Chicago Bears draft profile: Could Damien Lewis be the RG of the future?

The Chicago Bears do not have a starting right guard. Could Damien Lewis from LSU fill that void?

The Chicago Bears have addressed plenty of needs in free agency but still, need a starting right guard. They may be able to add a veteran option, but they should be looking to the draft as well.

Damien Lewis has started the past two years at LSU. Lewis began his career at Northwest Mississippi Community College before transferring and starting his final two years.

After a strong 2019 season that helped win a national championship, the question is whether Lewis is an ascending pro guard, or if he was a product of his environment.

Measurables

Lewis is short and stout and does not have above-average reach. However, he did show to be an above-average athlete at the position, as you can see below in his spider chart from mockdraftable. com

Strengths

As shown, coming in at 327 pounds, he is a force. Lewis is tough to move, and when he can plant his feet, he holds up well. His best attributes show in the power running game. He moves well for his weight and can get downhill quickly. On top of that, he finishes with an added nasty that every offensive line fan can appreciate.

Weakness

Coming from Community College, Lewis does not have much work in pass protection. Even in 2018, LSU was much more run-oriented like years past. Only 2019 did he see real action in pass-pro. Early into the year, he was a liability. He got better as the season went on and held up enough to win a national championship. However, teams are going to have work on his footwork in pass protection. He showed he has the athleticism and burst to mold at the combine, but is inconsistent in this area.

NFL Comparison

NFL.com compared him to Gabe Jackson, of the Oakland Raiders. Jackson has started for the Raiders and played at an elite level for years. That is high praise, and his run blocking and size suggest that type of upside. They wrote

"The run-blocking tape shows a forklift dressed as a right guard with the power and leverage to move some of the best interior defenders in the conference. The pass-blocking tape shows a heavy-footed guard who lacks length and lateral quickness to hold up if asked to block on an island. Lewis needs to play for a team heavy into gap and inside-zone concepts. He can hold his own against bull rushers but will struggle to move and recover against moving pieces in pass protection. He’s a one-position prospect who lacks height/length but he’s a plus run blocker who should outperform his draft slotting."

Pro Football Focus compared him to Nate Davis. This a great comparison because Davis was a raw guard out of Charlotte with limited football experience. Davis had a lot of power and size in the run game as well. However, Davis went in the third round and started 12 games for the Titans last year, helping lead their rushing attack to the playoffs.

What is even more interesting is that Jackson went 81st overall, and Davis went 82nd overall. Both agree that this range is the sweet spot for his draft range.

Looking at physical comparisons, based on size and athleticism, some of the best NFL comparisons for Damien Lewis are Laken Tomlinson, Will Hernandez, and Larry Watford.

Tomlinson was a first-round pick who struggled in his first stop but started for the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Hernandez is a bulldozer in the run game, similarly to Lewis, while Warford is in year eight of a long and successful career with the Lions and Saints.

All three have similar profiles as run blockers first, and physical power players. Tomlinson went 28th overall, Hernandez 34th and Watford 65th.

Fit with Chicago Bears

The issue with Damien Lewis is when he should be taken. Most historical comparisons have seen him going in the third round, which may put him in range to be a reach at 50, and unavailable by pick 163.

The question will likely have to become if he is a fit at pick 50. He fits a need, for sure. He also adds to the run game, which has been an issue for Matt Nagy since he has come in. He has his flaws, but so did Will Hernandez, and he has helped the Giants offense despite some ups and downs as a young starter. He went in the top 50, and the Giants do not seem to be regretting it.

Could that be an outcome the Bears get with Damien Lewis? Is he worth the 50th pick?