The Chicago Bears have reached that point in the draft where they’re starting to take calculated gambles on lesser-known players. Travis Bell is the first example of this. Most people don’t know who he is. He’s a short, stocky defensive tackle from Kennesaw State. He comes across as a strong interior run defender with a high athletic upside. He has surprising lower body explosion that seemed to go untapped in college. The Bears likely see him as a developmental project they can work on.
This is one of those picks where you have to trust the Bears scouting department. They’ve done far more groundwork than anybody else. It’s likely one of their area scouts like what they saw from him on the field. Then when he tested really well in athletic drills, that was enough to convince them he might be worth drafting late. Most 7th round picks in history never work out. It’s likely GM Ryan Poles had him as a priority free agent but was concerned another team might grab him. So they spent a 7th on him instead.
The Chicago Bears’ interior depth is so much better.
It started with the arrivals of Andrew Billings and DeMarcus Walker in free agency. Now Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, and Travis Bell join the action. The Chicago Bears defensive front is much bigger and much stronger than it was last season. They should be far better at stopping the run, which was a big problem. Bell will likely start out on the practice squad and hopefully work his way up from there. It comes down to how well he handles the more advanced coaching he’s about to get.
Word is he has outstanding leadership traits and a good work ethic. His explosiveness also seemed to go untapped in college. Perhaps the Bears hope to explore that.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
