NEWSLETTER
Cracking the NFL Draft is tough. And as Bears GM Ryan Pace pointed out, there will be real challenges scouting without fresh tape from a college football season.
But that’s going to be one of the hurdles NFL front offices must clear in what looks to be a condensed college football campaign. And with Chicago having its own first-round pick for the first time since 2018, the timing isn’t all that great.
HOWEVER, at least one prized prospect will apparently get a chance to strut his stuff. And it’s one the Bears have been loosely connected to already:
Sources: Top QB prospect Trey Lance will have a showcase game this fall. North Dakota State will play a lone game against Central Arkansas, which will be the buzz of NFL circles. https://t.co/bnCa1UOHfD
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 24, 2020
After announcing recently that it wouldn’t play football in the fall, North Dakota State has changed course. Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports reports the school will play ONE (1) game this fall. Its opponent? Central Arkansas. And by doing so, the Bison receive an opportunity to have what amounts to a spring practice period with 20-hour practice weeks. That’s eight more than schools who are playing this fall get weekly. All for one game.
More importantly — at least from an NFL perspective — it presents a showcase opportunity for quarterback Trey Lance.
Lance is one of the hottest quarterback prospects who will be eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft. Last season, Lance tossed 28 touchdowns, ran for 14 more, and didn’t throw an interception. A true two-way threat who can beat defenses with his arms and legs, Lance led North Dakota State to a national title as a redshirt freshman. Following up with another strong season would have certainly catapulted Lance into another stratosphere among prospects. Even without it, one NFL scout who spoke to Yahoo! thinks highly of Lance.
“I’d be shocked if he’s not a top-15 pick,” the scout told Yahoo! Sports. “I think he’s going to be right up in the top five with Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence.”
*Fans self*
One NFL Draft insider believes Lance could be the best QB prospect in the upcoming class. Another draft guru, ESPN’s Todd McShay, has the Bears targeting Lance in the middle of the first round. And for what it’s worth, Bears fans are coming around to the idea that their team’s long-term quarterback solution isn’t on this roster. To be honest, that guy is probably on a college campus somewhere.
A reduced college football season figures to have a wide-ranging impact. Players, coaches, fans, college campuses, and their communities are all effected. And while there are bigger issues at hand for those trying to play football during in a pandemic, I can’t ignore the potential implications on the NFL. After all, this is a Bears/NFL blog. So while it’s unclear if NFL scouts will get their eyes on Lance in person, that a top prospect gets a chance to play this fall could be helpful. If anything, it gives us something to watch that isn’t the Bears. And at this point, I’ll take what I can get.
