not there when the Bears are on the clock again in the second round. And unless the Bears are truly enamored with a cornerback in the earlier rounds, they could decide that drafting someone in the later rounds is key.

Holton Hill from Texas comes to mind when mentioning an underrated player who doesn’t get credit.

Talent wise, Hill has everything needed that the Bears look for in a cornerback in terms of size and length. While Hill did get notable playing time in 2015 and 2016, his 2017 season at Texas is what put him on the map. Hill totaled fifty-one tackles, to go along with three defensive touchdowns, two interceptions, six pass breakups, while also forcing one fumble.

In other words, Hill can play. However, he was suspended for half of the 2017 season due to a violation of team rules. While that may not be as big of a concern to other teams, it certainly is to the Bears. Since arriving in Chicago in 2015, Ryan Pace has constantly stated that he values player discipline above all else.

WR Keke Coutee, Texas Tech

Even after signing wide receivers Bennie Fowler and Marlon Brown, the Bears should still look to add a wide receiver.

Given the way that Ryan Pace structures his one-year deals, Fowler and Brown could have just be brought in simply for the purpose of having extra competition at training camp.  

One element that Coutee brings is speed. While his route running needs some work, using Coutee primarily as a return man could allow for him to work on his route running during his rookie season.

Coutee will likely also need to add some strength to his frame in order to avoid being pushed around at the next level. A big reason that his thin frame is a weakness is that he’ll have to handle bigger, more physical defensive backs.

OT Alex Cappa, Humboldt State

Last year, three of the Bears five draft picks were from small schools. This year, another small school player should be on the Bears radar for a few reasons.

First, current right tackle Bobby Massie is entering the last year of his contract and while he’s been serviceable,  he was brought in because the Bears needed a right tackle in 2016. Second, while Massie has had his fair shares of ups and downs, there are likely going to be contract extensions for players such as Eddie Goldman and Adrian Amos coming in the 2019 offseason. Unless Massie has an amazing year in 2018, it’s likely that 2018 could be his last year in a Bears uniform.

Since the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Alex Cappa has been gaining attention. The biggest issue with Cappa is that since Humboldt State is a division two school, he hasn’t faced other potential NFL talent at the collegiate level.