dawhizz

Not coming in as a 25-year-old rookie.

Kancey’s size is comparable to Sapp and Donald coming out, but his arms are literally two inches shorter (Donald and Sapp were both right around 32 3/4”, Kancey’s are 30 5/8”). Will that matter in the NFL? I guess we’ll find out.

Of the guys you mention: - I really like Bresee, but that would require a trade down. - Having a hard time coming around on Kancey. Small + short arms is a lot to overcome in the NFL. - Mid round guys I like are Pickens, Young, and Ojomo. I don’t really feel like Keion White or Tuli are big enough for 3T. - I’ve heard some like Karl Brooks at 3T, but I can’t quite reconcile his level of competition with the others in consideration.

Sharing this because Teven used this tweet to reply to someone asking where he was going to play next year - so Jenkins at LG and Davis at RG.

My concern with Wilson is he’s slow off the snap. Even in his highlights where he ends up making the play, he’s the last guy moving on that line. On one hand, that’s concerning because that will hinder his effectiveness at the next level. On the other, if you can fix that, he could be even more dominant? The question is, is that correctable? He’s a senior, why hadn’t he fixed it yet? Just something I keep noticing. https://youtu.be/j4TKPD4eJvQ

Paris Johnson’s top criteria for deciding where he wants to go is . . . Taxes? Not sure if this is refreshing (someone who is being honest/thinking about the economics of his situation) or alarming. Make if it what you will. https://247sports.com/nfl/chicago-bears/Article/2023-NFL-draft-prospect-names-Chicago-Bears-among-top-landing-spots-207917054/?utm_source=247Sports%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=230407_114514_ChicagoBears&utm_content=Link&eid=82e1bbfad4a16d3be3e1022478e34b4c85496458d3398797f7b08412b002dcbf

So, someone sell me on JSN. I’ve watched the highlights. I know he outperformed Olave and Wilson when they were together, I’ve even heard the Ohio State WR coach put him above those guys. But I just don’t quite see it yet. He’s not the big. He’s not that fast. He’s got good agility but doesn’t seem to be particularly elusive in the open field. I see him run a lot of crossing routes where he gets hit right away and sideline routes where he gets out of bounds. He’s obviously got really good hands, which isn’t nothing, do I guess the comp is probably Davonte Adams, but there are a lot of guys similar athletically to Davante Adams, so I’m having trouble coming around on using a top ten pick on him. Make your case.

Did some dealing with this one. I think Bresee can play 3T. 18. Bryan Bresee DT Clemson 55. Derick Hall EDGE Auburn 61. Blake Freeland OT BYU 62. Tyrique Stevenson CB Miami (FL) 64. Kayshon Boutte WR LSU 66. Sam LaPorta TE Iowa 96. Luke Wypler OC Ohio State 103. Zacch Pickens DT South Carolina 133. Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson CB TCU 148. Jammie Robinson S Florida State 218. Keaton Mitchell RB East Carolina

Tony Pauline is usually pretty plugged in, so note what he said in his recent update of his Big Board on Kancey: https://www.profootballnetwork.com/paulines-big-board-top-players-2023-nfl-draft/ Defensive Line I have Calijah Kancey graded as a second-round pick, but I can attest to the fact some teams have a first-round grade on the Pitt junior. The big issue is that Kancey is a scheme-specific prospect as a one-gap 3-technique tackle. Teams running that sort of system believe Kancey is a top-60 prospect. Otherwise, I’ve been getting third and fourth-round grades on

Yeah, I’m so torn on him. I get the Aaron Donald comparisons, but also can’t help thinking of Sheldon Rankins, which was kind of the first undersized “next Aaron Donald” who the Saints took early in the first and never panned out and even he had 25 pounds on Kancey.

Carter is visiting the Bears today. He’s also apparently declining to visit any team outside the top ten. Wondering how people feel about Calijah Kancey from Pitt if Jalen Carter is either gone before 9 or the Bears aren’t comfortable with him for whatever reason. I can’t get a hold on Kancey’s value in the draft - I’ve seen top ten, I’ve seen mid first, I’ve seen late first, I’ve even seen second round. He’s undersized but seems like a perfect disruptive 3T, which Eberflus keeps saying is needed in his defense and remains unaddressed. The Aaron Donald comps are simultaneously unfair, intriguing, and probably misleading. How would you feel about him at 9? How far would you be willing to trade down and still think you could get him? Do you not want him at all?

I would guess one of those is Tippman -he’s probably the best center on the move and my understanding is that the offense wants those kind of guys. The other maybe Wypler? The Bears certainly seem to be doing their due diligence in the next tier of centers - I feel like I’ve heard them linked to Stromberg as well as Juice Scruggs and Jake Andrews, so maybe they like the veterans like Whitehair and Patrick and wait until day three to take a center, or maybe they are just seeing if there’s any day three guys they like more than Kramer and end up deciding on just rolling with the guys they have.

I want a speed guy. I don’t know that I want to draft a RB early enough for Achane, but a day three pick on one of Sean Tucker, Deuce Vaughn, or Keaton Mitchell would be good with me.

