Chicago Bears: Post Superbowl mock draft Ryan Pace style

Chicago Bears select Gregory Rousseau Ι EDGE Ι Miami

This Chicago Bears mock draft won’t have any trades in it, but I will have some in the future. Sticking with the number 20 draft slot and four of the five projected top quarterbacks being drafted, I have the Chicago Bears selecting Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami University.

Many have likely already walked away from me on this pick. But with offensive tackle being so deep in this year’s draft and EDGE being very weak later on in the draft, this pick screams Ryan Pace. Athletic, long, quick twitch, high ceiling.

Minus Roquan Smith, Ryan Pace has only drafted upside players. Rousseau played wide receiver, tight end, defensive end, outside linebacker, and high school safety. He was redshirted as a freshman at Miami due to his 6’6″ and 225 pounds size.

With Robert Quinn locked in due to his contract, the Chicago Bears could bring Rousseau along as a true athlete on run downs like the Chicago Bears used Barkevious Mingo last season. Ideally, a team does not want to draft a Mingo in the first round, but when a talent like this falls to you, the team shouldn’t pass on him.

Rousseau is now listed at 6’6″ and 265 pounds. He expects to run the 40-yard dash in the 4.6 range. Rousseau opted-out of this season due to the pandemic. It will take a needy EDGE team to draft him sooner than expected when this draft class is suspected to be deep at quarterback, offensive tackle, and wide receiver.

Ryan Pace last season drafted Cole Kmet with his first draft pick because that draft class was deep at other positions. I expect Pace to do the same this year if someone fell because of various positions being valued higher.

While offensive tackle is a need, and I have said that Ryan Pace needs to draft one as soon as he can. Why would Ryan Pace draft the third or fourth-best tackle when he can draft the second-best EDGE rusher in the class now and the eighth or ninth best tackle later when the talent difference wouldn’t be too distinct? Rousseau did play multiple defensive line positions; however, he did get a sack in all of his games, minus one over his first six starts. That’s impressive.