Breaking down NFL Draft prospects | Bears Weekly

manager Ryan Poles. His name is Rasheem Green. Will break him down here on ESPN one thousand and the Chicago Bears Radio Network. My name is Jeff. Jonnyac joining me from Serious x MNFL Radios. Jim Miller, the former Chicago Bears quarterback. Tonight, Jim, how are you feeling, Buddy. I'm

feeling great, Jeff. And yeah, it gets it gets exciting, you know, three weeks away from from the draft and it just you know, the more you know, teams visiting with these players and he's trying to target where they're gonna go. So it's exciting, fun time year because there's a lot going on. Yeah, a lot we're gonna break

some of that down. We'll talk about the new addition as well, and we have producers helping us out as always, our executive producer of the Bears Radio Network, Ericastrotski, Charlie Bevans spending the dials for us as well, and thanks as always the Bears producers Dan Billy and Jordan Truedup. So letting the dust set a little bit after the owners meetings that we gathered at in Arizona. Here's what you're looking at. Ten picks, including number nine overall and

four inside the top sixty four gym. When I look at what is ahead here in the next three weeks, is that three players stretch from the second to early third round, an area where the Bears should be able to either make moves up or down and get a group of guys at least four guys, three of which I hope it is going to be on the line of scrimmage either side of the ball. That's from my perspective, how about you, Yeah, That's what I've been you know,

we've said it pretty consistently. I think you know, I'm not opposed to if they were go to one of the top corners that are there. I do think they need one more corner because that way you could kick Kyler Gordon inside to play nickel full time, and most time you are in nickel defense with all the eleven personnel that teams are playing. But I've been saying it for quite a well. War daddies. Yeah, they need war daddies up front, defensive line, offensive line, and I think

everybody's thinking about the tackle spot. There's some really good tackles in this draft. Will get into some of the interior offensive line and some of the great tackles that are coming out in this year's draft, and I think the Bears will have an opportunity to really target the guys that they want. And the idea of taking the best player available regardless of your need. I tell you that's also a tantalizing aspect of it. The best teams do do that. There's always some lean towards the need.

But man, if there's a great, if there's a player in your guy, you think it's gonna be great at a position you're already pretty thick at, you know, do you pull the trigger on that regardless at number nine because it is a top ten pick and you're hoping that player becomes a Pro Bowl player for the next

eight to ten years. Yeah, I mean there are people that are saying that about like Bjean Robinson right came out today about the about the running back who probably will be the first running back taken some you know, you see some mocks. They got him in the in the twenties. I took him last week, Patton Patton, I did our mock draft. I took him to Seattle at five because I think he's a good player. And they're like, no,

they'll never do that. They took Kenneth Walker, who was a Dope Dokee Walker Award winner last year, Pete Carroll. They want to run the football. He's not opposed to Devin too, Dope Walker Award winners on his team. You know, Rashad Penny's no longer there. Carson has retired from football because of neck injury. They got the DJ Dallas. I think behind Kenneth Walker right now, you know, I think he could go as high as five to Seattle. When you look at that great player from Texas. The Bears

did add Rashim Graham. We alluded to that twenty five years old, be twenty six here coming up next month or and may rather and a third round pick in eighteen out of USC buy Seattle that trained from LA to Seattle with coach Carroll certainly is significant with players from that university. Signed a one year with Houston last season and played the entire year. Gym played about fifty percent of the snaps and was productive fifty two tackles, five tackles for lost, three and a half sacks, two

pass breakups, ten sacks the last two years. But I look at this, he's six four, two eighty. That's good size, who can kick inside for some mismatches with guards. Yeah, and obviously Pete Carroll when he was in Seattle, he said they really couldn't find a home for him. But he has been a productive player and is more of a rotational guy. Like you said, I get think I believe gives you that position flexibility you're looking for where you can kick him inside and he can provide that

that pass rush ability. So again you're you know, and signing guys like him, Like you said, you're trying to fill holes that maybe the draft. If you can't fill them all in the drafts, it allows you to, like you said, maybe target some guys that you're looking for, you know, So you know, do I think the Bears with those ten picks they'll be able to move around? I absolutely do. I don't think you want to draft all,

you know, all ten play. I think you'll be able to parlay some things to target the guys you want. But signing a guy like Rasheem Green, you feel you've got that area covered where maybe you can take the best player available if a pass rusher is not there in your spot and what you're looking for and where

you're sitting at your potential spots of picking. Yeah. So right now, three new additions up front already, not including the draft, and I suspect that there will be more, obviously not just in the top part of the draft. But they just need depth. There's this need for rotational depth in there. But you got Rashime Green, DeMarcus Walker, Andrew Billings added through free agency, all on nice deals. Justin Jones had a very nice year last year, on the last year of his two year contract with the

