Onus On The Chicago Bears’ Draft Results Place On The Scouts
If you were asking yourself “who” as the Chicago Bears were making their selections in the NFL draft, you were not alone. Aside from Alabama safety Eddie Jackson, the Bears’ draft results needs an extensive media guide. That includes quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
The Chicago Bears’ new quarterback, while being a big name, does not have the playing experience to be a known commodity. He is the key to a great Bears’ draft. A strong Bears’ draft hinges on how well their scouts can identify talented football players.
Three of the Bears’ draft choices are from Division II schools. It was only the second time that Chicago Bears took more than two Division II players in the draft. The first time the Bears did was in the 2002 NFL draft. Among the Division II players taken was running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson went on to be a special team’s stalwart for six seasons.
In this draft, the Bears took tight end Adam Shaheen, running back Tarik Cohen from North Carolina A&T, and Kutztown’s Jordan Morgan.
New Bears running back Tarik Cohen is flipping out over his NFL opportunity, by @danwiederer https://t.co/JXb30Jj7bo pic.twitter.com/4YDbk9xGY4
— Chicago Tribune Sports (@ChicagoSports) April 30, 2017
In Morgan’s case, he was one of the top offensive linemen in Division II football. He is a long-term project at this point. Bears’ fans can only hope that Morgan turns out to be a swing offensive lineman, who can play both right and left guard. His development is at the hands of the Bears’ coaching staff.
Tarik Cohen has the traits that will remind many people of Philadelphia Eagles’ running back Darren Sproles. He is a tad small at 5-foot-6, but is already a human highlight reel. Cohen, according to ESPN, is a YouTube sensation for being able to catch a football while doing a backflip. It was a trick that the running tried after watching someone else do it.
“It started because I had seen someone else do it first, so we were bored in the summer after conditioning and we just decided to go out and try it. The first two times I think I fell, and the third time I pulled it off pretty naturally, and that’s when I got the hang of it because I stopped being scared.”
Bears’ fans may temporarily be entertained by Tarik Cohen’s video, but what they prefer is a contributor on the football field. If he does not wind up a special team’s star at the very least, it could be a wasted pick.
The skills of the Chicago Bears’ scouts are going to be tested by how Adam Shaheen does as a pro.
Do not get confused by the Bears drafting Mitchell Trubisky. The Bears’ scouts had to do an extensive job of going Trubisky’s prospects. One difference here is that he and Bears’ general manager Ryan Pace are now joined at the hip career wise.
Mitchell Trubisky’s success will determine Pace’s success. On the contrary, Adam Shaheen is a project of the Bears’ scouts and coaching staff.
Shaheen was a risk worth taking by the Bears. Unlike the selections of Jordan Morgan and Tarik Cohen, many NFL observers saw Shaheen as one of the best players at his position overall. Behind Alabama’s O.J. Howard, Shaheen was considered by many to have the most upside amongst the tight ends. He was dominant at Ashland, and with a little bit of polish, he can turn into a star. If that happens, the Bears’ scouts and Ryan Pace will be validated.
Trust the tape: #Bears feel confident in Division II draft picks Adam Shaheen, Jordan Morgan – https://t.co/vNyLNens4G
(@JJStankevitz) pic.twitter.com/1nt0R7XFJF
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) April 30, 2017
The Chicago Bears’ post-draft narrative is trusting the tape, as reported by CSN Chicago. Bears’ head coach John Fox is on board with his new players.
“You believe what you see on tape. You have conviction on players. And especially, and I’ve said this before, when I feel like we have a consensus in our building on the player, those decisions are fun to make and exciting to make. And I’m really excited to see what some of these guys do on this stage because we’re confident in our abilities.”
Coach John Fox and his coaches will have their hands full getting his new players acclimated to being on an NFL team. What makes his job a difficult one is that not only must his players make the jump from college to the pros, but they are Division II players. The leap will be a bit harder for them, as the opposition is even better.
The hope with the third draft class under Ryan Pace is that at least four of his players turn out to be solid pros. If Mitchell Trubisky and Adam Shaheen become Pro Bowl caliber players this draft class of the Chicago Bears becomes a great one. If at least one of the players develop from the middle rounds, then their draft will be a special one.
[Featured Image by Elsa/Getty Images]
