Post by AlexM on Aug 25, 2016 9:20:09 GMT -6
by Dan Schmelzer
nflspinzone.com
Slowly but surely, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace is turning the franchise around. Pace took over the team following the 2014 season and has done an incredible job of stock-piling talent both through the draft and in free agency.
Led by defensive tackle Eddie Goldman and safety Adrian Amos, Pace’s debut draft class for the Bears had an impressive rookie season. We still haven’t seen first-round selection Kevin White, but there is a ton of promise up and down that draft class.
While it remains to be seen how that class turns out, I strongly believe the Bears did well in the 2015 NFL Draft. On top of that, I think they had an even better showing in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Similar to when he took White at number seven in 2015, Pace swung for the fences in the first round, trading up two spots to land OLB Leonard Floyd with the ninth overall pick. Floyd is an extremely athletic defender with ridiculous upside from the outside linebacker position.
While Floyd’s athletic ability is incredibly exciting, the Bears’ 2016 draft class brings much more to the table. Pace and the Bears did an incredible job of stock-piling talent in the 2016 NFL Draft. Make no mistake about it, they have assembled a strong and deep rookie class.
Let’s take a look at five of these said rookies who are primed to make an immediate impact.
DL Jonathan Bullard
After he slipped a bit further than expected, the Bears landed defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard early in the third-round (72nd overall).
Bullard was an extremely productive defensive lineman at the University of Florida, capping off his career with a third-team All-American selection as a senior last year. Bullard is a strong and powerful player who is also quick off of the snap up front. Those combination of skills allows him to create havoc both against the run and in the pass rush.
As a strong and stout run defender who can also rush from the interior, Bullard was considered a first-round talent by some in the scouting community. His slip to the third round was obviously less than ideal from his perspective, but it made him a massive steal for the Bears.
OL Cody Whitehair
In between landing Floyd in the top ten and taking Bullard in the third round, the Bears made a series of moves in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
After trading down twice, picking up some nice draft capital in the process, the Bears drafted offensive lineman Cody Whitehair in the second round (56th overall). Whitehair was a talented and productive offensive tackle in college but seems much better suited for the interior at the next level.
Whitehair moves extremely well for an offensive lineman and also shows some nice power for the position. He is a strong run blocker who can reach the second level with ease and also shows impressive natural pass protection skills.
OLB Leonard Floyd
As mentioned earlier, the Bears made Leonard Floyd a priority in the 2016 NFL Draft. With the New York Giants seemingly ready to take Floyd with the tenth overall pick, the Bears jumped two spots up and drafted him with the ninth overall selection.
Floyd was not always the most productive player in college. At the University of Georgia, Floyd played a variety of roles. He would rush from the edge at times, but the Georgia coaching staff primarily used Floyd as an inside linebacker.
He certainly made an impact for their defense playing on the inside, but Floyd’s future is undoubtedly best served on the edge.
WR Daniel Braverman
A personal favorite of mine from the 2016 draft class, the Bears landed wide receiver Daniel Braverman in the seventh round. The Bears landing Braverman with the 230th overall pick was an absolute steal for the team.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Braverman is not exactly a huge threat on the outside, but he is a smart and efficient route runner who shows great change of direction quickness. Braverman has the perfect skill-set to be a dynamic play-maker out of the slot for the Bears.
CB Deiondre’ Hall
I wanted to find room for Bears’ rookie running back Jordan Howard here. That being said, the team has shown a ton of confidence in Jeremy Langford during the preseason. I still look at Howard as the most talented back on the roster, but Langford appears to be their guy.
Instead I decided to go with a guy at a position that appears to be much more up for grabs. With their third pick in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Bears took defensive back Deiondre’ Hall.
At the FCS level in college, Hall played a variety of roles for the University of Northern Iowa defense. He played a hybrid role where he lined up all over the field. Hall played both cornerback and safety for UNI and even lined up as a rangy linebacker at times
Read much more on this link
nflspinzone.com
Slowly but surely, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace is turning the franchise around. Pace took over the team following the 2014 season and has done an incredible job of stock-piling talent both through the draft and in free agency.
Led by defensive tackle Eddie Goldman and safety Adrian Amos, Pace’s debut draft class for the Bears had an impressive rookie season. We still haven’t seen first-round selection Kevin White, but there is a ton of promise up and down that draft class.
While it remains to be seen how that class turns out, I strongly believe the Bears did well in the 2015 NFL Draft. On top of that, I think they had an even better showing in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Similar to when he took White at number seven in 2015, Pace swung for the fences in the first round, trading up two spots to land OLB Leonard Floyd with the ninth overall pick. Floyd is an extremely athletic defender with ridiculous upside from the outside linebacker position.
While Floyd’s athletic ability is incredibly exciting, the Bears’ 2016 draft class brings much more to the table. Pace and the Bears did an incredible job of stock-piling talent in the 2016 NFL Draft. Make no mistake about it, they have assembled a strong and deep rookie class.
Let’s take a look at five of these said rookies who are primed to make an immediate impact.
DL Jonathan Bullard
After he slipped a bit further than expected, the Bears landed defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard early in the third-round (72nd overall).
Bullard was an extremely productive defensive lineman at the University of Florida, capping off his career with a third-team All-American selection as a senior last year. Bullard is a strong and powerful player who is also quick off of the snap up front. Those combination of skills allows him to create havoc both against the run and in the pass rush.
As a strong and stout run defender who can also rush from the interior, Bullard was considered a first-round talent by some in the scouting community. His slip to the third round was obviously less than ideal from his perspective, but it made him a massive steal for the Bears.
OL Cody Whitehair
In between landing Floyd in the top ten and taking Bullard in the third round, the Bears made a series of moves in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
After trading down twice, picking up some nice draft capital in the process, the Bears drafted offensive lineman Cody Whitehair in the second round (56th overall). Whitehair was a talented and productive offensive tackle in college but seems much better suited for the interior at the next level.
Whitehair moves extremely well for an offensive lineman and also shows some nice power for the position. He is a strong run blocker who can reach the second level with ease and also shows impressive natural pass protection skills.
OLB Leonard Floyd
As mentioned earlier, the Bears made Leonard Floyd a priority in the 2016 NFL Draft. With the New York Giants seemingly ready to take Floyd with the tenth overall pick, the Bears jumped two spots up and drafted him with the ninth overall selection.
Floyd was not always the most productive player in college. At the University of Georgia, Floyd played a variety of roles. He would rush from the edge at times, but the Georgia coaching staff primarily used Floyd as an inside linebacker.
He certainly made an impact for their defense playing on the inside, but Floyd’s future is undoubtedly best served on the edge.
WR Daniel Braverman
A personal favorite of mine from the 2016 draft class, the Bears landed wide receiver Daniel Braverman in the seventh round. The Bears landing Braverman with the 230th overall pick was an absolute steal for the team.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Braverman is not exactly a huge threat on the outside, but he is a smart and efficient route runner who shows great change of direction quickness. Braverman has the perfect skill-set to be a dynamic play-maker out of the slot for the Bears.
CB Deiondre’ Hall
I wanted to find room for Bears’ rookie running back Jordan Howard here. That being said, the team has shown a ton of confidence in Jeremy Langford during the preseason. I still look at Howard as the most talented back on the roster, but Langford appears to be their guy.
Instead I decided to go with a guy at a position that appears to be much more up for grabs. With their third pick in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Bears took defensive back Deiondre’ Hall.
At the FCS level in college, Hall played a variety of roles for the University of Northern Iowa defense. He played a hybrid role where he lined up all over the field. Hall played both cornerback and safety for UNI and even lined up as a rangy linebacker at times
Read much more on this link
