Bears consulted NW's Pat Fitzgerald before drafting Fields
May 12, 2021 7:44:30 GMT -6
riczaj01, omc1969, and 2 more like this
Post by JABF on May 12, 2021 7:44:30 GMT -6
I found this a good read. It is encouraging to see that the Bears left no stone unturned in researching the QB draft in general, and the Justin Fields pick in particular. Fields must be a very special guy on and off the field.
LINK
Bears consulted Pat Fitzgerald before drafting Justin Fields
... It was a calculated decision by a franchise in need of new life at the game's most important decision and was well-vetted in the weeks leading up to the first round, according to Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.
“I will tell you there were a number of NFL head coaches and GMs that reached out to me about Justin Fields this year and I’m not surprised that he went to the Bears,” Fitzgerald told NBC Sports after the draft. “There were a couple other teams I thought might jump up to take him but I think the Bears did what they had to do to go get the quarterback they wanted.”
Northwestern was the first school to offer Fields a scholarship as a prep quarterback prior to the former Georgia signee becoming one of his cycle's top players overall.
“I remember our recruiting office showing me his tape and I call him a 'three-play guy.' You pop on three plays and you go, ‘Yeah he can play for us,’” Fitzgerald said. “And then you start to dive in a little more and you’re like, this guy is unbelievable. Then you find out the background of his family and you find out who he was as a student, just all those things -- this is potentially a program-changing type player at the QB position.”
Fitzgerald, who has a close relationship with Bears coach Matt Nagy, spoke to decision-makers from the franchise during Northwestern's Pro Day about Fields and how his Wildcats were able to corral the Ohio State passing game in last season's Big Ten Championship.
Fitzgerald said Fields was playing through a thumb injury, part of the reason he only threw for 114 yards and held a 44.4 percent completion rate during a narrow win. Fitzgerald and Fields continue to text often, the Wildcats coach revealed, and he believes Fields is an ideal fit for Nagy's offense in Chicago.
Bears consulted Pat Fitzgerald before drafting Justin Fields
... It was a calculated decision by a franchise in need of new life at the game's most important decision and was well-vetted in the weeks leading up to the first round, according to Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.
“I will tell you there were a number of NFL head coaches and GMs that reached out to me about Justin Fields this year and I’m not surprised that he went to the Bears,” Fitzgerald told NBC Sports after the draft. “There were a couple other teams I thought might jump up to take him but I think the Bears did what they had to do to go get the quarterback they wanted.”
Northwestern was the first school to offer Fields a scholarship as a prep quarterback prior to the former Georgia signee becoming one of his cycle's top players overall.
“I remember our recruiting office showing me his tape and I call him a 'three-play guy.' You pop on three plays and you go, ‘Yeah he can play for us,’” Fitzgerald said. “And then you start to dive in a little more and you’re like, this guy is unbelievable. Then you find out the background of his family and you find out who he was as a student, just all those things -- this is potentially a program-changing type player at the QB position.”
Fitzgerald, who has a close relationship with Bears coach Matt Nagy, spoke to decision-makers from the franchise during Northwestern's Pro Day about Fields and how his Wildcats were able to corral the Ohio State passing game in last season's Big Ten Championship.
Fitzgerald said Fields was playing through a thumb injury, part of the reason he only threw for 114 yards and held a 44.4 percent completion rate during a narrow win. Fitzgerald and Fields continue to text often, the Wildcats coach revealed, and he believes Fields is an ideal fit for Nagy's offense in Chicago.
