Chicago Bears select Sam Ehlinger Ι QB Ι Texas
The Chicago Bears don’t have a fourth-round selection this year, which is ok. While many wide receivers were still available, upside quarterbacks became less known. With that said, Ryan Pace stated that he would attack the quarterback position. For the second time in six years, Ryan Pace selects a quarterback by taking Sam Ehlinger.
Ehlinger is a more experienced college prospect version of Mitch Trubisky. Athletic, one read and run, winner, leader. Mitch Trubisky came into the NFL not knowing what a hard count is. Ehlinger does not need to learn how to win, face adversity, or lead.
Sam Ehlinger needs to work on his mechanics and fall into a scheme that best suits his play style. Ehlinger’s Senior Bowl performance based on stats would lead most to believe he failed. Those that didn’t watch the game would have seen two very great throws that weren’t completed, not because of the quarterback.
Ehlinger also is listed at 6’1″ and 225 pounds but has 9 3/4″ hands. Many will bring up that he lacks arm strength and is only viable as a backup. It is all about putting your quarterback in the correct position to thrive.
Matt Nagy wouldn’t need to look any further than Ehlinger when running a west coast RPO hybrid. Remember Devin Duvernay? His emergence allowed Mike Yurcich to incorporate a heavy RPO scheme in the Longhorns offense. Sam Ehlinger thrives in running the RPO offense. Ehlinger knows when to hand the ball off to the running back, and he knows when to pass the football for a 78-yard touchdown.
The biggest issue with Mitch Trubisky in this offense, which was predicated on his strengths, is that he didn’t always know when to hand the ball off or attack the cornerbacks. If Matt Nagy will succeed with the Chicago Bears, he does not need to look for a veteran quarterback who can process at a high level. Nagy will need a quarterback who is built to run his offense.