What did Pace, Nagy see in each 2018 NFL Draft pick?
May 1, 2018 19:48:56 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2018 19:48:56 GMT -6
Chicago Bears: What did Pace, Nagy see in each 2018 NFL Draft pick?
by Ryan Heckman12 hours agoFollow @ryanmheckman
dawindycity.com/2018/05/01/chicago-bears-pace-nagy-draft/
Wide Receiver Javon Wims, Georgia
One of the best questions asked over the weekend, directed at Pace, was a question by one of the members of the Chicago media who asked how a number one wideout, from a team who appeared in the National Championship last season, ended up falling to the seventh round.
When you phrase it that way, that alone makes it seem like the Bears got a steal. Pace responded:
“He’s played in a lot of big games and he’s made big plays in big moments, so I can just say we were happy he was there … we were hoping he was going to be there.”
What did Pace like about Javon Wims that made him such a special pick?
“Big, physical … he has outstanding hands, outstanding catch radius … body control … a guy Matt and I have talked about for a long time. We were really excited to get him at that point in the draft.”
It was clear that Pace wanted to stack up the competition at receiver over the weekend, using two draft picks on the position and bringing in even more via the undrafted free agent pool.
Wims definitely seems like a special player who could develop into a nice piece under the leadership of Nagy and his staff. His production wasn’t off the charts, but Georgia had a lot of fantastic pieces offensively, specifically in the run game, that attributed to Wims not being the focal point.
So, what could he do as a pro? That will be fun to find out. He finished last season with 45 receptions for 720 yards and seven touchdowns — that’s an average of 16.0 yards per catch, by the way.
Edge Rusher Kylie Fitts, Utah
For a pass rusher like Kylie Fitts to fall to the sixth round, most would agree that it was due to his past injuries. His inability to stay fully healthy hurt his draft stock, but if his fortune changes as a pro, Fitts could end up being a steal.
Pace is a tape guy. He studies the tape and ignores outside opinions, as he should. Here is his brief assessment on Fitts in his post-draft press conference:
“Great size/speed combination that we value. He’s also tough and instinctive … love his get-off … extremely high character as well.”
Pace was asked again if he had a hard time finding good tape on Fitts due to some of the injuries, and he noted that he saw more than enough to feel excited about drafting him.
“You notice when a guy has a little bit better twitch, a little bit better get-off … you see that on tape.”
Fitts will certainly help a pass rush that has lost some names over the offseason, so long as he stays healthy. Doing a little background research on him, Fitts certainly fits the bill as a high-character guy. He’s one of those players you love to love, regardless if he’s on your team or not.
In any locker room, a positive attitude and high-integrity player will always be welcomed. Now, the question is, will he be able to maintain full health. Let’s hope so.
Defensive End Bilal Nichols, Delaware
Immediately after the Bears selected Bilal Nichols out of Delaware, I found something interesting on him. Well, not one particular thing, but more so a combination of things that stood out — he’s a lot like Akiem Hicks.
As the Chicago media loved to point out to coach Nagy, a Delaware alum, the fact Nichols was a fellow Blue Hen could have made a difference if there ever was a question in drafting the big man. Obviously, Nagy laughed and said it sure helped, but this pick was all about scheme fit and upside.
“We felt really, really good about that pick.” -Nagy
As for Pace, asked what the thought process was behind selecting Nichols:
“Good fit for our scheme as a defensive end. Rugged, tough, upside as a rusher.”
Nichols’ big knock was that he never went up against stiffer competition. Playing for a smaller school — which Pace seems to love, historically speaking — will do that for a player. It doesn’t do Nichols any favors coming out of Delaware, but Hicks is a Regina product who also had the same question marks coming into the league.
I believe Pace truly looked at this pick as an ideal scheme fit. Because Roy Robertson-Harris and Jonathan Bullard haven’t panned out to be the studs they could have been — yet — Nichols adds depth and competition at that position opposite of Hicks. I like the pick as well as the motive behind it.
Linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Western Kentucky
I am not going to mess with anybody here. I was almost as in-the-dark as most fans were after seeing the Bears make this pick. Joel Iyiegbuniwe certainly has the film to back up the fact he was taken in the fourth round, though, I’ll assure you of that.
