With the 145^th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select …

DeWitt: John Franklin-Myers

At 6-foot-4, 290-pounds Franklin Meyers sure looks the part of an NFL 3-4 defensive end. Over the last two seasons, he has compiled 28 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. He does bring explosive power to the table but will need to refine his hands in order to be a productive pro.
If he can work on his technique, he has the upside to be a decent rotational piece early in his career, and that’s what we are looking for in Chicago at this point in the draft.

Hazlett: P.J. Hall

Versatility. Production. Football IQ. Those are the three words that come to mind when watching tape on P.J. Hall. He’s every bit of 310 pounds, but it is all obtained from the weight room as he can squat (a whopping) 700-pounds! The 2017 Jerry Rice Award candidate has played anywhere from the defensive tackle to a stand-up edge rusher. He wins the point of attack and quickly diagnoses the play to make his next move a disruptive one. Not only does he make an impact on defense, he is a special teams threat as well. Hall has blocked 14 field goals in his collegiate career.

Moreano: Daurice Fountain

Northern Iowa’s Daurice Fountain is 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, and at his pro day ran an unofficial 4.46 40-yard dash, posted a 42.5-inch vertical and a 134-inch broad jump. If that doesn’t scream athletic, I don’t know what does. Despite Fountain catching 66 passes for 943 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior season, he was not invited to the NFL Combine. But that season did earn him first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors. In the later rounds of the draft, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pace take a risk on a raw talent like Fountain. With the offensive weapons the Bears drafted this offseason, Fountain would use his first season to get acclimated to the NFL game and hopefully earn some playing time later in the season.

Ortman: Holton Hill

The Bears take a risk on Hill, a physically gifted cover man who is available in the fifth round due to his questionable maturity, which earned him a team-issued suspension this past season. Pace will put his faith in Nagy’s leadership to get the most out of Hill, who can help in a secondary that will face Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins each twice per year.

Bocker: Richie James

This is a player who I have wanted to see in a Bears uniform for quite some time. After a redshirt year as a freshman, he came in and immediately produced including a 1,625-yard receiving season. In that same year, he had to fill in as a wildcat quarterback in one game due to injuries and actually rushed for 207 yards against Florida Atlantic. There is some downside, though, as he is coming off a broken collarbone and an ankle injury but he should be good to go by now as evidenced by his very solid combine. James is yet another explosive player that a creative offensive mind like Nagy could put to great use. While he may never be a jump ball guy, James can easily become a third-down target that consistently gets open past the sticks and becomes a quarterback’s best friend.

Ingalls: Taylor Hearn

The Bears need some help in the trenches, and they can get some by bringing in Taylor Hearn. While not a monster athletically, he boasts great experience from playing on a Clemson team that went to the CFP two consecutive seasons. Hearn’s experience running a wide open offense at Clemson (especially in 2016 with Deshaun Watson at the helm) makes him a great fit for what Nagy likes to do.

Talarico: Scott Quessenberry

Taking offensive linemen in back-to-back rounds would surely raise some eyebrows, but that is one of the greatest areas of need in Chicago and the Bears could use as much help as possible. Quessenberry has experience playing guard as well as center and has found success in both roles. He was an all-conference player in the Pac-12 all three years he started and while he does have a history of shoulder injuries, picking the 6-foot-4, 315-pound lineman out of UCLA would be beneficial for the Bears.

Letizia: Tony Adams

I wanted to take a guard much higher but the value never lined up with the selection. Luckily, Adams is a Day 3 player who can start right away. A three-year starter for the Wolfpack, he is technically sound with a quick punch and tremendous balance and body control. His lack of length and size is the reason he is available in the fifth and limits his potential upside. But his quick feet and ability to pull will fit in nicely in the Bears scheme. He has the potential to line up at guard or center out of the gate and hold his own. Adams is the type of player who will have a 12-year career, but if he’s not on your team, you will probably never notice him.

With the 181^th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select …

DeWitt: Levi Wallace

Wallace is the rare walk-on turned starter for Alabama. He never even saw the field for his first two seasons, but once given a shot, Wallace never disappointed. He had more pass breakups (15) than Minkah Fitzpatrick and only allowed completions on 32.7 percent of targets thrown his way.
With athletic upside, ball production, and the ability to overcome, giving Wallace a look is a no-brainer. He’s a player who can start on the practice squad and work his way up the ranks.

Hazlett: Leon Jacobs

Yet another athletic linebacker for the Bears in the sixth round. Jacobs has not earned the name Megatron for no reason. He ran a 4.48 40-yard dash and put up 26 reps on the bench at the NFL Combine. Jacobs can play either inside or outside linebacker with his length and athleticism. Since the Bears need more pass rushers, he will fit in as an edge guy. Last season he had a career-high 3.5 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, and 60 tackles total. Still a project, but the intangibles are there for Jacobs to succeed as a pass rusher for the Bears.