Bears for this year, played three technique they run. They pushed him outside a little bit as well last season, just to see what it would be like, and he did a nice job. So you got Trevis Gibson in a big year for him. He did not get the production like he did the year before in terms of sacks and force and fumbles. But that's what you're working

with right now. The defensive line. Yeah, and you just wonder, you know, how it all fits because we pass rushers, you know, you look at the pass rushers that are going to be available. Obviously Will Anderson, everybody assumes he'll be the first guy taken. Then he got Wilson, and of course you got Murphy, some like Lucas Vaness. How comfortable do you feel playing a guy who's only played

two years of college ball and wasn't a starter. They're at Iowa, I'm sure they're doing their homework on him. And then of course there's Jalen Carter, who's the anomaly of Jalen Carter. Now supposedly he won't even talk to teams that aren't picking outside the top ten. I mean, what if a team wants to trade up to that Bear spot at number nine, you know, in order to take a player like him or were the Bears. If he falls to nine, he could address some issues on

their offensive line. But you got to do your homework with the off the field stuff. So if there's a lot on Ryan Pole's plate right now to get all this information that he needs and meet these guys to see if they're Chicago Bears players that he wants representing this football team. I also don't want to forget Dominique Robinson, who is still in that process of developing learning. Didn't get a lot of time at that position and his entire career, but has the body to intrigue you, no question.

He made that first sax splash in his a debut against San Francisco in the rain. That's a guy to look at as well. And we'll talk more about this defensive line thing and Jalen Carter gets more prospective from Jim. We're gonna take a break to your on Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand and the Chicago Bears Radio Networks Bears Weekly with the Voice of the Bears for twenty three. Here is Jeff Julian on the Bears Radio Network. You're

having up the business for Shoot of the season. Now into the Deep at the NFL Draft, Top thirty Business Private Workouts, Jeff Joning Act, Jim Milder from Serious Sex m NFL Radio's moving the chains the former Bears quarterback gonna go back to Jalen Carter. How do you feel about it if you're an executive a team, if he says, Okay, nobody, I'm not coming if it's outside the top ten for

right now. I'm certain though, if something happened before the draft that he would certainly make that trip if somebody moved into that top ten. But how would you feel about it as an executive or from your experience just talking to exacts around the league over the years, how they feel about something like that. Yeah, I think you know he's there. To me, there's no upside with the

statement that they made. And that's Drew Rosenhouse now, that's represent him, And I find it hard to believe that Drew Rosenhouse would want to limit his client's opportunities because if there is a team that is willing to trade in the top ten, and I'll just use the Bears as an example, that the Bears say at nine, hey, we're willing to trade out here. We feel like in the mid teens is whether those tackles are going to start going and maybe the Bears could move down a

little bit and the team trades in. I think that would be you know, not a good move for Jalen Carter to make that statement. Supposedly he will only work out in his hometown. You know, is he top ten talent? I think everybody agrees that he is. You know, I think we know what a dominant player he was at Georgia. But there are some concerns there now, I mean, wasn't truthful to the police. Didn't you know he knows that workout,

that pro day is coming. I mean, if anything, why didn't he just delay the pro day, you know, come back when he was in shape. You know, he wasn't even able to finish that Pro day. And so I think you're gonna have some some teams that are really

doing their due diligence. And I think he's limited himself just to those top ten teams because you know, I think we know for a fact, like the way the Bears practice now under coach Eberfluse, with that hits philosophy, You've got to make sure that he can come in that locker room and he's got to be a worker b Now, I think that's the expectation, or say a guy like Dan Campbell where you know the expectation is there for the Detroit Lions and how hard they practice,

