Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft: Two splash trades fill big needs
By Ryan Heckman
The Chicago Bears find a future offensive tackle in the third round
In the third round, the Bears find a Day 1 starting offensive tackle. North Dakota State’s Dillon Radunz is considered the top FCS lineman in the country. Of course, he’s spent time blocking for Trey Lance, so just like his quarterback he didn’t get a chance to play much in 2020; just one game.
Even so, Radunz is looked at as a potential starting tackle in the NFL. With just one game played in 2020, he still received a Senior Bowl invite, which says a lot about how great of a player he was in his time at North Dakota State.
The most impressive part of Radunz’s game is his physicality in run blocking. A few years ago, Bears fans were enamored by the nastiness of Quenton Nelson out of Notre Dame. Nelson was an absolute mauler upfront during his days at ND. Similarly, Radunz operates with force. He has no problem putting opposing defensive linemen on their backs.
There’s not a lot to dislike about Radunz’s game. If anything, he could afford to add even a little more weight — he’s listed at 6-foot-5, 304 pounds.
The Bears need an upgrade at tackle, and most assume either Charles Leno or Bobby Massie will be gone this offseason. Radunz steps right in and starts at either spot without missing a beat. Yet again, the Bears hit a home run with this pick.