Moreano: Shaun Dion Hamilton

There is no doubt that Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton can play, it’s whether he can make it through a grueling 16-game NFL season. In Hamilton’s senior season, he accumulated 40 tackles (5.5 for loss) and had 2.5 sacks, but during Alabama’s matchup against bitter rival LSU, Hamilton broke his right kneecap. The year before that, he tore his right ACL during the SEC Championship game against Florida. Still, Hamilton has the pass coverage abilities and run-stuffing talent that NFL teams will be looking for from an inside linebacker. Even though Hamilton has had some significant injuries in college, he still has the ability to be a good NFL player and possibly a steal if selected in the sixth round.

Ortman: Jaryd Jones-Smith

The Bears select another project who could potentially start down the road and immediately offers depth on the offensive line. Jones-Smith performed better in pass protection than run blocking and possesses a frame that offensive line coach Harry Hiestand can work with.

Bocker: Vyncint Smith

The familiarity with new Bears wide receiver coach Mike Furrey helps here and the Bears take another high upside target. If one thing is clear while watching the Kansas City Chiefs’ tape from 2017, specifically the last four games when Nagy was calling plays, they wanted to really stretch the defense vertically and Smith’s 4.36 40-time will help them do that. Imagine Smith and Gabriel running vertical routes to occupy the safeties while Robinson and Burton run dig routes over the middle. Pace cannot give Mitch Trubisky too many options and they need depth in case the injury bug bites again.

Ingalls: Isaac Yiadom

I ran across Yiadom while watching tape on Harold Landry, and fell in love instantly. He is a tough corner who jams receivers like he’s 225 pounds rather than his listed weight of 190. He struggles at times to play the deep ball which has lead to some PI calls along with some swing-and-misses, but he offers a great attitude and set of skills for Vic Fangio to work with for the future. Yiadom will be able to contribute immediately on special teams as shown by his 10 coverage tackles on kickoffs last season.

Talarico: Quin Blanding

Blanding is a productivity machine as he started all four years at Virginia and progressed each year, accumulating 136 tackles and four interceptions his senior season. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound safety is involved on nearly every play and can play all over the field as he was a valuable asset for the Cavaliers.
He received All-American honors each of his last two seasons by various sources and was All-ACC as well. He can easily be another Eddie Jackson safety, as a slept-on DB that can fall into Chicago’s lap and provide great depth at defensive back.

Letizia: Peter Kalambayi

Kalambayi is just a solid, all-around player who does everything well but isn’t great at anything. And at this point in the draft, that’s the best you can hope for. He has upside as a pass rusher and has experience dropping into coverage from the outside linebacker position. He has also shown the ability to set the edge in run defense.
Kalambayi should compete for the fourth pass rusher role with Sam Acho while also providing value on special teams in Year One. He probably won’t ever be a double digit sack player, but could provide four-to-six sacks a year while also doing the little things that get overlooked by most.




With the 224^th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select …

DeWitt: Ja’Von Rolland-Jones

I was directed to Rolland-Jones from Talarico (see below) who was able to watch him in person, and I immediately saw what he was talking about. Rolland-Jones was the best player each and every time he took a snap. Period. He was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year as a junior … and senior.
He has a high motor uses it to his advantage. If available, Rolland-Jones would be well worth a seventh-round pick.

Hazlett: Michael Joseph

Joseph has had 15 interceptions over the last three seasons. His versatility what makes him an attractive pick in the final round as he’s played both outside and in the slot. Pace has said in the past that when he drafts these smaller school players that they have to dominate. That is exactly what Joseph does – dominate. He is aggressive and wants the ball more than the receiver, but sometimes he bites too hard on the fakes and it hurts him.

Moreano: Charvarius Ward

Middle Tennessee State has an act for producing NFL caliber defensive backs: Tennessee Titans’ Kevin Byard, former Jacksonville Jaguar Jeremy Cutrer and current Jaguar Sammy Seamster. Ward could be the next DB added to the mix. In his senior season, he recorded 34 solo tackles, one sack and had a team-high 14 pass breakups. At his pro day, Ward had a 40 time of 4.43 seconds, a 37.5-inch vertical and an 11-inch broad jump. It will be a challenge for Ward to make an NFL roster, but knowing that former Tigers have overcome the same adversity should give him some confidence and closure moving forward with the draft process.

Ortman: Dejon Allen

The Bears continue to stockpile offensive line depth with the athletic interior linemen out of Hawaii. Allen possesses good enough athleticism which will give him a legitimate shot to make the 53-man roster out of training camp.

Bocker: Greg Senat

I have not been able to see much tape on Senat, but the few bits I have seen are somewhat promising. He has adequate arm length to stick outside at tackle and he is an intriguing prospect for Harry Hiestand to get his hands on.

Ingalls: Rick Leonard

The seventh round is all about taking a flyer with good athletic traits. There’s no doubt that Rick Leonard is a project, but he possesses good athleticism for a tackle of his size. As a former defensive end, Leonard is explosive at the point of attack, but finds himself off balance far too often. Thankfully, the Bears have the guru of offensive lineman in Harry Hiestand who can hopefully take a raw Leonard from practice squad material to serviceable within the confines of a year.

