Chicago Bears 2018 NFL Draft Primer
By Usayd Koshul
Round Six
DT Jullian Taylor, Temple
The only starting caliber Nose Tackle the Bears currently have on the roster is Eddie Goldman. Other than him, the Bears could use some depth behind him. Last season, at various times, when Goldman was healthy, it was clear that the entire defense seemed to play better. Goldman’s presence as a run stuffer should not be denied.
Taylor will have to work to earn his reps at the pro level, but when he does see an opening in a gap, he immediately goes and takes advantage of it. Taylor also missed the entire 2016 season with an ACL injury but had a decent 2017 year. He’ll need to add some muscle to his thin frame as some have said that he’s is a little small to immediately begin playing Nose tackle in the NFL.
C Dejon Allen, Hawaii
Should the Bears choose to move on from Hroniss Grasu this offseason, they’ll likely need a center to backup Cody Whitehair.
While Allen’s weight (290 lbs) isn’t very eye-opening when it comes to talking about playing the Center position, one thing that he does possess is tons of athleticism. There have been some arguments as to what Allen’s natural position is. Some have said that his natural position is Center, while some have argued that the best fits into a scheme as a Guard.
The advantage of Allen playing either Center or Guard is that the Bears new coaching staff could potentially decide to try him out at both and decide in the end where he fits best.