Bucky Brooks, a former player scout who is now a top draft analyst for NFL Network, already revealed his belief that the Chicago Bears are Super Bowl contenders. That said, he knows the team has to get better. They went 12-4 last year but were knocked out of the playoffs in the round. This means they weren’t ready. More tweaks are needed.
Can they accomplish this in the draft? It’s hard to say. They don’t have 1st or 2nd round picks due to the Khalil Mack and Anthony Miller trades last year. While the team has no regrets about that, it doesn’t lower the expectations. They have to maximize the picks they have left.
So who should they take?
Brooks, who compiled a full list of every NFL team and who their first two picks should be, came out swinging with his choices for the Bears in the 3rd and 4th rounds.
Chicago Bears would be taking bold gambles on those two picks
Over the past three years, Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary has received all the hype from draft experts for his immense athletic potential. Yet during that span it was Chase Winovich who proved more productive. He had more sacks (18.5 to 9.5) and more tackles for loss (43.5 to 23) than Gary.
Watching him, Bears fans might get an immediate flashback to Clay Matthews with that long blond hair and relentless effort he plays with. Winovich isn’t as athletic as Matthews but his non-stop motor and natural instinct for rushing the passer would make him at least a productive rotation outside linebacker for the Bears.
Rodney Anderson looked poised for stardom after 2017. He ran for 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns on just 188 for Oklahoma that year. This included 201 yards against eventual national championship participant Georgia in the season finale. He got off to a hot start in 2018 too with 100 yards on just five carries against Florida Atlantic.
Then he tore his ACL the next week against UCLA. This after suffering broken leg and neck injuries that forced him to miss most of 2015 and all of 2016 as well. It’s clear the young man has a world of talent, but it’s hard not to think his body can’t handle the physical demands of his position. If the Bears drafted him, it would be a true of the dice.
