Last season was a hard lesson the Chicago Bears sometimes forget. Having a good offense in the NFL starts up front. Passing or running the football doesn’t matter without blocking. That is why it remains frustrating GM Ryan Pace hasn’t invested more of high draft choices in that area of the roster. To date, he’s never spent a 1st round pick on one and only two 2nd round picks since 2015.
For the most part, he’s been living on a mixture of them and veteran free agents like Bobby Massie and Germain Ifedi. The time is long overdue for them to invest more seriously in that unit. Based on recent reports, they’ve been scouting the top tackles in this 2021 draft class heavily. One of the most intriguing is Virginia Tech left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Somebody the Bears met with according to Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron.
Virginia Tech OT Christian Darrisaw confirms to me that he has met with the #Bears.
Chicago's OL coach Juan Castillo was in attendance for his Pro Day today. Darrisaw projects as a Round 1 talent.
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) March 26, 2021
Darrisaw is an exciting specimen. He has good size at 6’4, 315 lbs with 34-inch arms to go along with quick feet and an athletic profile. On top of that, he tends to play with a mean streak when he sets his mind to it. The primary concerns with him are mostly superficial. He can get lazy with his fundamentals and doesn’t always finish plays. Things that can be coached up.
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Chicago has to think about adding a tackle now. Not later. Both Charles Leno and Germain Ifedi are free agents after this season. Neither can be considered irreplaceable either. Grabbing Darrisaw could set the Bears up for the next 10 years if he lives up to his potential. If they wish to make the most out of whoever the next long-term quarterback is, he’ll need a blindside protector.
Easy to see why @dpbrugler is hearing 1st Round buzz from VaTech OT Christian Darrisaw.
Massive, mauling OT with good quickness/balance – big but not sloppy
I think Chazz Surratt will be seeing him in his nightmares. Darrisaw did some good work on 2nd/3rd levels in loss vs UNC pic.twitter.com/qk7Sk94XLG
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 11, 2020
If the #Bears take an offensive tackle in Round 1, I’d be incredibly interested in Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw.
He’s a big, athletic left tackle with a nasty edge in his game. He has all the physical tools to be a star in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/vS2ZJSukAJ
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) February 13, 2021
Track record says not to bet the Chicago Bears doing this
Even if Darrisaw is available, which doesn’t seem likely at this point. Pace does everything in his power to keep his plans secret before a draft. Yet he’s among the more predictable when it comes to his approach. The Bears have never selected a lineman, offense or defense, in the 1st round during his tenure. It’s been entirely skill positions from wide receiver to edge rusher, quarterback, and finally inside linebacker.
Even his first picks in the past two drafts reflect this thinking. A running back and a tight end. Pace clearly operates under the belief that he should get his skill players early and can find value on the offensive line later on. Thinking that has been rather hit-and-miss. Cody Whitehair and James Daniels were nice additions. Hroniss Grasu? Tayo Fabuluje? Jordan Morgan? Not so much. This Chicago Bears line still lacks a blue chip talent.
Darrisaw has a chance to be just that.
Offensive linemen aren’t flashy. That doesn’t mean they aren’t important. Flashy doesn’t win championships. Good football players do. Darrisaw is a good football player. He’ll make that entire offensive front for Chicago better. Whether they’ll even get a chance to draft him is the bigger question. It’s rare for good left tackle prospects to fall that far. Here is hoping they’re so lucky.