The Chicago Bears needed some good fortune to have an opportunity to land quality talent on the second day of the draft. By the look of things, it seems they got their wish. With the 1st round of the draft concluded, several players people felt were 1st round talents have slipped out of the top 32. That should increase the odds of GM Ryan Poles being able to land somebody that contributes immediately to his team this year.
There will still be six spots ahead of their 39th overall selection, and the possibility remains Poles may look to trade down. Remember, the Bears only have six picks in this draft. The GM may wish to add more. Many experts have said there wouldn’t be much difference in talent between the 15th and 50th picks. Still, here are some names that should absolutely intrigue Chicago if they reach that first spot.
Back shoulder snatch/swim by Boye Mafe (@boye_mafe). Manipulate the blocker’s surface/balance!
Mafe is one of many great pass rushers in the 2022 NFL Draft! #passrush #skiumah #nfldraft pic.twitter.com/yO3cP85vQx
— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) April 27, 2022
Boye Mafe (EDGE, Minnesota)
The Bears know they may need a young edge rusher for the future, with Robert Quinn likely in his last year. Ebiketie did well with seven sacks and ten tackles for a loss last season for the Gophers. He has the size of a 4-3 defensive end to go along with good power and burst off the snap. Once he tidies up his rush discipline, he’ll be dangerous.
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Logan Hall (DT, Houston)
When Houston let him play on the inside, he was a terror. His six sacks and 13 tackles for a loss in 2021 proved as much. At 6’6, 260 lbs, the kid only needs to add some weight to become the ideal interior pass rusher for the Chicago Bears with the experience of moving outside to the edge in certain situations. Highly valuable.
Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)
Probably the biggest shock of Round 1 was Dean not going. Many view him as the best linebacker in the entire class. Fast and physical. The only problem that seems to bother people is he’s 5’11. That is short for a linebacker. It didn’t stop him from making 70 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles while winning a national title.
Andrew Booth pic.twitter.com/HjnIz8EuYI
— Clemson Highlights (@ClemsonRT) April 28, 2022
Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
An outstanding athlete with good size who had three interceptions last season for Clemson. He has instincts, ball skills and plays a physical brand of football. That makes him an ideal fit for the Eberflus defense. He is just okay in man coverage but excellent in zone. He’ll be right at home if he lands in Chicago across from Jaylon Johnson.
Jaquan Brisker (S, Penn State)
Eberflus likes versatility in his safeties, and they don’t get much better than Brisker. He can play anywhere and have an impact. Not only did he have six tackles for a loss last season, but also two interceptions and five passes defended. He is the perfect modern safety. A chess piece coaches can move all over the place to create matchups.
Here’s hoping a team takes a chance on Christian Watson in the first round today. pic.twitter.com/ujk68xzFwl
— Isak Dinesen (@isak_dinesen14) April 28, 2022
Christian Watson (WR, North Dakota State)
Coming from an FCS program that employed a run-first offense hurt him in the end. That doesn’t erase the fact Watson is electric with the ball in his hands. Not only is he 6’4, but he’s wicked fast too. He’s still learning how to run proper routes, but that will come with time, and he can already make plays out of the backfield and in other creative ways. Huge upside if the Chicago Bears can be patient.
Bernhard Raimann (OT, Central Michigan)
It is insane how fast Raimann has picked up offensive tackle considering he only started playing it in 2020, and he’s Austrian. Football is still new to him, and he’s already playing like somebody that could end up a Pro Bowler within two or three years. That is how talented he is. If he were 22 instead of 24, he’d have been long gone by now.
