Position switches aren’t out of the ordinary in the NFL when players go from college to the NFL. The Chicago Bears have seen it happen more than a few times throughout history. James “Big Cat” Williams was a defensive lineman in college. He switched to offensive tackle upon reaching the NFL and became a Pro Bowler in the 1990s. Most shuffles aren’t that extreme. Usually, it’s a cornerback moving to safety, a defensive end moving to defensive tackle, or an offensive tackle moving to guard.
It appears Luke Newman’s transition will be somewhat shorter in distance. The Bears’ 6th round pick spent his college career playing left guard for Michigan State, and he was successful at it. One would think keeping him there makes the most sense. After all, Joe Thuney is 32 years old, and his time in Chicago is uncertain. However, from how Newman spoke at his first press conference during rookie minicamps, it sounds like the Bears plan to move him to a different spot.
The Chicago Bears moving Newman to center makes sense.
NFL guards are typically around 6’5 and 320 lbs. Newman is 6’3 and 312 lbs. Most would consider him undersized for that position. On the other hand, centers are around 6’3 and 308 lbs. It makes perfect sense that Chicago Bears coaches would believe the rookie fits that spot better. He certainly has the agility and range required for it. Newman is rated as one of the better athletes in this draft class. His vast starting experience also means he has enough intelligence to recognize blitzes and stunts. The core issue is learning how to handle snapping the ball and directing traffic at the line of scrimmage. That is why the Bears have already started working him at that spot. The quicker Newman picks it up, the better prepared he’ll be to play if starting center Drew Dalman goes down with an injury for whatever reason.