Pace seemed to agree with that assessment, as he was asked about “Iggy’s” strengths and how he fits into the Bears’ defense:
“Physical, fast, athletic, highly intelligent player. When you turn on the tape it just jumps out, the way he plays. Just a real physical, downhill style”
Whether or not you’ve heard of Iyiegbuniwe is irrelevant. The fact is, he was graded higher than where he went, according to Pace and his scouting department.
“At this point in the draft, when Iggy was there, he was a guy we had graded higher on our board … we were excited to get him.”
Once again, this is a guy who may have played against better competition than someone like Nichols, but not nearly as stiff of competition as someone like first-round selection Roquan Smith. Regardless, watching the tape, he definitely does show a strong presence on the field.
Iggy looks like he could fit in well as a solid backup, if not a future starter if Danny Trevathan were to leave the team.
Wide Receiver Anthony Miller, Memphis
I’m going to go ahead and say it: Anthony Miller was my favorite pick in the draft for the Bears. Obviously, getting the best linebacker in the nation and a day-one starter on the offensive line was exciting and much-needed.
But, what Miller could bring to this offense … my goodness.
Miller is going to bring an attitude and an edge to this group. With a passionate leader already in Mitch Trubisky, combined with the electric personality (and play style) of Tarik Cohen, the offense is going to have some swagger to it.
Just his entire personality he brings to the table is enough, but throw in the fact that this kid can play … I can’t wait to see him in action.
It wasn’t just myself who saw the potential for a gritty, blue-collar type of player in Miller. Nagy obviously knows the kid can run routes with the best of them, but he also loves the confidence Miller plays with due to his not receiving any FBS offers, thus walking on at Memphis and paving his own way.
Nagy on Miller:
“For Anthony to have that inner confidence that he shows, you never want to take that away … he’s worked extremely hard to get to this point.”
Some teams may have been cautious when scouting Miller. Maybe his attitude was too aggressive for them.
If that was the case, they looked at it from the wrong angle. Miller makes big-time plays and he lets you know about it when he does. Give me that type of confidence any day. This offense is going to be fun.
Center/Guard James Daniels, Iowa
When the Bears saw James Daniels fall in their lap in the second round, they had to be downright giddy. Many experts pegged Daniels as a first-round talent and as the second-best interior lineman in the entire draft class, but for some reason was the fourth taken overall.
Pace and Nagy most definitely went to new offensive line coach Harry Hiestand for some insight, and the consensus was that Daniels was hands-down the pick at no. 39. Nagy answered a question in his post-draft press conference, regarding Hiestand’s input:
“We’d be crazy to not take Harry’s (Hiestand) advice into what he sees.”
Nagy went on to describe Daniels in a short, but fitting manner.
“You see a guy that can drive you off the ball. He can finish.”
The obvious aspect of this pick was the need behind it. But, if you look at one of Daniels’ strengths, it is like that of Cody Whitehair — the ability to play both center and guard. Daniels will be slotted in at guard to begin with, but if injuries happen — and there’s always a good chance they will — Daniels could fill in along the interior without missing a beat.
Linebacker Roquan Smith, Georgia
“Roquan … that’s a no-brainer.” -Pace
That pretty much sums up the Smith pick. There was no doubt in my mind that, after Quenton Nelson went sixth, the Bears were going to take the former Bulldog if he wasn’t taken by the Bucs at no. 7.
Smith is going to start right away. That’s the kind of player you want in the top 10, no matter what. Forget upside. Forget “projects.” Forget anything except a day-one starter when you’re picking that high — that’s what you get with Smith.
He’s a no-nonsense football player. He gets the job done. Smith is not only good against the run, but he can cover as well. Nagy talked about his versatility when asked about how he gives offenses problems:
“He doesn’t struggle in the run game … Offensively, you look at a guy who can cover tight ends and can also go ahead and cover running backs … when you can do both of those things, offensively, you’ve got to figure out another route to go.”
What is really cool to learn about Smith, if you didn’t know, is that he is not only one heck of a linebacker, but another high-character guy. Nagy raved about his ability on the field, but also gushed about his attitude off the field.
“Very, very passionate about the game of football … mature … everyone talks about sideline to sideline. He’s violent when he hits you. He’s a leader … He’s the same way at dinner as what you see on the field.”
I’m not sure I want to be part of that dinner if he’s running around slamming party guests to the ground, but hey, it is what it is.
Terrible joke.
