The Bears’ First Three Draft Picks are Poised to Lead the Way and Other Bullets

May 08, 2018

Long-time NFL writer Peter King is taking his talents to NBC Sports after a 29-year stint with Sports Illustrated that was highlighted by the birth of his must-read The MMQB column. King explained that decision and why he felt it was time for him to move on. We wish Mr. King the best of luck in his new endeavors and look forward to reading what he brings to the table.

One thing that caught my eye in King’s last MMQB piece is this nugget regarding the Bears’ and 49ers’ picks. King spoke with an NFL GM who offered up this point: “The biggest gap of our grades between any two picks in the first round was Roquan Smith at eight and Mike McGlinchey at nine. That’s a premier player followed by a need pick of a good player.”

If that feels familiar to anyone reading, that’s something that could have been written about last year’s draft when the Bears took a top-rated player at a premier position in quarterback Mitch Trubisky while the 49ers followed with a “need pick of a good player” in defensive lineman Solomon Thomas. The Bears and 49ers (and thus, their GMs Ryan Pace and John Lynch) will always be tied together because of the Trubisky trade. So it’s worth pointing out how the two have showed off their vastly different ideologies in the last two drafts. This isn’t to say there’s a right or wrong way, but maybe it’s time we start thinking of draft strategies differently. Just a thought.

More Roquan? Of course. Smith earned the reputation of being a tackling machine at Georgia. And if you watched any of the Bulldogs’ games last season, you’d understand why. Every time I turned on the TV, it wasn’t long before Smith was making a play on a ball-carrier … and it’s not like he was jumping on a pile and earning tackles that way. His instincts, top-end speed, and closing ability allowed him to stop opponents in their tracks. Perhaps that’s why Bleacher Report’s panel of nine NFL writers believes Smith will lead his draft class in tackles this coming season.

Teaming Smith and Danny Trevathan in the middle of the Bears’ defense seems like a match made in football heaven. Smith’s speed, instincts, tackling skills, and coverage ability make him an ideal every-down defender and an ideal tag team partner with Trevathan, who has all the desirable traits and skills of a top-notch inside linebacker. The Bears should have the field covered sideline to sideline when Smith and Trevathan are on the field together.

More Daniels? You got it. I found myself enthralled with Kevin Fishbain’s profile of the Bears’ first second-round pick, which prominently features how football and family have come together to prepare Daniels for the next steps in life. There is a lot to like about Daniels as a football player. He was a quick learner at Iowa who started at guard and center in a pro style offense … and did so at a pretty high level. Fishbain’s look beyond the surface captures a bigger picture.

The University of Iowa shared some behind-the-scenes footage of what it was like for Daniels and former teammate (and future rival) Josh Jackson to get drafted:

Let’s round it out with some more Miller, shall we? Memphis offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham got a first-hand look at how Miller could transform an offense. While speaking in an interview with Dan Bernstein and Connor McKnight on 670 the Score, Dillingham explained how Miller’s drive and hard-nosed mentality that pushed him to become what he was for the Tigers. “There was something about Anthony that stood out. He was the type of guy that it didn’t matter if we were in practice, it doesn’t matter what drill we’re in, he’s going to give 110 percent,” Dillingham said. “Every day we’d have to slow him down at practice. We’d have to say, ‘Hey, don’t block that kid into the cooler. It’s Wednesday, we want to keep you healthy.’ That is his mentality. Every snap, he’s going to impose his will to the maximum of his ability every day, every play, and everything he does for his entire life.” I suppose that is how you go from a walk-on to an All-American who gets drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft. You can listen to the entire interview here for more on Dillingham’s perspective on what Miller could bring to the Bears:

Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog shared some messages he exchanged with a former NFL pro personnel executive regarding the current construction of the Bears roster, and it seems as if this exec isn’t sold on what Vic Fangio has done to get the best out of Leonard Floyd. “Vic is a good coach but that staff is not doing a great job with Floyd. All of his success is based on athleticism but he still plays undisciplined. But if he stays healthy he can still be a double-digit sack guy.”

There is no doubt that Floyd has yet to live up to his potential as a pass-rusher. Blessed with size, speed, and athleticism, Floyd is the build of someone who should be disrupting plays in the backfield early and often with the proper amount of coaching. I feel as if Floyd’s shortcomings can be attributed to the time he has missed. Floyd has missed 10 games in his first two seasons, but has flashed his tremendous upside in short spurts. It wouldn’t have been much of a stretch to envisioning having 10-sack season in each of his first two years had it not been for injuries keeping him out of action. Then again, there is something to be said about how he is being coached when Floyd has gotten off to slow starts in back-to-back seasons. Maybe Floyd figures something out, makes an adjustment, and is kicking butt from the get-go. If he’s not, that could be the latest sign in what could be considered a troubling trend.

At least inside linebacker is viewed as a strength despite the questions that still remain regarding how productive the crew of outside linebackers/edge defenders will be in 2018. In addition to Floyd, the Bears are rolling the dice with Aaron Lynch as a bounce-back candidate free agent signing and Kylie Fitts following in the footsteps of Eddie Jackson as a draft prospect who finally shakes the injury bug at the pro level. Isaiah Irving and Howard Jones are still on the roster, and the team could still add a player in free agency, though we’ll probably have to wait until June 1 cuts to see if anyone of note becomes available. In the end, the group will ultimately be judged by how well Floyd plays. No pressure, #94.

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The Bears’ First Three Draft Picks are Poised to Lead the Way and Other Bullets

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