With so many concerns about the Chicago Bears' lack of focus on the defensive line in the NFL Draft in the early rounds, they decided to wait until their final selection in the sixth round to bring in a defensive tackle: Georgia Tech defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg.
Berg played well with the Yellow Jackets last year, finishing second in the nation with 11 tackles for loss and earning second-team All-ACC honors. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger took some time to break down Berg's tape in a clip on X, comparing the rookie to a veteran already in Chicago.
“He’s a backside B-gap player. Watch the footwork here. This is what we’re talking about. See that footwork? He’s beating this guard in a phone booth, and then he flattens to make the tackle. Reminds me of a young Grady Jarrett, who was a fifth-round pick of the Falcons," Baldinger said. "You watch him right here. See that first-step quickness? This is what’s going to work for him at this level. Everything, whether it’s the run or the pass, what’s your first-step quickness like? Because that’s going to allow you to defeat a lot of blocks. Plus, he has great strength and athletic ability.”
Brian Baldinger compares Jordan van den Berg to Grady Jarrett
Bears fans certainly hope Baldinger is comparing Berg to a younger version of Jarrett. The Jarrett on the team right now struggled last season to stay healthy and play consistently.
When Jarrett was with the Falcons, he was a great run stopper and made a ton of plays. Berg has the same potential he showed in college at Georgia Tech.
Chicago is leaning on Berg to be a player they can develop on the defensive line, as they have many questions there despite signing many veterans in free agency. Gervon Dexter looks like a guy who can be a factor for a long time as a pass rusher, but can Berg come in and be the run stopper that the Bears were hoping Jarrett was going to be last year?
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There will be a lot of attention on the defensive line going into the 2026 season as the Bears need them to step up. Berg may not play as much since he's a Day 3 pick, but if he can progress into a Jarrett-type player, the Bears might have something special there.
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