I am thrilled to see Smith in a Bears uniform, plain and simple. Knowing what he can do as a player, a leader … it’s exciting. I haven’t been as pleased with a draft class in quite some time, but it’s clear that the Bears brass and leadership knew exactly what they were doing.
by Ryan Heckman12 hours agoFollow @ryanmheckman
dawindycity.com/2018/05/01/chicago-bears-pace-nagy-draft/
Wide Receiver Javon Wims, Georgia
One of the best questions asked over the weekend, directed at Pace, was a question by one of the members of the Chicago media who asked how a number one wideout, from a team who appeared in the National Championship last season, ended up falling to the seventh round.
When you phrase it that way, that alone makes it seem like the Bears got a steal. Pace responded:
“He’s played in a lot of big games and he’s made big plays in big moments, so I can just say we were happy he was there … we were hoping he was going to be there.”
What did Pace like about Javon Wims that made him such a special pick?
“Big, physical … he has outstanding hands, outstanding catch radius … body control … a guy Matt and I have talked about for a long time. We were really excited to get him at that point in the draft.”
It was clear that Pace wanted to stack up the competition at receiver over the weekend, using two draft picks on the position and bringing in even more via the undrafted free agent pool.
Wims definitely seems like a special player who could develop into a nice piece under the leadership of Nagy and his staff. His production wasn’t off the charts, but Georgia had a lot of fantastic pieces offensively, specifically in the run game, that attributed to Wims not being the focal point.
So, what could he do as a pro? That will be fun to find out. He finished last season with 45 receptions for 720 yards and seven touchdowns — that’s an average of 16.0 yards per catch, by the way.
Edge Rusher Kylie Fitts, Utah
For a pass rusher like Kylie Fitts to fall to the sixth round, most would agree that it was due to his past injuries. His inability to stay fully healthy hurt his draft stock, but if his fortune changes as a pro, Fitts could end up being a steal.
Pace is a tape guy. He studies the tape and ignores outside opinions, as he should. Here is his brief assessment on Fitts in his post-draft press conference:
“Great size/speed combination that we value. He’s also tough and instinctive … love his get-off … extremely high character as well.”
Pace was asked again if he had a hard time finding good tape on Fitts due to some of the injuries, and he noted that he saw more than enough to feel excited about drafting him.
“You notice when a guy has a little bit better twitch, a little bit better get-off … you see that on tape.”
Fitts will certainly help a pass rush that has lost some names over the offseason, so long as he stays healthy. Doing a little background research on him, Fitts certainly fits the bill as a high-character guy. He’s one of those players you love to love, regardless if he’s on your team or not.
In any locker room, a positive attitude and high-integrity player will always be welcomed. Now, the question is, will he be able to maintain full health. Let’s hope so.
Defensive End Bilal Nichols, Delaware
Immediately after the Bears selected Bilal Nichols out of Delaware, I found something interesting on him. Well, not one particular thing, but more so a combination of things that stood out — he’s a lot like Akiem Hicks.
As the Chicago media loved to point out to coach Nagy, a Delaware alum, the fact Nichols was a fellow Blue Hen could have made a difference if there ever was a question in drafting the big man. Obviously, Nagy laughed and said it sure helped, but this pick was all about scheme fit and upside.
“We felt really, really good about that pick.” -Nagy
As for Pace, asked what the thought process was behind selecting Nichols:
“Good fit for our scheme as a defensive end. Rugged, tough, upside as a rusher.”
Nichols’ big knock was that he never went up against stiffer competition. Playing for a smaller school — which Pace seems to love, historically speaking — will do that for a player. It doesn’t do Nichols any favors coming out of Delaware, but Hicks is a Regina product who also had the same question marks coming into the league.
I believe Pace truly looked at this pick as an ideal scheme fit. Because Roy Robertson-Harris and Jonathan Bullard haven’t panned out to be the studs they could have been — yet — Nichols adds depth and competition at that position opposite of Hicks. I like the pick as well as the motive behind it.
Linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Western Kentucky
I am not going to mess with anybody here. I was almost as in-the-dark as most fans were after seeing the Bears make this pick. Joel Iyiegbuniwe certainly has the film to back up the fact he was taken in the fourth round, though, I’ll assure you of that.
Pace seemed to agree with that assessment, as he was asked about “Iggy’s” strengths and how he fits into the Bears’ defense:
“Physical, fast, athletic, highly intelligent player. When you turn on the tape it just jumps out, the way he plays. Just a real physical, downhill style”
Whether or not you’ve heard of Iyiegbuniwe is irrelevant. The fact is, he was graded higher than where he went, according to Pace and his scouting department.
