Robert Rochell would be a typical Ryan Pace pick for Chicago Bears
If you know Ryan Pace you know that he has a long history of drafting small school athletes for the Chicago Bears. From Adam Shaheen and Tarik Cohen to Bilal Nichols and Stephen Denmark, it is hard for Pace to go entire draft without selecting himself a small school stud. The question this year is not whether he will take one, but who? The best candidate could be Robert Rochell.
The Chicago Bears need for a cornerback is obvious, even with the signing of Desmond Trufant. A former wide receiver, Robert Rochell played cornerback at Central Arkansas, starting over 30 games, and grabbing 10 picks.
It is not just being from a small school that attracts Ryan Pace. It is that he finds a discount on elite athletes because of their small school play. That fits Rochell as well, who exploded to jump over 40 inches and run 4.4 in the 40-yard dash.
NFL athletes with similar measurables include Ronald Darby, Stephon Gilmore, and Shaq Griffin. Small school athletes with similar size and athleticism include Robert Alford and L’Jarius Sneed. That is great company. When you combine his upside due to athleticism, and ball skills, there is intrigue. The tape brings excitement as well.
When you watch a small-school player who is translating to the NFL, you should not need to work hard to spot them on tape. The NFL players always stand out when you watch them. Robert Rochell checks that box. He plays and moves at a different speed. He almost baits passes by playing slow just to catch up and make a play on the ball. It looked easy at times.
To be fair, he was not perfect. His biggest issues would come in his ability to stop. shift his weight and come change directions. However, his agility drills show that they may not be a problem. Still, his transitions to screens and other passes where he had to change directions showed some issues. Beyond that, Rochell did typically one side of the field, although that is what he would do in Chicago.
There will obviously be growing pains for a player coming from Central Arkansas. Still, the Bears have Desmond Trufant to start across from Jaylon Johnson for now. Rochell is raw, but he is not Stephen Denmark raw. Demark was a flier, while Rochell has a legitimate tape that is being hindered by his competition.
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Beyond that, that is why many mocks and experts see him going round five. With the Bears fifth-round pick he would be a great addition, especially if they spent their early picks on offense.
You know Ryan Pace is going to swing on some small school player. A cornerback with high upside and a chance to start sooner than later is where you should hope he goes.