The Chicago Bears must’ve been laughing quite a bit at the chaos that was happening in the 1st round of the NFL draft on Thursday. While they enjoyed their Khalil Mack highlights, other teams of note were doing some truly crazy things that got widely panned by experts.
Of particular interest though was what the rest of their NFC North rivals had planned. The Bears know their mission to maintain control of the division is no less difficult than it was last year. The Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings having a strong 1st round would make that even clearer.
In total, four picks were made on Thursday night. All of them came as surprises in one way or another. What Bears fans of course want to know is did any of them do good? Did all of them do good? Did somebody blow it? Here are grades for every selection.
Detroit Lions (#8 overall) – T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
The Lions took it on the chin last year in a big way. They parted ways with former 1st round pick Eric Ebron who went to Indianapolis, immediately scored 13 touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl. That black eye and the lack of production at tight end no doubt fueled their pick of Hockenson.
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The Iowa product had a decent year for Iowa in 2018 with 760 yards and six touchdowns. He has that coveted mix of size, strength, and route running precision that makes him a tough matchup for defenders to cover. While his blocking is questionable, nobody is concerned about his future as a weapon in the passing game.
Grade: B+
Green Bay Packers (#12 overall) – Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan
So many things about this pick were confusing. For one, the Packers’ need for pass rush help was no longer pressing. They’d just spent a ton of money in free agency adding Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith. Going with Gary didn’t really serve their roster to the fullest.
Then there’s the matter of his situation coming out of college. Not only didn’t Gary under-produce at Michigan with 9.5 sacks total in his career, but he also enters the league with a torn labrum in his shoulder. There is no denying he has freakish athletic ability, but there are a lot of red flags that come with it.
Grade: C
Minnesota Vikings (#18 overall) – Garrett Bradbury, C, N.C. State
This was probably the most predictable pick of any in the 1st round. The Vikings offensive line was a train wreck last year. They couldn’t run the ball and Kirk Cousins was hit a ton when trying to pass. The Bears were probably the team that made this reality clear the most.
So the team decided to grab Bradbury whom many feel is the best center in the draft. It’s hard to dispute that. The kid has good size, moves well, plays with strength and has a sharp mind that enables him to adjust protections as needed. He’ll be a solid addition to help stabilize that front.
Grade: A
Green Bay Packers (#21 overall) – Darnell Savage, S, Maryland
Savage was a late-riser on many boards leading up to the draft. Known mostly for being a heat-seeking missile at safety with a good mix of downhill aggressive and range in coverage. His instinct isn’t anything special but he’s a standout athlete with no discernible weaknesses.
The criticism of this pick comes with where it was spent. Every notable offseason move this year for the Packers has gone to the defense. No offensive line. No weapons for their superstar quarterback. They must trust that their new head coach Matt Lafleur can get more out of what they have. That probably doesn’t make Aaron Rodgers too happy.
Grade: B
