Alexander Mattison is under the radar RB for Chicago Bears

Most fans have associated the Chicago Bears with a running back in the NFL draft. Alexander Mattison could be the best one nobody is talking about

By taking offers for Jordan Howard, as well as meeting with a variety of backs at the combine and signing Mike Davis it has gotten clear that the Chicago Bears are looking to revamp their running back corps. The big names have popped up around the Bears but a name that is flying under the radar is Alex Mattison, from Boise State.

It is worth noting that he is not flying under the Chicago Bears radar, they met with the back last week.

However, fans are not screaming for his name like Trayveon Williams and Miles Sanders. With that in mind, who is the underrated back and where does he compare and contrast to other Bears options?

Strengths

Alex Mattison is a big, physical back, checking in over 220 pounds. He has handled big workloads at Boise State and has the power and contact balance to bang between the tackles

Mattison is a no-nonsense runner who gets downhill in a hurry to create on his own. For being such a downhill, physical back Mattison is more active in the passing game than expected. Mattison motioned into the slot, ran routes and caught the ball with smooth hands.

Weakness

Mattison does not have deep field speed and is hardly going to break runs. He can typically evade initial contact but does not string moves together consistently. Mattison will take what is in front of him, but big plays are not his thing, and he is going to take hits with his direct, downhill style of running.

What NFL.com says

"Productive, willful runner whose combination of functional patience and aggressive urgency helped him find his niche as an every-down workhorse. While he has the ability to create yards for himself with adequate elusiveness and power, he’s not a slasher or banger by NFL standards and he lacks burst to produce chunk plays on a regular basis. Mattison is a jack-of-all-trades backup with the ability to step into a heavy-duty role if called upon. His talent as a pass-catcher could move him up the RB food-chain."

Highlight play

Skinny

Mattison carries similar traits to Howard in their ability to get downhill and play with size, physicality, and power. However, Mattison has a bit more finesse to his game. He is not going to break runs like Howard, but his ability in the passing game can make up a lot of what Howard does not bring to the table. It is just an added layer of versatility.

His big-play ability brings down his stick and his pass catching bumps it up. Overall this is a mid-round prospect that fans should get their eyes on because the Bears have interest, and he could very easily take over some of the power carries for the Bears next season.