and you know, are the guys going to be willing to accept this player coming in? Do you have veteran players around him that can bring him along or is it going to be done by the coaches? And I think we know the Bears have a lot of young players right now, and can they place that locker room yet? I would say no. So when a guy's not given a hundred percent, you know, can other guys lay into

him to get the most out of him? So I think all those things are being explored by Ryan Poles, and you know they have the benefit of being in the top ten so they can get all those answers that they're looking for. They met with Jalen Carter and you know, we'll see what the evaluation is. Yeah, some others have that top thirty list. Tyree Wilson the testas tech edge rusher. He's an intriguing player too because again fits into that long, big and strong category off the edge. Yeah,

very good player for the Texas tech Red Raider. Six foot six, two hundred and seventy one pounds. Pat thinks he's like a Klais Campbell type of player that just tells you how strong he is. You know, as he is as a player of forty four games played, has twenty eight starts and thirty two tackles for a loss in seventeen sacks. So a lot of people believe he's just going to be a Pro Bowl player right away because he can really collapse the pocket, just like what

Clais Campbell is known for in his NFL career. All right, I got a funny thing here. I saw this on one of the spots today about I think it was Jones from Boston College. He had two teams take him out to dinner, so he had to make a decision. Am I having an appetizer on one and the steak and the other? I mean, what am I doing here? I might double dipping? Okay, when you were entering the end, did you go out to dinner or any team and were you put in the same position? No, never happened.

I think when they came to work me out at Michigan State. And the one funny story is Ken Anderson, the former quarterback for the Bengals. So I go over, they say, hey, the Bengals are here. And I thought I had to go and work out. So I went to the locker room and you know, put out my sweats and stuff to go work out. And I remember Ken Anerson, he goes, he goes, No, he goes, We're going to go right up to the Harrison Roadhouse and have a beer. You know, I just want to talk

to you. So it was pretty funny because and I didn't know this Kenny. He owned a whole bunch of breweries. So we just went up at a beer and talk football. I mean, that was like the one time I got taken out. That was it. That was it? Huh why and die beer? He you'll take it, you take more your speed. I watched him as a kid man. I love Kenning. Oh gosh. He was humble, lavable but Cincinnative

Bengals in Illinois area product for sure. We'll be talking to Bears running back Deyonta Foreman coming up here shortly here on Bears Weekly with Jim Miller. I'm Jeff Joniac. Do you like the fact if you're a player as Downs the kid from North Carolina says he's got no visits? Does that make you worry as a player? Do they feel you are you checked all the boxes? That's one. And if you're that player, are you starting to wonder a little bit despite the encouragement probably from your agent

or whatever. But then the guy who's got to go on five or seven trips and he's exhausted from having all these teams and going to dinners like this, No, I don't think. Well, he's probably got a little anxiety like, hey, why aren't these teams you know whining in dyning me? But you got to remember too, he's got a pro background for him. When you look at drey Blai, I think is his cousin, you know. And you look at

Gary Downs, his dad is a coach as well. So I'm sure Dre who's now on the Detroit Lions staff, this is a very productive all right. There are no character concerns. So a lot of teams when they don't invite you in for a visit, you know, Like I never met with the Steelers. They came to my pro day, but I never talked to them once, but they drafted me, you know. And I think that happens to a lot of guys where they don't want to bring a player in or visit with a player where it puts maybe

a radar screen on him, you know. And I think when you look at Josh Downs, he is a very productive receiver there from Carolina. The production in the last two years, I mean, think about it. They lost Sam Howell. Now he got drafted to Washington and then Drake May comes in there and he has over a thousand yards again and eleven touchdowns, who he improved even in the touchdown area. So he's a nice slot receiver. A lot of people think he's like a Cadarius Tony type of player.

Cadarius Tony went twenty two overall or twenty one, I think to the Giants, ultimately traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, and he's a world champion. But I think a lot of people feel that way about Josh Downs. He's got the football background with his family, very productive player, there's no character issues. He's kind of checked all the boxes and he's got the great times. He had a thirty eight inch vertical and then as pro day did a forty two inch vertical and he's got a ten to

eleven broad So he's kind of checked every box. So I believe he's getting drafted. It may not be in the first round, but he's he's going to be a solid player. Are you more apt to fall in line with like a group of players like say three when you do your mock drafts? Because all these mock drafts keep coming out every Monday, Tuesday, when you name it.

