Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft: Two splash trades fill big needs
By Ryan Heckman
Running back depth is needed for the Chicago Bears
These are the rounds where Pace needs to take his shots on potential difference-makers. In 2020, the Bears were short on running back depth because of Tarik Cohen’s season-ending injury. Then, when it looked like David Montgomery was going to miss time, fans really started to panic.
The Bears cannot afford to go into the 2021 season with Cordarrelle Patterson as their primary backup running back. Cohen is their third-down guy and more of a gadget player, so they have to find themselves a true running back to sit behind Montgomery.
If Chicago wanted to take their shot on a guy who could even provide some goal-line and short-yardage help, Rhamondre Stevenson out of Oklahoma looks the part.
The 5-foot-11 back weighs in at 227 pounds and runs with a bruising style. This last season at Oklahoma, Stevenson ran 101 times for 665 yards and seven touchdowns. He also proved over his two seasons with the Sooners that he can catch the football, hauling in 28 passes for 298 yards and a strong average of 10.6 yards per reception.
Stevenson took a year off from football at one point going the junior college route before finding a home at Oklahoma, so he’s worked hard to get to this point. The Bears would be getting a tough-nosed runner with a mean streak, who has been through the wringer to make his NFL dreams come true.