Thursday, April 2, 2026
✶ Untold Chicago Stories ✶ Amazon Music
Home Blog Page 2850

This Was The Game that Hooked the Bears on Roquan Smith

By
Erik Lambert
-
roquan smith

Coaches and front offices are required to watch the entire breadth of a player’s college career before a draft. Every pick matters, especially those in the first round. One can imagine how much work the Chicago Bears did on new addition, Roquan Smith. The Georgia linebacker has tape a mile long, and most of it impressive.

However, like any human beings, there are ones you remember most. That game that made everybody stop and take notice. Was there such a game for Smith with the Bears? There was indeed. Pace got a chance to talk with the media after the pick was made. He singled out Georgia’s thrilling victory over Notre Dame last year that truly shot the linebacker up their board.

Smith had many great performances in 2017. The SEC championship against Auburn. The national championship against Alabama. Yet Pace is correct. The comeback against Notre Dame was one that put him on the national radar.

Roquan Smith helped keep Bulldogs alive in South Bend

People tend to forget that game because it was so early in the year. It was just the second time ever the two programs had met, which is bananas. Fittingly it was a slugfest of two teams with similar mindsets. Georgia’s offense struggled most of the way. So it was the defense, led by Smith that needed to keep them alive.

Smith led the way with seven tackles including one for a loss and added a sack. He was everywhere and played a huge part in holding the Irish to four field goals. They also managed just 55 yards rushing.

Smith exhibited all the hallmarks that made him so special. His sideline-to-sideline speed made outside runs almost impossible. Screen passes weren’t much use either. What stood out the most was his awareness. Notre Dame wasn’t fooling him in the slightest. He truly was a quarterback of the defense and he carried them to a huge victory in one of the toughest places in college football to play.

Bears fans haven’t seen games like that from their linebackers since Brian Urlacher. There’s a reason Smith draws comparisons to Patrick Willis and Ray Lewis. He’s that total package of athleticism, toughness and mental processing. There’s no consistent way to beat him. This is what the Bears saw that day and for the rest of the year. So in hindsight, it’s not the least bit surprising he ended up being the pick.

Kris Bryant’s Going To Look A Little Different When He Comes Back

By
Aldo Soto
-

Kris Bryant is out of the Chicago Cubs lineup for the fourth straight game, but I still won’t hit the panic button. He saw a doctor yesterday and then took batting practice. The team said he’s passed all concussion tests and are taking it day-by-day, waiting until Bryant feels ready.

Well, I’m going to stay positive here and say that his new-look helmet is the reason he’s not in the lineup Friday. Bryant was once again hitting on the field before today’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers and Cubs analyst Doug Glanville took this picture of the third baseman, who now has a face guard on his helmet.

So, maybe Bryant is just testing it out in BP, trying to get comfortable with the face guard added to his helmet and that’s why he’s still not in the lineup.

That being said, even the most optimistic fan has to expect Bryant to be a little jittery when he comes back. I mean, he was hit on the freaking head.

Bryant is off to a great start, .319/.467/.536, and had more walks (13) than strikeouts (12) in 19 games. There have been several players that have added the face guard to their helmet even without having an incident like Bryant did.

Bryant’s teammate, Javier Baez, started to wear a face guard in 2016, after having some dental work done. He said he opted for the protective flap as a preventative measure, wanting to avoid any injury if he were ever hit on the face or head.

Jason Heyward also has the flap on his helmet and he got that added to his helmet after a pitch hit his face and broke his jaw in 2013, with the Atlanta Braves. Heyward missed one month after getting surgery.

So, let’s just hope Bryant is only out again today and is just getting used to the face guard. Meanwhile, rookie David Bote is starting at third base today.

Grading the Chicago Bears 1st Round Pick of Roquan Smith

By
Erik Lambert
-
chicago bears roquan smith

The Chicago Bears Roquan Smith pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft is official. It marks the fourth-straight top 10 selection they’ve made since GM Ryan Pace took over and the second time in three years he’s taken a linebacker out of Georgia. Word is this time though it was defensive coordinator Vic Fangio who urged the moved and most of the coaching staff and front office were in agreement.

Smith might be the most experienced and proven prospect they’ve drafted as well. He started two full seasons for the Bulldogs and didn’t spend it at multiple positions. He was an inside linebacker from start to finish and logged 28 games as a starter in 2016 and 2017, including the national championship last year.