They're fresh ones coming out. And now I think they're starting to change up a little bit, maybe just for fun, because you got all those quarterbacks, you're likely to be gone and that top ten certainly, But do you fall in line with the popular belief of what guys are looking or do you go for some shock and awe a little bit when you start doing this? No, I just you know, you try and follow the tea leaves.

You know, most of the pro day numbers are in now if most of the pro days are over with and now it's you know, just getting to know other stories about players, like thinking Stetson Bennett, the quarterback from Georgia. Right, that video just gets released by TMZ, Right, everybody see it. And here's what's funny is for Bennett. This guy's been a national champ two years in a row, and he's got very good production on tape. But everybody's like, oh,

he's small. Well, brace Young could be the first quarterback taken. And he's an inch taller than Brayce Young, and he's got every bit the credentials and numbers of Brayce Young, and so I think he got to dive into him. I think he's a Drew Brees type of player. I don't know how much that'll hurt him with that tape that came out. He's I think he's more embarrassed about it than anything. But he's a good quarterback and a very productive quarterback who was with Todd Makins down there,

who called the plays, so he's prepared. He's a good player that really nobody's talking about other than the off the field and you have to do your due diligence there. But again, he's got a football background and family pedigree that you know he's worthy to be. After that group of four quarterbacks, he's probably by production alone, should be the fifth guy. Take it in my opinion. All right, we'll talk more about the quarterbacks. Some interesting talk from

Caroline about number one, and we come back. We will talk some offensive line. We'll start looking ahead to the tackles with Jim Miller. I'm Jeff Joniac. This is Bears Weekly here on AM one thousand ESPN Radio on the Chicago Bears Radio Network. Is Bears Weekly with a Voice of the Bears for twenty three. Here is Jeff Joniac on the Bears Radio Network. Three weeks from tip off, it's the NFL Draft and we'll start breaking down the

positions here on Bears Weekly. Good to have you alongside Charlie Bevans, our producer, Jim Miller, Jeff Joniac with you on this beautiful night in Chicago after the rain and storms moved through the crowths course of the week. Jim, it'supposed to be eighties here in Chicago next week. I'm down with that. Yeah, I'm done with it. Two, I'm I'm done with winter. I'm done with winter. Yes, you're

a little a little further note through. Your still getting that cold weather, but the raining storms or something else. All right, let's dig into the tackles. It's certainly a hot topic here in Chicago as you look at this group. We're not going to certainly go through every player, but more specifically, what the Bears might be looking for. They like guys obviously to be road grading, run blockers, get out there to the second level and also with the

wide zone run game. But also they need pass protection for one of the unique quarterbacks in the NFL. Right now, in justin fields, what types of guys are you looking at that tackle position. Well, you got Broder Jones. He's an athlete, he can recover quickly from Georgia. He's a big man that just can absolutely move. Paris Johnson there at the tackle from Ohio State. Smart. He's worked with

Willie Anderson since high school. Many think Willie Anderson is a Hall of Fame player and Paris Johnson is about as good as it gets in my opinion. You know, you've got the bigger guys out there, Like everybody's talking about Tennessee the player Darnell Right. I think that aren't the Bears one of the teams that are bringing in Darnel Right? I believe they are. Yes. I mean that is a big right tackle who can physically move people all right. And then you got guys can stop right there,

because yeah, when you say he's six, I don't. He's a big dude. I mean that is a big guy and he can move. He can move, He can physically jolt you with his hands. And basically steer you anyway he wants you to to go. I mean, so he is a he is a I think he's got driving up the draft boards right now. He will go in the first round, is my opinion. And then you've got other guys that are out there that you know at the tackle position. Matt bergeron from Syracuse. He had a

really good Senior Bowl week, all right. He's from Montreal, and you wouldn't think this because a lot of Canadians and I played with a lot of Canadians at Michigan State. I mean, it takes him a while to adjust because they don't play a lot of the American game is different up there. But he came in right away and he grated out as one of the best offensive linemen for Syracuse on the PF grades. He played right away

and has played well. And so Paul Alexander works with a lot of these guys and speaks highly of him. But this is a really good tackle draft. There's a ton I mean, Blake Freeland from BYU. He's a four year starter. The guy's six foot eight and had a thirty seven vertical. Nobody's talking about that guy. I mean, yeah, and it's up five to forty. And I think as broad jump was incredible as well. Other guys. A lot of people have fallen down on Ryan Haze a little bit.