Talarico: Ja’Von Rolland-Jones

Rolland-Jones is an interesting prospect. His numbers throughout his career prove that he is a valuable asset on the field as he accumulated 42 sacks during his career to tie the NCAA career sack record with Terrell Suggs. His productivity continued to increase through his career and is an absolute nightmare for tackles on the edge, but his numbers at the combine and pro day did not help his stock. At 6-foot-2, 244-pounds, he doesn’t have the size to straight up bull-rush the average NFL offensive lineman, but his technique and finesse moves are elite and that’s how he creates his sacks. If Rolland-Jones is on the board for the Bears in the seventh round, he would provide depth at an area of need and could be a great situational pass rusher.

Letizia: Jack Cichy

With the Bears last pick, they take a chance on a linebacker with injury concerns. Cichy hasn’t played a full season of football since 2015 (his first year as a starter). But when he is on the field he’s a tremendous player. It’s a long shot he’ll ever regain his pre-injury form, but if he does, the Bears can grab a starting caliber player in the seventh round.

Putting it all together

DeWitt:

• Pick #8 Roquan Smith, LB (Georgia)
• Pick #39 Lorenzo Carter, EDGE (Georgia)
• Pick #105 Braden Smith, OL (Auburn)
• Pick #115 Tre’Quan Smith, WR (UCF)
• Pick #145 John Franklin-Myers, DE (Stephen F. Austin)
• Pick #181 Levi Wallace, CB (Alabama)
• Pick #224 Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, EDGE (Arkansas St.)

Hazlett:

• Pick #8 Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Virginia Tech)
• Pick #39 Billy Price, OL (Ohio State)
• Pick #105 James Washington, WR (Oklahoma St.)
• Pick #115 Marcus Allen, Safety (Penn State)
• Pick #145 P.J. Hall, DL (Sam Houston St.)
• Pick #181 Leon Jacobs, LB (Wisconsin)
• Pick #224 Michael Joseph, CB (Dubuque)

Moreano:

• Pick #8 Marcus Davenport, EDGE (UTSA)
• Pick #39 Will Hernandez, G (UTEP)
• Pick #105 Uchenna Nwosu, EDGE (USC)
• Pick #115 Nathan Shepherd, DT (Fort Hays St.)
• Pick #145 Daurice Fountain, WR (Northern Iowa)
• Pick #181 Shaun Dion Hamilton, ILB (Alabama)
• Pick #224 Charvarius Ward, CB (Middle Tennessee St.)

Ortman:

• Pick #8 Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Virginia Tech)
• Pick #39 Josh Jackson, CB (Iowa)
• Pick #105 Kemoko Turay, EDGE (Rutgers)
• Pick #115 Equanimeous St. Brown, WR (Notre Dame)
• Pick #145 Holton Hill, CB (Texas)
• Pick #181 Jaryd Jones-Smith, OT (Pittsburgh)
• Pick #224 Dejon Allen, G (Hawaii)

Bocker:

• Pick #8 Harold Landry, EDGE (Boston College)
• Pick #39 Ronald Jones, RB (USC)
• Pick #105 Duke Ejiofor, EDGE (Wake Forest)
• Pick #115 Alex Cappa, G (Humboldt State)
• Pick #145 Richie James, WR (Middle Tennesee St.)
• Pick #181 Vyncint Smith, WR (Limestone College)
• Pick #224 Greg Senat, OT (Wagner)

Ingalls:

• Pick #8 Marcus Davenport, EDGE (UTSA)
• Pick #39 Christian Kirk, WR (Texas A&M)
• Pick #105 Leon Jacobs, EDGE (Wisconsin)
• Pick #115 Royce Freeman, RB (Oregon)
• Pick #145 Taylor Hearn, G (Clemson)
• Pick #181 Isaac Yiadom, CB (Boston College)
• Pick #224 Rick Leonard, OT (Florida St.)

Talarico:

• Pick #8 Tremaine Edmunds, LB (Virginia Tech)
• Pick #39 D.J. Moore WR (Maryland)
• Pick #105 Duke Dawson, CB (Florida)
• Pick #115 Geron Christian, OT (Louisville)
• Pick #145 Scott Quessenberry, C (UCLA)
• Pick #181 Quin Blanding, Safety (Virginia)
• Pick #224 Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, EDGE (Arkansas St.)

Letizia:

• Pick #8 Derwin James, Safety (Florida St.)
• Pick #39 Josh Sweat, EDGE (Florida St.)
• Pick #105 DaeSean Hamilton, WR (Penn State)
• Pick #115 Parry Nickerson, CB (Tulane)
• Pick #145 Tony Adams, G (North Carolina St.)
• Pick #181 Peter Kalambayi, EDGE (Standford)
• Pick #224 Jack Cichy, ILB (Wisconsin)