Another RB Arrow In Nagy's Quiver.....Taquan Mizzell......
May 25, 2018 14:15:34 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2018 14:15:34 GMT -6
Taquan Mizzell gives Bears more explosiveness at running back
ByMatt Eurich 3 hours ago
The Chicago Bears have two solid running backs already on their roster with Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen. Howard stands to be the bruiser on offense in the team's new scheme under head coach Matt Nagy, while Cohen will offer up a speed element and versatility in both the running and passing game. Even with those two on the roster, the need for versatile running backs is still a priority in the NFL.
In addition to having Howard and Cohen on the roster, Chicago brought back veteran Benny Cunningham and signed Oregon State's Ryan Nall as an undrafted free agent this offseason. The odds are against Mizzell but the talent is there.
A four-star recruit out of Bayside High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 2013, Mizzell was given a 0.9734 composite score by 247Sports. He received a total of 22 offers from schools like Boston College, Clemson, Illinois, Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State before committing to Virginia. As a true freshman he carried the ball 45 times for 184 yards with one touchdown. He also caught 29 passes for 164 yards with one touchdown.
The following season he picked up 280 yards on the ground with two touchdowns and caught 39 passes for 271 yards. 2015 was his breakout year for the Cavaliers, rushing for 664 yards with four touchdowns and hauling in 75 catches for 721 yards with four touchdowns. He capped off his senior season with 940 rushing yards with five touchdowns and 52 catches for 404 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He ended his career as the only player in ACC history with 1,500-plus receiving yards and 1,500-plus rushing yards in his career.
Despite his productivity at Virginia, Mizzell went undrafted last offseason. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens and carried the ball 40 times for 126 yards and caught 12 passes for 90 yards with a touchdown in the preseason but was released before the start of the year. Chicago claimed him off waivers and Mizzell spent the entire 2017 season on Chicago's 53-man roster. He was active for just three games last season and only played two snaps on offense.
The old regime never gave him a chance, but Mizzell could get more opportunities this offseason to prove himself because of his versatility and, most notably, his ability to catch the football.
“There’s a lot of backs around the league that can run for a lot of yards,” Mizzell said after he signed with the Bears last year, via the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley. “I’m not the biggest guy, but pass-catching is the way I want to separate myself from some other guys. I’ve got to have some versatility to my game.”
He is similar to Cohen in the sense that he is more of an outside-the-tackles runner and is impressive with the football in his hands. If the Bears opt to use Cohen more out of the slot or in a role similar to Tyreek Hill's in Kansas City, Mizzell could fill Cohen's role in the backfield. It would not come as a surprise to see the Bears add another back via free agency or the draft this offseason, but given Mizzell's skill set and ability, he looks to be a good fit in Nagy's system.