The Michigan tackle. H he only gave up one sack this year, played at the left tackle spot. But and he's really fluid and he's a good athlete. He's from good stock when you look at his mom and dad. But they put him at right tackle at the Senior Bowl and he struggled a little bit, and so everybody's asking him what was the problem, and he's just like, hey, you know my first time, Well he goes. I played right tackle before he goes, but I was just setting

too high. He goes. That's something I believe can physically correct moving forward. But he's a really good player. How about Anton Harrison, the tackle from Oklahoma. I was just about to bring him up six four three fifteen, all of twenty one years of age. But a mammoth, big dude who can move as well. And uh yeah, he did have twenty four reps. But he played left tackle.

He played right tackle some last season as well. But the best quote I heard about Blacks like he means it so that tells me enough right there, four ninety eight. His change of direction is like ridiculous. I mean, this guy can really recover, and a lot of people like him as well. You've got other guys. Jackson Kirkland, the kid from Washington. He was a left tackle and played left tackle, blew out his ankle, literally shredded every ligament in his ankle that it was like just hanging on

and so recovered from that. They put him at left guard. But Paul Alexander works with him. He says he can play both and he's recovered. He's big, he's strong, He's another six seven guy. So that Yeah, there's a lot of good tackles in this draft. Yeah. And Paul Alexander, of course, former longtime Bengals offensive line coach and has done a lot of good stuff in the draft here the last several years. Where are you at on Northwesterns?

Peter Scrotsky, Um, I like him though I think a lot of people I think you're going to try him at tackle. I think you have to and see if he can survive, and then if not, you kick him in the guard because some will have the issue with the arm lenk and he's not the ideal length that you want a tackle. You know a lot of people like that, those six five guys that are out there. He falls just short of that and his arm length. But he's an athletic kid. He's another kid who comes

from good stock with his grandfather and all that. And he's a good player and he probably is going in the first round. He's a solid player, without a doubt. Not a smart player, all right. I asked you this on text, do you have a sleeper tackle in this group? I don't care what round for me right now, I would think it would be that Ryan Hayes, you know, because a lot of people had him dropping like that.

I mean people were like walking away from the Senior Bowl like, you know, boy, that was really unimpressive just from the one on ones at the right tackle spot. But I think he'll be fine. You know, he's going to go later in the draft, but I think he'll be a solid player when it's all said and done. And you know, he's played at Michigan, he's played in Power five, he's played in big games. He's asked to do all the pro principles that you're asked to do, and I think he'll be a good player at the

next level. Yeah, there's so many guys, the different shapes and sizes. But you know, you mentioned the shuttle and so forth, and I know a lot of folks don't want to get too caught up in that stuff. The numbers certainly not of forty for an offensive lineman, but it all adds up when you're talking about athleticism, you're talking about agility. So the significance of those three cone numbers being so low for a tackle, what is it

telling you? What is it telling you for? Then? Well, yeah, I think, well, that's change of direction, it's quick twitch, it's the ability to recover. I mean, like those numbers that Blake Freeland that I threw out there. I mean, I've never heard of an offensive lineman doing that thirty seven inch vertical Are you kidding me? He only gave up five pressures, you know, grated out as high as any tackle in this draft. But when you get those

low numbers like that, it's recoverability, right. And obviously for the guards when they have that, because they're working in a phone booth anyway, they've got to be able to set quickly set an anchor re anchor again if need be and they've got the ability to do that. That's what those numbers tell you about their quick twitch and their ability to change direction or what we talk about for offensive lineman, it's mirroring your opponent, right, They're going

to mirror the defensive linement. If he tries to go inside, your mirror him, get there quickly to you know, wall him off, so to speak. And then they're going to have a counter move and you're able to change a direction and adjust to that, and you're getting that that you know that sumo fly down the inside, but you've got the balance in the change of direction to be able to do that and shift your weight really quickly.

