Round 1 – 3rd overall
Jonathan Allen (DT), Alabama
Previous Pick: Jonathan Allen (DT), Alabama
The Bears have a void to fill at defensive end. Games are won and lost in the trenches, and here is the perfect opportunity to upgrade. Allen’s arthritic shoulders do not concern me. The man knows football, and it shows on tape as he is typically in the right spot at the right time. His athletic ability at the position is superb, and Fangio will get the best out of him. The strongest points of his game are his violent, yet under control, hands and football smarts. The weakest point is his size. Going against bigger lineman may hurt him initially as he might be overmatched. Combine his aggressive hands, good technique and sprinkle on some additional time in the league — he will overcome that sore spot on the scouting report.
Round 2 – 36th overall
Fabian Moreau (CB), UCLA
Previous Pick: Bucky Hodges (TE), Virginia Tech
Initially, I had the Bears taking him in the fourth round … then the NFL Combine happened. His athleticism finally got recognized and he shot up the big boards. He ran a 4.35 40 yard dash, plus combine that with the ability to force guys off their routes and this makes it a solid pick in the second round. Even though the Bears added depth in the secondary this offseason, Moreau could find himself in the thick of competition. He had nine pass deflections and two interceptions in his final season at UCLA. Pair Moreau with Marcus Cooper and the Bears have two on the rise, aggressive cornerbacks.
Round 3 – 67th overall
Chad Hansen (WR), Cal Golden Bears
Previous Pick: Zay Jones (WR), Eastern Carolina
Hansen possesses great hands and has a good sense of how close he gets to the sideline. His ability to make the first tackler miss and accelerate in the open field reflects what free agent pickup, Kendall Wright can do. He has some mechanical issues to fix before he can become a regular on the field. For example, he stands straight up coming off the line of scrimmage. As a result, it takes him longer to pick up speed. His natural talent and willingness to run block make him a valuable draft pick in the third round.
Round 4 – 108th overall
Brad Kaaya (QB), Miami University
Previous Pick: Fabian Moreau (CB), UCLA
The first quarterback that Ryan Pace drafts in Chicago will be Kaaya. He was only 32 yards short of reaching 10,000 passing yards in three years as a starter. His eyes are good, he checks down well and has the capability to use his eyes to look guys off his receiver. People seem to be torn on his accuracy issues. While he is inaccurate at times, his overall completion percentage rose every year at Miami to get to the 62% he’s at now. Which is higher than Deshone Kizer at 58%. A good development project here for Dowell Loggains as the basic essentials are there. Kaaya just needs to primarily gain more arm strength and develop a better pocket presence.
Round 4 – 114th overall
Ryan Glasgow (DT), Michigan
Previous Pick: Rasul Douglas (CB), West Virginia
Adding depth to that defensive line, Glasgow will give the Bears another big body. Glasgow is a good tackler as not many can get away from his long arm span. He doesn’t take a down off, and that continuously gives offensive linemen fits. He has good balance and does not go down without a fight. However, he will struggle initially with the double team in the NFL as he does not use his knees as well as he should. Good news is he already has a sample tasting of the NFL because his brother Graham plays for the Detroit Lions. The process of adapting to the NFL should not be as foreign to him as it could be for other rookies.
Round 5 – 148th overall
Xavier Woods (SS), Louisiana Tech
Previous Pick: Josh Carraway (DE), TCU
A ball-hawking safety who used to play both defensive back and wide receiver in high school, Woods is a player who can add to the turnover column on defense. In 2016 he had five interceptions and a forced fumble to accompany his 89 tackles. He’s an average tackler, he hits hard but can struggle at times to get the tackle in the open field, which is credited to his stiffness. He trusts his gut, and more times than not, he is correct. I would say he compares to Harold Jones-Quartey in that he is a big hitter, but inconsistent at times, with a better ability to force turnovers.
Round 7 – 226th overall
Jerry Ogukwe (OT), William and Mary
Previous Pick: LeVon Myers (OT), Northern Illinois
Ugokwe has experience at both tackle positions. He’s got a sense of meanness to him and will complete his blocks with authority. He moves well, but still, has room to grow. He won’t come in to be the starter right away, but once he gets acclimated to the NFL talent, he can be that diamond in the rough.
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