Chicago Bears: A look at other players who have been drafted 20th overall

The last time the Chicago Bears drafted 20th overall happened when Kyle Long was selected out of the University of Oregon in 2013.

Long played a successful career at guard in Chicago earning three consecutive Pro Bowl trips between 2013-2015. The former Bear lasted just seven seasons in the league before calling it quits in 2019 after a laundry list of injuries limited him to just 29 games in his final four seasons.

Standing at 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds, Long quite literally resembled the team mascot. He ranks No. 74 on the Top 100 greatest Bears of all-time list behind former DT Tommie Harris (2004-2010) and one spot ahead of current Bears DT Akiem Hicks.

If Long proves one thing it’s that the Bears can find a franchise player at Pick 20. Many fans probably wish the team would have tanked in the second half of the season to receive a higher draft pick, but the team instead suffered a first-round exit to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card round.

A playoff appearance is more honorable than tanking and the Bears’ front office has drafted well without having a first-round draft pick in each of the last two drafts. Drafting Cole Kmet 43rd overall in 2020 and David Montgomery 73rd overall in 2019 gives the offensive weapons to build around moving forward. The position of need in Chicago will always be quarterback considering it’s the only franchise within the NFL without a 4,000-yard passer in the 16-game era.

Here are notable players drafted at 20th overall and beyond over the last five seasons. Chicago’s hoping to end up like Baltimore in 2018.