All right, last one before we take a break. Jim Miller, Jeff Johnny aac here on Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand and the Bears Radio Network. Are you looking at Cody Mark as a tackle or a guard? Are you trying him first at tackle and knowing he can play guard, or where you went on him on putting him at tackle? This guy, literally, out of all the guys in this draft, he is the most physical offensive lineman in this draft, the most physical and probably the most vertical or versatile

because he can play all five offensive line positions. Absolutely crushed it in the one on ones down a mobile. Yeah, I know, he's the North Dakota state tackle and he's going against the big boys. He had no problem doing it and did it with authority. But they even put him at center. He dominated there too. Went out to write tackle dominated there because he's the most physical. He just imposes his will on anybody. And plus, if you were to put him at guard, he can move. Go

look at his numbers. You could pull that guy power plays or on the table, you know, wide receiver screens where you need your offensive line to get down the field and make those blocks. It's no problem for him at all, no problem. He loves it. And and I forget what his major was because he's a farmer. He's like an engineer. Yeah, he's like unbelieve's like yeah, you know, you know, I just go back and work on the farm. And I mean, he's who doesn't want that guy? What's

a sweet spot for him? He could go in the first round. I really believe that even Jim Nagee, the executive director of the Senior Bowl, everybody came away from that Senior Bowl a believer in him. So, but I'd say if he goes late first round, but minimum or high second at the latest for him, Like it's a great personality, get great personet loves the game. Certainly, he's got the hair and the no teeth and all that,

so he's got some character to him. And but the thing I love when you watch some of his high heights, he doesn't just finish a guy. He buries a guy and then he barrel rolls over the top of him just for fun. You know, that's the kind of guy you want around here. I like that kind of thinking. All right, we'll look at the guards. Coming up next here on Bears Weekly. We first break on ESPN one thousand and the Chicago Bears Radio Network. They see his Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears for twenty

three years. Jeff Junior on the Bears Radio Network bringing out the NFL Draft coming up here out of the month. And it's it's clocks chicking, man, It's it's ready to roll. Boards are getting stacked. Final thoughts, scouts are coming in, top thirty, visits continue, Pro days are pretty much done. Injured players getting some rechecks. When's that coming, Jim, Yeah, I think in the next week they'll have the medical rechecks in Indianapolis, So yeah, it should be coming. I

think next week that happens. Yeah. So I don't know if there's any significance that you personally are interested in finding out about, but I'm sure there's a few that could impact where guys are gonna wind up based on surgeries. I mean, and in Hooker's first one, I don't know if he's gonna have a medical recheck or if he's ready to roll, But that packs getting a lot of love lately, and he should. He's a really good player, very talented, And again I think you're playing the long

game with him. You know, you draft him, and you probably you're you're not going to play him obviously, it's not going to be healthy enough in my opinion, and he'll still be working along. And I think that's how you want to approach it. And I think that tempers the enthusiasm too of the fan base, knowing that you draft a player who is injured. I mean, think of how well it worked out for Jamison Williams last year for the Detroit Lions. Right they trade up to twelve

draft and injured player. I don't think he got on the field until December. I think it works out better for a quarterback too, Yeah, I think so. I mean, let's say if Indianapolis did take him at four and shocked everybody, think about that. That doesn't put pressure on Stiken. You know, if anything, the fan base is gonna be like, all right, I think everybody really likes him. They know he's smart, he's a twenty five year old, he's maturer, he's got I mean, the guy probably would have won

the Heisman if he finished the year for Tennessee. So you still you've got a lot of excitement. You can sell hope. But yet, hey, we're gonna take our time. We're gonna play the long game with him. Gardner, Minshew and who knows, maybe they signed Cam Newton, you know whoever. You know, say hey, we're just gonna, you know, bring this guy along the right way and let him heal, and Colts fans would probably be a static about that. Yeah,

we're gonna get into that in our final segment. The whole quarterback thing going on in the league with Cam and Lamar and all that, Let's dig into the interior offensive line back in the trenches with Jim Meller from Serious X have NFL Radio moving the Chains Bears. I've already added Nate Davis to the mix. Yeah, Tevin Jenkins off a good season last year. You got Cordy Whitehair potentially looking at the center spot, Lucas Patrick hopefully healthy

and ready to compete. You got Braxton Jones at the tackle position. But the interior the offensive line is significant as anything, as the Bears running game has really feasted on giving the football to the backs and heavy run game with Justin Fields helping out as well. So let's just I'm want to throw one right out of the game because a lot of these guys could be guard

