Every Chicago Bears pick from the 2019 draft class will have its share of supporters or critics. It’s hard to find people who are unanimous on anything draft-related. Still, it is always fascinating to hear assessments from people who get paid a lot of money to do this sort of work. That’s why a recent nugget from one will have Bears fans shocked.
Mike Sando is one of the more plugged-in writers for ESPN. He has demonstrated a number of connections around the league over the years. It’s why his annual piece on the NFL draft where executives anonymously assess the classes of other teams is such must-read stuff. All things considered, the Bears didn’t do half bad.
David Montgomery (3rd round) and Riley Ridley (4th round) are expected to be quality contributors for them. Maybe not stars but both bring something good to the table that can make them starters in the NFL. That is not a bad thing. However, the biggest bombshell was saved for last when one stated GM Ryan Pace had scored a massive potential hit in the 7th round.
“The kid from Florida Atlantic [Kerrith Whyte Jr.] was one of the top five backs in this class, but he tested poorly and fell,” an evaluator said.
Chicago Bears pick Kerrith Whyte has all the attributes of a hidden gem
A better way to put it is he didn’t test at all. At least not on a national stage. He didn’t appear at the scouting combine in Indianapolis back in February. Most likely because he wasn’t even the starter on his own team, stuck behind FAU star Devin Singletary. So the odds were already working against him at that point. However, some people were watching.
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Whyte blew up at the Florida Atlantic pro day. He reportedly ran a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash and jumped 42-inches in the vertical. Remember that this kid is 5’10 and 200 lbs. He’s not slimmed down and groomed to be a sprinter. He is built like a running back should be and is still that fast. Besides, it’s not like he didn’t make the most of his limited chances.
He ran the ball 134 times in 2018, piling up 866 yards and eight touchdowns. On top of that he caught 10 passes for 160 more yards and two touchdowns. Over 1,000 total yards and 10 scores on just 144 touches. That is impressive. One has to wonder how high he might’ve been drafted if he hadn’t been stuck behind Singletary.
One final note, this kid was talked up by Sam Summerville. For those who don’t know, he is one of the best area scouts in the NFL. This is the man who helped the Bears secure their double steal of Eddie Jackson and Tarik Cohen in 2017. Not to mention Eddie Goldman and Roquan Smith as well. He knows what good football players look like.