I might prefer a straight up C over Mauch, but otherwise I’d be pretty thrilled with this.

Carter feels like the only potential world beater at 3T in this draft, but I feel like there are going to be names who can fill that role in rounds 2-4 that you can be pretty happy about without needing to trade into the lower 1st/early 2nd for someone like Bresee or Kancey (neither of whom I’m particularly sold on). Between the quick DTs like Pickens, Dexter, Ojomo, Turner, and Young and the bigger edges that can probably play the 3T inside like Tuli, Adebawore, Brooks, maybe Mike Morris, you should at least find someone who can split reps with Justin Jones and develop.

My current (semi-realistic) wish list: 9 - Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State 53 - Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State 61 - Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin 64 - Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami 103 - Byron Young, DT, Alabama 133 - Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State 136 - Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State 148 - Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State 218 - Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA 258 - Jake Witt, OT, Northern Michigan

The only thing making me pause on taking an OT at 9 is Braxton Jones. You don’t (usually) take a RT with a top ten pick. So if you think Braxton is the guy at LT, do you still draft an OT at that spot? Do you play your 9 pick at LT and move Braxton? Do you draft the OT anyway knowing he can be a great RT and also a back up plan in case Braxton doesn’t work out? Or just go a different direction at 9 and get a straight RT later? Lots to think about . . .

Don’t underestimate the value of having the first pick in the fourth round either. It’s the first pick of day three. You have a great shot at someone who’s fallen through the cracks and usually get a lot of calls from other teams for the pick.

Really interested in how people see the Bears’ CBs shaking out. Obviously help is needed but what kind of help kind of depends on how you see the current roster: Jaylon Johnson - His contract is up next year. Is he a #1 despite his lack of takeaways? Do you extend him this off-season? Kyler Gordon - He has a rough start last season but got better and definitely flashed. Is he an outside CB or do you leave him in the slot? If he’s a slot guy who is your #2? Kindle Vildor - Do you trust him? Seems like one of those guys who has done well relative to where he was drafted but you can’t really count on. Worth keeping absent better options but I’d like to have better options Josh Blackwell - They added him and got rid of Duke Shelley only for Shelley to then play well and Blackwell to kind of fail to distinguish himself. Another guy I don’t really trust currently though maybe he can be the nickel if Gordon is your #2. Harrison Hand/Jaylon Jones/Michael Ojemudia/Greg Stroman - Jaylon Jones seemed to get the most opportunities out of this group but I think I actually like Stroman the best - he made some decent plays at the end of the year and I’d like to see them give him more of a chance. Anyone want to stump for someone else from this group? So, where do we go now? I thought a guy like Rock Ya-Sin, who played for Eberflus for the Colts and is still available I think would make some sense but the Bears have added nothing at CB in FA, so I guess they are counting in the draft and whatever shakes out after? Seems very unlikely the Bears go CB at 9 but seems like using one of 53, 61, or 64 on a CB would make sense given this group and maybe a late round pick too. Any guys people like at those spots? Do you go for more of an outside guy or a nickel (or maybe one of each)? This draft is kind of weird in that the bigger prototype outside corners don’t have many interceptions, and they guys they do are shorter and/or lighter (like Emmanuel Forbes, who had great tape but is like 6’1” 166). I’m kind of warming to Tyrique Stevenson out of Miami.

I’m convinced Paris Johnson is the guy at #9. Sounds like he looked great in drills at the Ohio State pro day today. Athletic so he fits the scheme. Can definitely be an OT and can be a backup plan at LT if Braxton falters in year two (or Paris just looks better). Has the connection with Fields. Sounds like a great culture guy for a team that’s been preaching that -started a charitable organization, is a team leader, father played in the NFL and is a coach, good student, etc. If he fails there were really no red flags that would have predicted it. I wouldn’t be shocked if they double dipped on Ohio State o-line and tried for Luke Wypler in the 2nd/3rd.

I would be shocked if it’s Gonzalez over Witherspoon. Gonzalez is more of the athletic freak, like Kyler was coming out.

Interesting article on Poles’ thought process with the trade that I think is relevant here. In particular the fact that (1) It sounds like Poles has a “top seven” tier in its draft, and (2) based on everything he says about value, i don’t think he’s going to reach based on need in the draft if he has a higher ranked player on his board. https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/03/20/ryan-poles-never-told-justin-fields-he-was-the-starting-qb

Except that Poles obviously prioritizes scheme fit and not all of those players are going to be a fit, which dramatically decreases that list of “seventy good players”. So if you get to a point where you have a position of need and limited options who fit, maybe you move up.

One idea I had is to package one of our seconds trading down in the first but up in the second. For instance #9 + #61 to NYJ for #13 + #43 (maybe to get Rodgers JSN?) or something similar. Same total number of picks, but you move down a few spots but should still be in position to get a quality OT/CB/Edge, but also move up in the second where you should be able to get a better player at those same positions or even make a trade up easier if someone is falling.