Opinions on a draft class will always vary. It feels like the Chicago Bears did fine when looking around the media landscape. Not good. Not bad. Fine. They had some really nice picks that might help them immediately and some picks people scratched their heads about. If nothing else, it was a tone-setter for new GM Ryan Poles, who started with six picks and had 11 by the end of the three-day frenzy.
So while media and fans seem indifferent to the work done, the same can’t be said for actual NFL people. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog has demonstrated strong connections around the league. During the draft, he spoke to one of them, a scout for another team. The replies he got back were as unbiased as it gets, which makes the remarks all the more encouraging. It sounds like the new Bears GM did some excellent work.
The scout who I have relied upon this week to fill me in on all things draft was giving his assessment of Ryan Poles’ work over rounds two and three.
‘Poles knocked it out of the park’
‘Secondary is set’
‘Velus is a get the ball in his hands run after catch guy’
‘Deebo light’
This is not someone who has any reason to inflate the work of the GM of the Chicago Bears. He has zero stake in the game. This was a professional talent evaluator evaluating the talent selected; examining the players acquired in a draft he has routinely described to me as “the weakest in the last 15 years.”
Poles caught a lot of flak for his first three picks.
While experts lauded the talent of both cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker, they lamented that both did little to help quarterback Justin Fields. Then when the Bears did add a receiver in Jones, all people could talk about was that he turns 25-years old this year. It seems those issues didn’t matter to the scout. He was focused on a simple question. Did the Poles draft good players? The answer appears to be yes.
Gordon is lauded for his great mixture of athleticism, quickness, and instincts. He’s patient in coverage and never seems to panic. That is why he can get his hands on the football despite limited opportunities. Brisker is one of the most versatile safeties in the entire class. He is effective in the box against the run, but he’s also athletic enough to hound passing lanes. Both should be starters by the end of this season at the latest.
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Ryan Poles didn’t flinch when confronted over those picks.
He understands many people wanted him to focus on the offense in the 2nd round. His problem with that was the board didn’t support such an approach. He could not reach for an offensive lineman or wide receiver in good conscience, knowing he passed on guys like Gordon and Brisker that he had rated higher. History shows that this is a recipe for failure in the draft time and time again.
Ryan Poles is not a man that would be cowed by outside noise. Once the board is set, he will not deviate from it. There is a reason he, the front office, and scouts worked so hard for all those previous months. Each board is set the way it is because they believe those players are ranked by the best chance to succeed in the NFL. The truth is if Gordon and Brisker live up to their potential, nobody will even remember the original gripe.
As for the rest, Poles did more than expected.
Jones helps at wide receiver while the team added four offensive linemen to the mix between the 5th and 7th round. Poles opted for a quantity approach in the absence of quality high picks. If that weren’t enough, he also managed to bolster team depth at edge rusher, running back and even found a punter. Considering the hand he started with in January, Poles did remarkably well.
