The Chicago Bears 2020 draft is in the books. One of the most unique fans are ever liable to see. Not only was it conducted from a virtual standpoint due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also done without 1st, 3rd, or 4th round picks. So GM Ryan Pace, his front office, and the coaching staff knew they had to put everything they had into it to make sure the team came away with a cast of players who can help them win.
There is a lot of pressure going into this season. Chicago comes off a disappointing 8-8 run that saw a dismal offense once again waste a top 5 defense. Did they end up doing enough in this draft to help solve that issue? Pace better hope so. If the Bears crash and burn this year, he could well be out of a job by next January.
Fortunately, it looks like he did alright.
Chicago Bears 2020 draft report card gets a pass
Cole Kmet (TE, Notre Dame)
It probably wasn’t the sexy pick people had hoped for. Here’s the thing to remember though. The Bears need a tight end. Like, really need one. None of their guys reached 100 yards last season. It’s hard to produce a successful NFL offense when that is the case. This is why they paid a proven producer in Jimmy Graham a lot of money and it’s why they made Cole Kmet their top draft choice. He is a talented homegrown product from a school known for delivering good tight ends in the past. His game is well-rounded and still has lots of room for improvement. It isn’t a great pick. It is a good one.
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Grade: B
Jaylon Johnson (CB, Utah)
The Bears upgraded their pass rush in a big way by signing Robert Quinn. However, a pass rush can only reach its full potential when the secondary can cover the wide receivers. For that, a team usually needs two good cornerbacks on the outside. They have one already in Kyle Fuller. Now they have another one in Johnson. This kid is tailor-made for Chuck Pagano’s defense. He’s long, athletic, fluid, and tough. He plays physical but without drawing penalties. If not for overblown concerns about his shoulder injuries, he’d have gone in the 1st round.
Grade: A
Trevis Gipson (EDGE, Tulsa)
One of the biggest problems the Bears had in recent years was adding cheap, young depth to their edge rush in the draft. Pace ignored it far too often. At last, he seemed to come to his senses. Gipson is a fun prospect. He played out of position at Tulsa but still managed to deliver eight sacks his final season. He has that mixture of length, power, athleticism, and motor that teams look for. Putting this kid behind Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn is the absolute perfect education one could ask for. This grade suffers a bit though because there were more proven options on the board.
Grade: B
Kindle Vildor (CB, Georgia Southern)
Drafting multiple cornerbacks should never be frowned upon. A team can never have enough. The Bears are smart to think that way. When watching Vildor on film, it’s not hard to see why they moved up to get him. He’s tough, pesky, and punches above his weight class despite coming from a smaller school. The traits are there for him to make a name for himself. The issue is they may have passed up an opportunity to fill a bigger need elsewhere. Perhaps at quarterback with Jake Fromm or offensive line with Jon Runyan Jr. Both of whom had just as proven track records at bigger schools.
Grade: C+
Darnell Mooney (WR, Tulane)
The Bears have a good mix of receiving types in their offense. They have their big-bodied possession guy in Allen Robinson. They have their quick and shifty slot man in Anthony Miller. The one thing they’ve been missing is a true vertical threat with the speed to take it over the top. They thought they had it with Taylor Gabriel but it didn’t work out. Darnell Mooney fills that void. He is a true burner with 4.38 speed and a knack for the big play. While a big on the thinner side, he’s a better route runner than he gets credit for and should mesh well in this offense.
Grade: A
Arlington Hambright (OT, Colorado)
Watch this kid for long enough and it feels like he might’ve traveled a little under the radar. He’s big, quick, and has nice fluid feet for his size. His pass protection really stands out quite often. One has to wonder if he’d managed to stick at one school rather than transferring twice he might’ve gotten more attention. Shifting from left tackle to guard will be a process but one that he should be able to handle. Getting an athletic talent like him in the 7th is pretty good value for the Bears.
Grade: B-
Lachavious Simmons (OG, Tennessee State)
It wasn’t hard to see what the Bears liked in Simmons when watching the tape. This guy loves to bring the hurt. He has plenty of upper body strength and uses it to bury defenders at every opportunity. Given how weak the Bears running game was in 2019, it’s little surprise they’d target guys like him. The concern one should have is his athleticism. He’s not the quickness guy in the world and seems to have slower feet. That can be a big handicap in the NFL. Maybe the coaches think they can fix it.
Grade: C
Overall grade: B
The best way to categorize this draft class, at least on paper is solid. Chicago needed to come out of this with a couple of players who have a chance to start and contribute right away. Pace accomplished this with his selections of Kmet and Johnson. Adding Mooney as a speed threat might also yield immediate results too. Beyond that the Bears acquired a series of tough athletes with high upside and clear chips on their shoulders. That is typically the smart thing to do later in the draft. It’s not a flashy group but it is one that has a chance to be good.
