Chicago Bears: Seven-Round 2020 mock draft post free agency
Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa (226)
Why a Day 3 quarterback? Why not trade up for one that falls? Why not draft one in the second round? Well, I am not saying it’s over for Ryan Pace, and he should shove all the chips in. but he should push all the chips in. Build this roster. Ryan Pace had Jay Cutler, signed Mike Glennon, and traded up for Mitch Trubisky. There is a lot to process there.
I am a pretty good vehicle driver. I pride myself on it. I am not so good at public speaking. So why would I continue to try and teach a driving class via power points in a classroom environment? It is easier if one just hops in the ride, and I teach them that way.
Ryan Paces needs to continue to try and get lucky and find a quarterback. But he should no longer be the one to use high draft picks on one. Stick with what you know. You can find a lot more detail on Ryan Pace and his decision making process here.
Nate Stanley sits at 6’4″ 235 pounds with 10″ hands. Yes, hand size is essential. No quarterbacks who have had under 9″ hands have had a stable career in the NFL. Small hands are o.k., but who wants to be the first guy to prove that when the odds of failing are statistically higher. Nate Stanley isn’t fast or overly athletic. And that’s a good thing. The league seems to be going to a more athletic and mobile style at that position. But is that the correct way to go long term?
Nate Stanley is a big-bodied, strong-arm quarterback that can chuck the ball off-balanced downfield accurately enough to create big plays. While he didn’t complete over 59% of his passes in college, much like most drafted quarterbacks in this draft have. He also did not throw swing passes, bubble screens, or check it down as much either.
Stanley started three of his four years in Iowa and tossed 26, 26 and 16 touchdowns throughout his career. He also took care of the ball by only having one year where he had ten interceptions. Stanley operated a pro-style offense with full-field reads out of the shotgun and from under center.
The reason to bring him in is to get the quarterback room more invested in quarterback play instead of an athletic game. Ryan Pace tried the athletic route with Mitch Trubisky. While it looked fun with him picking up 3rd and 20 on a 25-yard run, it would look better if the quarterback tossed a 50-yard touchdown because the receiver was wide open.