The question on peoples’ minds though is a bit simpler and vaguer than that. Did the Bears get a good player? That’s all they want to know. So here is a quick grade for their first pick, report card style.

Chicago Bears Roquan Smith grade:  A

It might seem like we’re being a bit too homer with this but that’s not true. NFL.com gave them an A-, so back up on that. The Bears scored big with their selection of Smith. He was widely considered the best linebacker in the draft by a comfortable margin. He didn’t win the Butkus Award for best in college football by accident.

The two things that stand out most about Smith are instinct and speed. He’s rarely fooled by any fakes or misdirections by offenses and is almost always first to the football. Running backs can’t escape him if they try to go outside.

Yet the obvious question among fans is always the same. Can he drop into coverage if and when he’s asked? This is almost a right of passage that separates good from great linebackers in the NFL. It’s not entirely true but this is the house that Brian Urlacher built. He was one of the best coverage linebackers of his generation.

Does Smith measure up at all? Yes, yes he does. He not only has a good feel in space but he shows a knack for tracking the ball and not losing his coverage assignments.

Top that off with considerable blitzing ability (6.5 sacks in 2017) and there really is almost nothing the kid can’t do. The main reason he doesn’t gain an A+ is his limited ability to take on blockers. If offensive linemen are able to square him up, he’s not going to win that play. He’s just not built that way. So as long as the Bears keep him clean, they’ve got a future star.

Chicago Bears Draft Board For 2nd Round Still Looks Stacked

By
Erik Lambert
-
chicago bears draft

The Chicago Bears draft couldn’t have started off much better. GM Ryan Pace had a tendency to target project players with huge upside through his first three years. The results aren’t ideal to this point, though promise remains. This time around? Things were different. With increased input from his coaching staff, specifically Vic Fangio, the Bears landed Dick Butkus award-winning linebacker Roquan Smith.

This was a departure from Pace because Smith is much more a football player than athlete. Don’t get it mixed up though. The kid is a great athlete but his proven production and dominance at the college level separates him from what the Bears got in White, Floyd and even Trubisky. He’s a ready-made starter from Day 1 who can be a star in this defense.

No complaints about the pick at all. Yet this might be only the beginning of the Bears’ good fortune. Thanks to a series of puzzling moves late in the first round, the early part of the second round could not look much better for them as they stand to possibly gain another instant playmaker.

Chicago Bears draft board is breaking just the right way

Given the outlook for Day 2, current estimates are there could be as many as seven players available who have first round grades that fit a Bears need. Edge rusher, offensive line, cornerback and even wide receiver seem ready and willing to answer the bell. It’s remarkable how fortune the board has fallen to this point.

The two biggest names on that list have to be UTEP guard Will Hernandez and Boston College pass rusher Harold Landry. Both were projected by many to be top 20 picks this year yet for one reason or another, they’ve tumbled into the second round. Both could fit a huge need for the Bears if they somehow slip to the 39th pick.

Isaiah Oliver is another name to watch. He was connected to the Bears heavily before the draft. His mixture of athleticism and rare length (33.5-inch arms) make him an ideal type of player for Fangio’s secondary. Not to mention he was coached by a guy at Colorado who is old friends with the Bears defensive coordinator.

It really feels like the Bears can’t go wrong. In fact, Pace could feel free to do what he’s done the past two years and move back to acquire more picks. Depending on how far, he could still land one of those names. There is plenty of reason to feel confident about this draft.

Mitch Trubisky Started His First Ever Game Against Roquan Smith

By
Erik Lambert
-
roquan smith

It’s crazy how football can work sometimes. Roquan Smith is the newest first round pick for the Chicago Bears in 2018. The fourth of the Ryan Pace era. Considering he went to Georgia, the biggest connection he’d have would be to Leonard Floyd, another first round pick. They were of course teammates with the Bulldogs a couple years back. Crazy as it sounds, that’s not the only connection he has in Chicago.

It turns out he made quite an impression the Bears’ young quarterback. Mitch Trubisky started his first ever game in college at the Georgia Dome against the Georgia Bulldogs. It just so happens that was the same exact year Smith became a full-time starter on defense. It didn’t take him long to leave a lasting impression.