or center. I'm gonna start with Steve a Vila from TCUTH, a guy from Arlington, Texas played Stare stayed at home captain, a big dude who's got a lot of good character with him. Pepper the unsung hero the national title team that competed for that. Where are you playing him or you want to test him in one or the other? Do you just like the versatility? Yeah, well I've playing him at guard. I mean because he's three hundred and

thirty two pounds. Go look at him even when they're getting smoked in the in the Champ game, that dude, I mean again, he could. He's a powerful guy who competes. Man, that guy just gets after it. I mean the score or whatever it was was a sixty five to seven. I forget what the score was, but uh, I mean even at towards the end of the game. Dude, that guy's pancaking guys. I mean, so he just competes. And so I do think he's you know, he's well thought of as a guard. I would think the first guard

taken would be Cody Mock. Would would be my opinion, as this or a shooting not Cody Mock, but Osiris Torn. Then I think Cody Mock, and then I think even Joe Tipman from Wisconsin. To me, he's too as a guard. I'm taking him as a guard. He's six six as a center. To me, that's just a little too much length at that position. I'd put him at guard. So I think o Cyrus Torrence of Florida will probably be the first guard. Then I think Cody Mock. He'll be drafted as a guard in my opinion, because you can

pull him and do things with him. So you got to think more G schemes with him. In power schemes, I think for him Joe Tipman, then I think would be the third guard taken and then I think of Ela. That's where he would go right after those guys went. All right, let's talk about Torrence. He was at the Senior Ball. He foiled a billionaprier to Florida after Louisiana went there, became a first team All American in SEC

l SEC right guard. The man they called Cybo. His mother called him Cyborg growing up because just looking at me, he's a box. He's six five and three eights at three thirty. What do you feel about him? Because I liked how he played during the course of that week. He does have that straightforward power in his game. What else do you like about him? I think he's a day one starter. He's an old school road grader, so he's got heavy hands. He's not a guy you're gonna

pull or do anything that with. He's just gonna move the He's gonna move. You know another guy who can just physically move the opponent. You know, there's very very few times does that happened in the NFL. There's some teams out there that can do it. Like I think the Lions their offensive line, they can physically move the defensive line. And that's what this guy does. You know, you're gonna he's just a massive offensive lineman that that's just gonna wear you out. And again he can kind

of steer you with his heavy hands. As soon as he gets them on it, it's it's over, man, it's over. So he's you know, he's probably will be like I said, probably the first guy taken. And what do you think of the class in general depthwise tackles. I think there's a ton of depth at tackles, Like it's the interior overall because like you said, you can switch some centers guards like we just mentioned Tipman, that's a good group.

It's a good group of offensive lineman. You know, one guy who didn't bring up is a meal uh echyor uh you know, he's the three year starter at Alabama. You know he's a really good player as well. You know, it's unfortunate through the other interior guard because he showed his toughness at the at the at the combine Andrew vorhees that he tores acl you know, he'll have to get the medical recheck. But I put up to twenty five, like thirty eight times the day after he tore is

a ACL. Got to respect it. Yeah, I mean, he's a really good player. He that's gonna hurt him. He'll probably drop a couple of rounds because again, you'll be playing the long game with him. But um, there are guys you know from last year from as I mentioned Williams, who the Lion's traded up to twelve. I think he's the highest drafted player with a torn ACL or a medical issue like that. But Willis mcgae he's been drafted.

There are other guys that have torn Yeah, there are other guys I can via Street the I think Philadelphia just signed him. He was with the forty nine the forty nine ers. He tore his his ecl at his pro day, and the forty nine ers still took him in the third round. So I think Voorhees he may go around later in that like fourth or fifth, because he just tours achilles. I think he was scheduled to

go around bottom of the second, you know, third round. Essentially, he may drop around because of that injury that he sustained at the combine. All right, let's look at the pivot John Michael schmidtz the home with flospmore products. So a local guy, big Bears fan. Parents grew up Bears Fanish. There's some other fans in that family, he told me as well. But a very likable guy. Early on. It was a lot of talk about him in the first round.

