The Chicago Bears 2021 draft plans haven’t changed in the eyes of fans halfway through the season. It’s still expected to be an offensive-driven draft. One where the quarterback is 100% in the conversation. Mitch Trubisky was a failure. He’s likely gone next offseason. Nick Foles? He might serve a purpose as a placeholder but it doesn’t look like he can be much more than that.

Will Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy be around to make this decision? So far it appears that way. This is why they have to make sure they do all of their homework. This is not a decision they can afford to get wrong. Pace already flubbed it once. He should count his lucky stars that the Bears might actually give him a second chance.

One name they’re sure to look at is Jamie Newman. A standout at Wake Forest, he’s been lost in the shuffle of late after declaring for the draft early. Is he somebody who can be something?

Chicago Bears 2021 draft look at Jamie Newman

Strengths:

• Size won’t turn anyone away. Has the desired height and build NFL teams tend to look for.
• Arm strength is a plus. Shows routine ability to put some mustard on his throws when he has to.
• Good release. Ball comes out quickly when he decides to turn it loose. Not a lot of wasted motion.
• Accuracy is fine. Puts the ball in good spots for his receivers most of the time. Especially at the short and intermediate levels.

Jamie Newman ties a single-game @WakeFB record with 5 touchdown passes thanks to this dime.

The third quarter just started. 👀 pic.twitter.com/k18fxh3vSd

— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) September 21, 2019

This is where Newman can excite you. Has his receiver one-on-one. At the snap he shows zero hesitation. Gives the play enough time to develop and cuts it loose. The ball is placed in the perfect spot for his receiver to grab it over the head of the defender who has his back turned. It’s a textbook downfield throw teams expect to see in the NFL.

• Deep ball is there. Has enough power and touch to find his guys in stride 40-50 yards down the field. 
• Can use his legs to his advantage when he chooses. Has the mobility to take off and run for first downs.
• Toughness won’t be a question. Took plenty of hits as a starter but always buckled the chin strap and kept going.

Weaknesses:

• Tends to get happy feet if his first read isn’t available. Doesn’t look comfortable in the pocket.
• Not the quickest decision-maker. Eyes appear slow to process and tends to hold the ball too long at times.
• A bit reckless with his throws. Lots of line drives in traffic that makes it easier for defenders to grab.
• Field vision will be a question mark. Didn’t see a lot of complex coverages and sometimes got fooled by them at Wake Forest.
• Ball placement is inconsistent. Throws can often be too far outside or inside, limiting his receivers’ YAC opportunities.
• Doesn’t handle pressure overly well. Passes lose accuracy when he feels it or has to throw in the face of it.
• Only one full year as a starter. Transferred to Georgia but chose to opt out of 2020 season due to pandemic.

Pro comparison: E.J. Manuel

The allure of Manuel coming out of Florida State was his pure physical talent. He has the body, arm strength, and mobility modern offenses tend to covet these days. The big question with him was could he learn how to process a complex system at a high enough speed to be successful? Sadly the answer was no. After a decent rookie year, he was eventually benched in Buffalo and out of the league before his 28th birthday.

Projection: 4th round

Newman’s lack of experience and overall development. Not to mention not playing football for a year will not work in his favor looking towards the draft. Teams will see him as a project with high upside. If he can learn to see the field better and process quickly, he has a bright future. If he doesn’t? He’ll end up being a career backup who may not last long in the league. Landing under the right coaching staff could be vital.