In a 33-24 victory, Smith collected six tackles including two for a loss. Trubisky managed just 156 yards passing, though he did run for a touchdown. When he found out Smith would become his teammate in Chicago, he made a rather telling statement about what he saw when he encountered the linebacker for the first time.

Roquan Smith should become the new QB of the defense

Watch the tape for 30 seconds and Smith is bound to pop off the screen. At 6’1″, 236 lbs he moves way too fast for that size. Any ball carrier that tries to go outside on him is going to have a rough time. He can drop into coverage with tight ends or bring the blitz with good timing. Yet he’s the first to say his greatest strength isn’t his body. It’s his brain.

That may sound arrogant, but in truth he’s not wrong. A big reason why Smith is so effective is his ability to read what the offense is doing and anticipate where the ball is going. He often wins half the battle before the ball is snapped. Great linebackers need that in the NFL. Throw in the freakish speed and athleticism with it? Bears fans have every right to be happy about this.

One thing is for sure. Trubisky is thrilled that he only has to face him in practice from now on.

VIDEO: Kyle Schwarber Keeps Hitting Laser Beam Home Runs

By
Aldo Soto
-

I bet you’re a big fan of the moonshot home runs, but these laser beam dingers by Kyle Schwarber are pretty entertaining too.

Schwarber gave the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning on Thursday, taking Chase Anderson deep on yet another homer that left the park fast.

This was Schwarber’s seventh home run of the season and although it wasn’t hit as hard as his first one on Tuesday, it was another beauty.

7 Thoughts On The Bears’ 2018 First-Round Pick: LB Roquan Smith

By
Dhruv Koul
-
roquan smith

Yesterday, I released my final pre-draft Bears Mailbag discussing “dream” scenarios, among other things, in preparation for the 2018 first round of the hallowed NFL Draft.

Baker Mayfield went first, Saquon Barkley went second, and Sam Darnold went third. Then, the Browns threw a wrench in the entire draft by taking CB Denzel Ward fourth overall, which allowed DE Bradley Chubb to fall to the Broncos! More on that later.

At six, the Colts took the best player in the draft in Quenton Nelson. And then the Bills traded up to seven with the Buccaneers to take their next QB in Josh Allen.

And finally, after all the anticipation over the last few months, the Bears selected Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith with the eighth overall pick! The best linebacker in the draft, and a steal getting him all the way at eight. Well done, Ryan Pace.

Here are my thoughts on the new Bears’ inside linebacker.

1. The Bears got the best player available, and one of the best talents in the draft overall by selecting the Georgia linebacker. He is a Day 1 starter and will start next to Danny Trevathan, allowing the Bears to keep quality depth at ILB with Nick Kwiatkoski returning to a reserve role.

2. The Bears apparently were trying to trade up, but nobody bit on their offers. That’s interesting, but it goes to show that Pace will never let draft positioning hinder him from getting somebody he wants if he can help it. That aggressiveness is to be admired.

3. Chicago had plenty of intriguing options available at eight. Apart from Smith, they had Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James available to them, too. And my favorite pass-rushing option, Harold Landry. But Pace stuck to his guns and took the best player available, not succumbing to the temptation of drafting for need. Again, Pace’s discipline is something incredible.

4. I’m a bit surprised that no teams gave the Bears an enticing enough offer to trade up for Josh Rosen, since he was available at the time. I’d have figured that the Dolphins, Cardinals, and even the Patriots, had to be concerned that one of the others would trade up and take Rosen over them. Perhaps they did but nobody blew Pace away with their offers. We’ll never really know.

5. With the Broncos landing Bradley Chubb, I want Pace on the phone with Denver to try to land their OLB Shane Ray, who suddenly finds himself a misfit in their scheme. Ray is a pass rusher best suited for a 3-4 scheme, and the Broncos recently switched to a 4-3. Von Miller can make the transition because he’s just a freak, but Ray will struggle, so he should be available, in theory. And he would solve a major need for the Bears, likely costing only a mid-to-low round pick. Make it happen, Ryan.

6. EDGE rusher is still a major need for the Bears. With only one pick available tomorrow, barring any trades, I would think they would aim to address their EDGE depth in the second round. But if the board breaks a certain way and there’s a huge value to be had elsewhere, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pace waited to address EDGE on Day 3.

