The Chicago Bears have everybody guessing about what they’ll do in this upcoming draft. Most assume they’re seeking a potential opportunity to grab a quarterback. Some are convinced they’re eyeing more weapons for Andy Dalton at wide receiver or seeking replacements for Kyle Fuller at cornerback. Others are holding out hope the team does the smart thing by adding help at offensive tackle. One name that seems to keep coming up is Spencer Brown.
Not a lot of people knew about him before the pre-draft process started. Partly because he plays at a small school in Northern Iowa and also because he missed 2020 due to the pandemic. It’s hard for FCS prospects to get noticed in normal times. Now? It should be a considerable tell that the big right tackle is getting this much notoriety. Is he really that enticing?
Just ask former Bears QB Jim Miller who gushed about him on Bears All Access.
Indeed the dimensions of Brown are imposing. He’s every bit of 6’9 with 34-inch arms and 10-inch hands. Just a mountain of a human being. Yet it’s not like he is a stiff. As Miller says, he is shockingly athletic, showing an ability to mirror pass rushers with relative ease while getting blocks out in space. He could’ve transferred to one of the bigger programs too. Brown intentionally chose not to out of loyalty to his school.
He plays with good power in the run game and has a nasty streak. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared him with Jared Veldheer who has started 114 games in his NFL career. The primary concerns with him? A lack of core strength to handle bull rushers and his overall height creates problems with his center of gravity. Being able to keep his pads low will be a major point of emphasis for coaches.
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The Bears already seem well aware of Spencer Brown
It first became apparent at the Senior Bowl when one of their staff members was spotted putting the tackle through some measurements. A surefire sign they met with him there. A few weeks later, it was reported that their director of college scouting Mark Sadowski was down at the Northern Iowa pro day to watch him again. This is a strong indication the team is watching him carefully.
One also must remember who runs their offensive line room. Juan Castillo has coached a lot of tackles in his career. One of the most impressive was Jon Runyan, who was a Pro Bowler in Philadelphia. He too was a monster human being at 6’7, 330 lbs but surprisingly athletic. It isn’t hard to imagine Castillo getting flashbacks of Runyan when watching Spencer Brown play.
If the Bears wanted an eventual stalwart at right tackle, this could be it.
So where might he end up going in this draft? Given his small school background and having not played last year, it feels like Day 3 would be normal. However, his rising stock and building buzz make one think he isn’t getting out of the 2nd round. So if the Bears plan to make a move for him, it would likely be with their 52nd overall pick. If Miller is right about his athletic upside, then this kid could be a stud for a long time.