“At this point in the draft, when Iggy was there, he was a guy we had graded higher on our board … we were excited to get him.”
Once again, this is a guy who may have played against better competition than someone like Nichols, but not nearly as stiff of competition as someone like first-round selection Roquan Smith. Regardless, watching the tape, he definitely does show a strong presence on the field.
Iggy looks like he could fit in well as a solid backup, if not a future starter if Danny Trevathan were to leave the team.
Wide Receiver Anthony Miller, Memphis
I’m going to go ahead and say it: Anthony Miller was my favorite pick in the draft for the Bears. Obviously, getting the best linebacker in the nation and a day-one starter on the offensive line was exciting and much-needed.
But, what Miller could bring to this offense … my goodness.
Miller is going to bring an attitude and an edge to this group. With a passionate leader already in Mitch Trubisky, combined with the electric personality (and play style) of Tarik Cohen, the offense is going to have some swagger to it.
Just his entire personality he brings to the table is enough, but throw in the fact that this kid can play … I can’t wait to see him in action.
It wasn’t just myself who saw the potential for a gritty, blue-collar type of player in Miller. Nagy obviously knows the kid can run routes with the best of them, but he also loves the confidence Miller plays with due to his not receiving any FBS offers, thus walking on at Memphis and paving his own way.
Nagy on Miller:
“For Anthony to have that inner confidence that he shows, you never want to take that away … he’s worked extremely hard to get to this point.”
Some teams may have been cautious when scouting Miller. Maybe his attitude was too aggressive for them.
If that was the case, they looked at it from the wrong angle. Miller makes big-time plays and he lets you know about it when he does. Give me that type of confidence any day. This offense is going to be fun.
Center/Guard James Daniels, Iowa
When the Bears saw James Daniels fall in their lap in the second round, they had to be downright giddy. Many experts pegged Daniels as a first-round talent and as the second-best interior lineman in the entire draft class, but for some reason was the fourth taken overall.
Pace and Nagy most definitely went to new offensive line coach Harry Hiestand for some insight, and the consensus was that Daniels was hands-down the pick at no. 39. Nagy answered a question in his post-draft press conference, regarding Hiestand’s input:
“We’d be crazy to not take Harry’s (Hiestand) advice into what he sees.”
Nagy went on to describe Daniels in a short, but fitting manner.
“You see a guy that can drive you off the ball. He can finish.”
The obvious aspect of this pick was the need behind it. But, if you look at one of Daniels’ strengths, it is like that of Cody Whitehair — the ability to play both center and guard. Daniels will be slotted in at guard to begin with, but if injuries happen — and there’s always a good chance they will — Daniels could fill in along the interior without missing a beat.
Linebacker Roquan Smith, Georgia
“Roquan … that’s a no-brainer.” -Pace
That pretty much sums up the Smith pick. There was no doubt in my mind that, after Quenton Nelson went sixth, the Bears were going to take the former Bulldog if he wasn’t taken by the Bucs at no. 7.
Smith is going to start right away. That’s the kind of player you want in the top 10, no matter what. Forget upside. Forget “projects.” Forget anything except a day-one starter when you’re picking that high — that’s what you get with Smith.
He’s a no-nonsense football player. He gets the job done. Smith is not only good against the run, but he can cover as well. Nagy talked about his versatility when asked about how he gives offenses problems:
“He doesn’t struggle in the run game … Offensively, you look at a guy who can cover tight ends and can also go ahead and cover running backs … when you can do both of those things, offensively, you’ve got to figure out another route to go.”
What is really cool to learn about Smith, if you didn’t know, is that he is not only one heck of a linebacker, but another high-character guy. Nagy raved about his ability on the field, but also gushed about his attitude off the field.
“Very, very passionate about the game of football … mature … everyone talks about sideline to sideline. He’s violent when he hits you. He’s a leader … He’s the same way at dinner as what you see on the field.”
I’m not sure I want to be part of that dinner if he’s running around slamming party guests to the ground, but hey, it is what it is.
Terrible joke.
I am thrilled to see Smith in a Bears uniform, plain and simple. Knowing what he can do as a player, a leader … it’s exciting. I haven’t been as pleased with a draft class in quite some time, but it’s clear that the Bears brass and leadership knew exactly what they were doing.
