The Chicago Bears knew going into 2020 that it was going to be a challenge to get any sort of meaningful contributions from their draft class. Not only did they not have a 1st round pick. They also had to prepare for the season without minicamps, OTAs, or the preseason because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A massive challenge for GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy.

All things considered? They deserve credit for what they accomplished. Not only did a number of rookies see playing time for the Bears this past season. Some of them became meaningful parts of their playoff push. Granted, it wasn’t always pretty. It rarely ever is. Yet given all the obstacles involved? What the Bears got exceeded expectations.

So what’s the final verdict? Here is the report card for their 2020 draft class.

Chicago Bears 2020 draft class was better than expected

Cole Kmet (TE, North Dame)

The story alone was a ton of fun. A native of Lake Barrington, Illinois, Kmet made his name playing both football and baseball at Notre Dame. Then on draft weekend, he gets a call from head coach Matt Nagy that changed his life. The thrill on his face was evident. It was a dream for Kmet to become a Bear and now he’s living it. All things considered, the results haven’t been terrible. After a slow start to the season, the big tight end finished with a decent 243 yards and two touchdowns. He also showed rapid strides as a blocker. There is still plenty of room for growth. Remember he’s only 21-years old.

Grade: B-

Jaylon Johnson (CB, Utah)

He entered the year with a shoulder injury and exited the year with a shoulder injury. Yet in between, it’s hard not to get excited about what Johnson could be. For most of 2020, he was the best rookie cornerback in the NFL. Throwing at him was plenty dangerous as he always managed to swipe the ball away and sometimes even into the waiting hands of teammates. Johnson led the team with 15 passes defended and allowed just 56% of passes completed in his direction. However, he also failed to record an interception in 13 games.

Grade: B+

Rookie Jaylon Johnson rocks Allen Lazard to jar the ball loose 💥pic.twitter.com/xeO5SXd8Yz

— PFF (@PFF) November 30, 2020

Trevis Gipson (EDGE, Tulsa)

It was a bit of a shock when the Chicago Bears traded their 4th round pick in 2021 to secure a 5th rounder from Minnesota. That pick ended up being used on Gipson. Turning on the tape from Tulsa? There was a lot to like. He had the size and untapped athletic potential as a pass rusher. Unfortunately, the team didn’t give him many chances to show it. Gipson played just 71 total snaps during the regular season, finishing with five tackles and three QB pressures. It’s clear he is in a transitional phase, learning a new position at outside linebacker.

Grade: C-

Kindle Vildor (CB, Georgia Southern)

Performances against Clemson and at the Senior Bowl were what drew the Bears to Vildor prior to the draft. He’s a physical, determined kid who doesn’t back down from anybody. That said, he was never supposed to play in 2020. When injuries began to pile up late in the season though, the team was forced to insert him into the starting lineup. There were predictable learning experiences. QBs had a 131.2 passer rating when targeting him in coverage. Even so, he never got discouraged. He had some good coverage moments too and was also a reliable tackler.

Grade: C

Darnell Mooney (WR, Tulane)

Few people outside the draft community had ever heard of Mooney. He was a skinny, undersized kid who’d never cracked 1,000 yards in college. So why did the Chicago Bears feel the need to trade up from the 6th round back into the 5th? He showed why when the season began. Not only was Mooney the fastest man on their offense, his surprisingly advanced route running and strong hands made him an instant favorite of the quarterbacks. He finished second on the team with 631 yards and set the franchise rookie record with 61 receptions. Not bad at all.

Grade: A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85NI2Q0nq3A&t=1s&ab_channel=ChicagoBears

Arlington Hambright (OG, Colorado)

Being an undersized tackle in college, everybody knew it was likely Hambright would be shifting to guard in the NFL. The Bears loved his mixture of athleticism, technical prowess, and temperament. Being a 7th round pick, nobody expected him to see playing time. Sure enough, the fates had different plans in mind. Injuries soon mounted and the rookie was thrust into the starting lineup at left guard against Tennessee. It went about as expected. He struggled to handle NFL power. Not his fault. Just a reminder he has a ways to go.

Grade: D

Lachavious Simmons (OT, Tennessee State)

After hearing his name called on day three of the draft, that was pretty much the last Chicago Bears fans heard of Simmons. He spent the first half of the year on the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster. In the end, the big tackle never saw the field. It’s apparent the coaching staff didn’t view him as ready and 2020 was basically a redshirt year for him. That makes evaluating him rather pointless, as was the pick spent on him. Hopefully 2021 tells a different story.

Grade: F