Rookie expectations for Chicago Bears S Elijah Hicks
The Chicago Bears drafted Elijah Hicks in the seventh round. He seems to be the least discussed draft pick considering his draft slot. Most fans realize that seventh-round picks are not going to contribute. So, what would a realistic outcome be for Elijah Hicks?
Below is a list of every safety to be drafted in the seventh round since 2011. This is when the CBA changed rookie contracts, and seventh-rounders became more valuable to keep around than veterans. With that in mind, this group should give us the best look at what Elijah Hicks can bring. Is the seventh-round pick a death wish?
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Year | Rnd | Pick | Player | Pos | DrAge | Tm | From | To | AP1 | PB | St | wAV ▼ | G | GS | College/Univ | |
| 1 | 2016 | 7 | 233 | Jalen Mills | S | 22 | PHI | 2016 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 79 | 65 | LSU | College Stats |
| 2 | 2016 | 7 | 244 | Jayron Kearse | S | 22 | MIN | 2016 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 89 | 27 | Clemson | College Stats |
| 3 | 2020 | 7 | 216 | Kamren Curl | S | 21 | WAS | 2020 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 32 | 25 | Arkansas | College Stats |
| 4 | 2016 | 7 | 245 | Clayton Fejedelem | S | 23 | CIN | 2016 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 94 | 6 | Illinois | College Stats |
| 5 | 2017 | 7 | 230 | Josh Harvey-Clemons | S | 23 | WAS | 2017 | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 35 | 0 | Louisville | College Stats |
| 6 | 2019 | 7 | 243 | Nick Scott | S | 24 | LAR | 2019 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 48 | 1 | Penn St. | College Stats |
| 7 | 2017 | 7 | 221 | Shalom Luani | S | 23 | OAK | 2017 | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 1 | Washington St. | College Stats |
| 8 | 2020 | 7 | 243 | Chris Jackson | S | 22 | TEN | 2020 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 6 | Marshall | College Stats |
| 9 | 2020 | 7 | 219 | Geno Stone | S | 21 | BAL | 2020 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 1 | Iowa | College Stats |
| 10 | 2020 | 7 | 236 | Vernon Scott | S | 22 | GNB | 2020 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 0 | TCU | College Stats |
| 11 | 2021 | 7 | 243 | James Wiggins | S | 24 | ARI | 2021 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Cincinnati | College Stats |
| 12 | 2020 | 7 | 249 | Brian Cole II | S | 23 | MIN | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mississippi St. | College Stats | |||||
| 13 | 2015 | 7 | 239 | Gerod Holliman | S | 21 | PIT | 0 | 0 | 0 | Louisville | College Stats |
Overall, most players were at least able to get onto a roster. With 13 players drafted over the past decade, only two were out of the NFL before ever being active for a game. James Wiggins only saw three games and did not play defense, but he also was a rookie in 2021.
Moving from the bottom up, Geno Stone, Vernon Scott, Chris Jackson, and Nick Scott are all still on the team that drafted them. They get limited reps on defense, but all have filled in as depth at times, and all of them have special team roles. Luani and Harvey-Clemons spent three years in the NFL. Luani is currently in the USFL and Harvey Clemons is in the CFL.
Fejedelem has six starts but has been in the NFL since 2016. Kearse, Curl, and Mills are three hits when you consider where they were drafted. Curl is still a starter, Kears plays a dime role, and Mills is a swiss army knife for the Patriots.
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So, of 13 players drafted with a similar role and draft slot to Elijah Hicks 30.8% were busts or lasted just three seasons or less, 46.2% turned into quality special teams assets, and 23.1% turned into legitimate starters or role assets on defense.