7. The Bears’ defense got better today — much better. Smith is a stud who will line up for the front seven for years to come, assuming he stays healthy. Be excited, Bears fans.

The Chicago Bears Find Their Next Stud Inside Linebacker

By
Erik Lambert
-
chicago bears history

The Chicago Bears spent almost the entire free agency period focused on upgrading their offense. Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Trey Burton, Bennie Fowler and Malcolm Brown were all added to the receiving corps. Mitch Trubisky is in far better shape than he was at the end of last season. Those moves, in turn, allowed the Bears to shift their focus towards the defense going into the draft.

There were plenty of options at the #8 overall pick for GM Ryan Pace. One for each major defensive position. However, the position that seemed to stand out most was inside linebacker. Having lost both Jerrell Freeman and Christian Jones, it was felt the team needed an upgrade in that area. They seem to have found their guy.

Chicago Bears nab a potential star in Roquan Smith

He may not have been the first defender off the board, but he might’ve been the best one in the draft class. Roquan Smith was an absolute force for Georgia during their national championship run last year. He’s smart, instinctive, athletic, and tough. His speed is impossible to ignore. Running the ball to the outside is not an option with him on the field.

He finished with 137 tackles in 2017. Yet that wasn’t all. He also had 6.5 sacks, showcasing his ability to play downhill as a blitzer. He’s drawn comparisons to everybody from Patrick Willis to Ray Lewis. Vic Fangio happened to coach both of those men.

People can talk about questionable fit. Smith isn’t big enough to take on blocks from offensive linemen. That’s not his game. Still, the Butkus Award winner didn’t let that stop him from dominating anyways. With Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman keeping him clean up front, there is no telling how much damage he and Danny Trevathan can do together.

Stopping the run will be a lot easier moving forward. Now the question becomes can the Bears improve their pass rush? Stick around to find out.

Dane Dunning Promoted To Double-A Birmingham

By
Emmet McClain
-

A few weeks was all it wound up taking for Dane Dunning to make the jump from High-A to Double-A. The White Sox no. 6 prospect (92 overall) has dominated for the most part in Winston-Salem to begin the year. In 4 starts with the Dash, Dunning posted a 2.59 ERA with an 11.47 K/9 and a fantastic 1.11 BB/9.

In a system loaded with young pitching, Dunning easily has the best control out of any. It was evident that High-A wasn’t challenging him nearly enough, and the White Sox made the right move in bringing him up. Because he got promoted to Double-A so quickly this season, another bump up to Triple-A before the season ends is definitely still in play.

Kris Bryant Misses 3rd Straight Game, Javier Baez Now Batting In New Spot

By
Aldo Soto
-

Well, at this point all you can do as a Chicago Cubs fan is hope Kris Bryant gets back to being healthy and not be too concerned how long that takes. Bryant is out of the lineup for the third straight game and Joe Maddon has switched things up for Thursday night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Albert Almora Jr. and Javier Baez have been hitting one-two in the order, but for the series-opener, Baez is hitting third, while Kyle Schwarber is in the two-hole.

Tommy La Stella is once again filling in at third base for Bryant. Victor Caratini is also getting a start at catcher, giving Willson Contreras a day off.

Bryant was hit on the head Sunday, when the Cubs wrapped up their weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. He flew with the team to Cleveland, but hasn’t played since.

The Cubs won three of four games against the Brewers in early April, but Milwaukee comes to Wrigley Field riding an eight-game winning streak. The Brewers currently have a three-game lead over the Cubs in the division.

Kyle Hendricks gets the start for the Cubs and hopefully he shakes off his April struggles, especially against the Brewers. He avoided a disaster on Friday against the Rockies, salvaging a five-inning start after giving up three runs in the first inning.

Chase Anderson has pitched well so far this season and that includes his tough loss against the Cubs in Milwaukee on April 8. He allowed two runs in six innings, but Jose Quintana and the bullpen shutout the Brewers. Overall, Anderson has a 3.25 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in five starts this year.

1...2,8492,8502,851...3,194Page 2,850 of 3,194

Subscribe to our Newsletter

✶ An Unfiltered Voice For Chicago Sports Fans ✶

Chicago Sports News

About Us

© Sports Mockery, Inc. 2026