When evaluating players for their roster, GMs often make a mistake: they grow overly obsessed with what somebody can’t do. This guy isn’t big enough. That one has no speed. It is an epidemic that always reaches its height during draft season. Teams become obsessed with finding great athletes, often passing on proven football players because they didn’t run the 40 fast enough. Ryan Poles understands the value of athleticism, but he also knows there comes a time when the smart thing to do is to add a guy that looks the part. That was the case when he made the hard push to sign Jack Sanborn as an undrafted rookie.
Yes, the kid didn’t post fast times and lacked the ideal twitchy athleticism teams covet. That didn’t seem to stop him from posting great stats for Wisconsin during his college career. The tape showed a player with size, tackling prowess, and excellent instincts. He was always around the football. Lo and behold, he displayed the same traits when the Bears made him a starter at middle linebacker. Now he has 43 tackles and two sacks in four starts. He’s been one of the few bright spots on an otherwise depleted defense.
Credit must go to Poles for ignoring the ridiculous criticisms that saw him go undrafted in the first place.
Jack Sanborn is another piece of an intriguing rookie core.
He looks like more than a novelty. His play is at a high enough level that one thinks he can be the middle linebacker beyond 2023. What makes it even better is he’s joined by two other rookies who have flashed enough potential to generate optimism. Jaquan Brisker has arguably been the second-best player on the entire defense not named Eddie Jackson. Even Kyler Gordon, despite some inconsistency, continues to flash. Those three can help form the foundation of the new defense Poles and Matt Eberflus want to build.
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The fact Jack Sanborn is undrafted makes it extra sweet. Chicago got him for pennies. Other teams around the league are probably kicking themselves for not spending a draft pick to bring him aboard. He likely won’t be a star for the Bears, but he has the exact traits of somebody who will play much longer in the NFL than most expect. A good comparison is Wesley Woodyard. Overlooked because of his size, went undrafted, but ended up playing 12 years in the league because he found ways to hide his weaknesses. Sanborn can do the same.
