Former Scout Sees Chicago Bears Targeting Two Players In Trade Down
Everybody has heard the rumors by now that the Chicago Bears are seriously considering the idea of trading down again from 9th overall after their large drop from #1. GM Ryan Poles has already proven he doesn’t fear moving down. The key is whether he feels he can still land a player he likes after doing so. Nobody knows what his draft board looks like. Players that might be high in the eyes of fans and media may not be for him. Poles would only move down because he thinks he can land one of those top-rated players after doing so.
Greg Gabriel, a former Bears scout and columnist for Windy City Gridiron, believes there will be some notable names available if the team moves down into the mid-teens range. Two stand out to him the most as obvious fits for what Poles and Eberflus like. One is Oklahoma tackle, Anton Harrison.
“His athleticism shows in pass pro. He has very good feet to set quickly and stop wide speed. He shows the agility needed to slide and recover back to the inside vs counter moves. Anton plays with very good knee bend, keeps his back straight, and has a strong punch. One area that needs improvement is he occasionally lets his hands get on the outside of the framework of his opponent. That can get a player in trouble with the refs. It’s easy to fix with good coaching and repetition. Whether it’s a run or pass, Harrison plays a physical game and has an all-out motor. In short, he gets after it.”
Athletic, long, and nasty.
Yeah, that checks down. The other name to watch is Keion White. Most fans likely caught wind of him at the Senior Bowl when the Georgia Tech defensive lineman tore up practices the entire week. While technically a defensive end, Gabriel seems to think he has an even brighter future elsewhere up front.
“White is strong at the point and never gives ground to blockers. He has quick and violent hands to shed and/or gain ground. The 3Tech has to be a penetrator in order to disrupt the run game, and that is precisely what White does consistently. As a pass rusher, he has the ability to use power off speed to win. He has a very quick first step and very good hand use. With his athleticism, he can quickly redirect his charge and then close on the quarterback. Like in the run game, he is a finisher and goes all out every play. In short, Keion White would be an excellent addition to the Chicago Bears and make the defensive front much better.”
Chicago Bears remain focused on the trenches.
This shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody. Following their first trade and the initial run in free agency, the offensive and defensive lines are now undeniably the weakest parts of the team. Poles knows he has to upgrade both areas. He has enough ammunition to do so with that 9th pick and two in the 2nd round. If he feels he can add another 2nd by moving down and still fix one of those problems, then he should. Most project Harrison to go somewhere in the mid-teens to the late 20s. White has been projected everywhere, from the top 20 to the top of the 2nd round.
It would mark the first time in the modern era a team has moved down from the #1 pick all the way out of the top 10 and stayed there. There is no denying the risk involved. It’s far easier to find good players at the top of the 1st round than at the middle or bottom. Then again, this Chicago Bears regime believes in a quantity-over-quality approach. More picks mean more opportunities to land good players. It’s not a crazy system, but it still requires picking the right people. That time fast approaches.