The Chicago Bears hit the Pro Day circuit hard. They were at Northwestern, Georgia, and Ohio State, and the team saw the top three tackles prospects in the 2023 NFL draft up close and personal. It was interesting to note that after the Georgia pro day, there was a lot of buzz that Broderick Jones was the top tackle on many teams boards.
This may be a slight surprise because a lot of the draft media was ranking him third amongst this group. However, as they talk to people in the NFL, the vibe may be changing.
If the Chicago Bears are in a position to draft the first tackle, are they a team that could take Broderick Jones in the top 10?
Broderick Jones fits Chicago Bears run scheme more than Peter Skoronski
Both tackles are strong as run blockers, and this is not a knock on Skoronski. However, the Chicago Bears ask their tackles to pull a lot in the wide zone scheme. They look for their tackles to pick up players at the second level, and with guys like Khalil Herbert and Justin Fields, getting those tackles to make key blocks can lead to home runs.
Below is an example of Braxton Jones pulling, getting to the second level, and blocking a cornerback. You can find this throughout the tape of Jones because this was a huge strength of his game.
It was clear the Chicago Bears valued this pre-draft in evaluating him then used it to their advantage. Take a look at Broderick Jones in the clips attached from the tweet below. There is example after example of him running down the field with his huge frame and picking up key blocks in space.
Broderick Jones in space whew pic.twitter.com/6rD5z4W52b
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 9, 2023
This is not to say that Skoronski cannot and has not done this. But, it is certain that there are more examples from Jones last season. Georgia ran zone 48% of the time, and Northwestern ran zone 38% of the time, per PFF. Beyond that, Georgia ran an even more outside zone, whereas Northwestern relied more on the inside.
The case could be made that the scheme gave Jones the better look at the area. At the same time, Broderick Jones has the skill set that makes him lethal in this area, whereas Skoronski is better as a power blocker and an inside pusher.
Do the Chicago Bears want to get their lineman out like Braxton Jones last season, and does that make Broderick Jones a better fit?