Should the Chicago Bears draft right tackle Isaiah Wilson if he falls to the second round?
Isaiah Wilson was a five-star recruit and was top twenty on the nation as an offensive tackle. After redshirting his freshman year, Wilson jumped on the field for the Georgia Bull Dogs in year two.
Wilson started the next two years at right tackle, missing just three games in that span. After his junior season, he decided to enter the NFL draft. While many draft analysts are raving over left tackle Andrew Thomas, his teammate may become an underrated prospect as he falls down board in the shadows.
If Wilson falls to the second round, is this a player the Chicago Bears should draft?
Strengths
Wilson stands at 6’7″ and over 330 pounds, He has the size and physical ability to play in the NFL. When you think of the Georgia offense, you think of their run game, and that is the biggest strength that Wilson brings.
He presents strength and power moving downhill and is a tough finisher in the run game. He has great length and when he gets his hands on you, he puts you on the ground. He has the pedigree, size, experience, and technique to be a known mauler in the NFL.
Weakness
Wilson is better moving forward and downhill than he is setting his stance in pass protection. He is still raw in backward movement and getting his hands up. He can get hit quick by speed players and struggles to recover.
He also has played exclusively at right tackle, and his size and technique present limited position versatility.
Fit With Chicago Bears
When looking at the roster, right tackle is a position that the Bears will likely want to replace long term. Bobby Massie had a down year that ended with an injury and an IR designation. However, he is still signed for one more year, and it would be hard to get out of his contract while making it worthwhile for the team until 2021.
If the Bears were drafting Wilson it would likely to be to redshirt him as a rookie, similarly to his time at Georgia. He could be their swing tackle and get accustomed to the speed of the NFL. Then, in 2021, he may have the experience to step in at right tackle or even left tackle if needed.
The question becomes, do the Bears have enough time to play the long game with a pick this high? If they added a starting guard a pick later could they get away with adding a longterm stud at right tackle in the meantime? The Eagles drafted Andre Dillard in 2019 to replace Jason Peters in 2020. Sometimes you have to draft talented tackles high, even if they do not make a year one impact.
Is Wilson a player who would be worth it?