I don't know if that still is the case, but the Remington finalist had the highest graded offensive line grade according to PFF in college football and the highest graded run blocker. So a lot to like about him as a former champion wrestler as well. Yeah, got the leverage, like he says, has the size. Uh, he's a leader, um motivates his teammates. I think he is going in the first round and everybody poo poos that that that's not a good pick. It is a good pick, you know.

You go back to the Nick Mangolds or Travis Frederick when the Lines or the Dallas Cowboys drafted him, or say the Pouncy Brothers. That's a good pick, you know. And he's a good player and he's deserving of it.

He's smart. He was again fun to watch down with the Senior Bowl because like one time, the offensive lineman like it's a really hot day down there that that day, I think it was that Tuesday, and guys were kind of dragging and so like he was sprinting from drill to drill and he he was screaming at the old lineman to get up there with him, and sure enough, everybody followed him. You know, everybody followed that guy. And uh,

you know, I think he's going first round. There are a lot of teams that like John Michael Schmid's all right, where are you at? On o with Timmy from Michigan's two and a half three O nine, a high character guy transferred from Virginia. They did a great job with that more award offensive line there at Michigan, which they've done i think two years in a row. But Ben's a little at the waist. But what do you order your overall thoughts on his game? Yeah, I think he's

got size. Like running the ball, Yeah, that definitely, you know, you know, again that's a pro style and how they run the football. And I'm with you there. I think you know, he's showed in the one on ones he could anchor and really get down. I know he's a little bit lighter at six three three oh five. But he has the ability again, if you're gonna do wide receiver screens and stuff, he can slip get to the second level things like that. And you know, I think,

you know he'll be a solid player. I don't. I don't think he'll be a Day one starter in my opinion, but it will be a solid guy when it's all said and done. With his toughness, all right. Other ones to watch Ricky Stromberg from Arkansas, lifelong Bears fan growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And then I don't know if you've done any work, but I was working on this guy today. I don't know where he'll be picked in the draft. He's out of UCLA, but it's John Gaines

and played center. You talk about all these explosion numbers and the agility numbers. He had the number one agility number in the shuttle at four or four or five. He also had the highest overall agility score in the draft. And he just keep coming up. His name keeps coming up of late. What you know about him, Well, I don't know too much about him. But I'm just thinking of that style of offense because they ran the ball so well with Sharbonneau right the Sharbonna know, the running

back there who had just an incredible year. And again you have all the check with me stuff because of Chip Kelly. You know so again that that offense has performed at the NFL level, and that translates. And now you've mentioned the Senate that can move, but I have not done a lot of work on him, but just what you say, and it kind of translates with how they ran the football and that he'd be a good fit.

They're crazy thing too, is you dig deep in this the stories of some of these guys, the things they've overcome. Every year in the draft. I'm always fascinated by that.

We usually saved that stuff from draft day when the emotion is there and they get picked overcoming so many things and almost all these guys something you know, and then the transfers and how they go from a small school to a big school and they get to be all conference, are all American and proving they can compete against the very best and take it to the pros

and see where they go. When we come back, we'll take a look at some news around the league today, quarterback position in particular, and get Jim's thoughts on a broader scope is the Bears get ready for the NFL Draft at ninth pick in around one in three weeks.

Right here on ESPN one thousand of the Bears, Rady's Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears for twenty three years, Jeff Joniac on the Bears Radio Network and the home stretch of our show for this week, Jeff Joniac, Jim Miller, and we are rolling through some of the news of the day. It's going to be mostly about the draft. Let's start with Carolina, Jim the number one pick. What Frank Reich and that staff is trying to work

with in terms of making a decision. It's all over the map, including just reading a note on Twitter about apparently Reich's love for Richardson. But yet the idea now is Bryce Young When it maybe first was CJ. Stroud. Do we really is this all a shell game? Yeah? I think it is. I think you trade up to number one knowing who you want, right, That's just my opinion.

I don't think you can give away what they gave away just to go up there and say, all right, let's do our own work and see who you really like to decide this. I think they had an idea all along when when they did it. At least you should have an idea who you're going at. And I

think it's for those first two guys, you know. I think it's for either Bryce Young or c J. Strout, you know again, and the owner is going to be a big part of that as well, and Frank's going to be a big part of that in who he wants to coach, you know, that's that's going to be a big part of it and bring along. So they've got to get it right at they have an idea what they're doing. But yeah, I think it's all a shell game and everybody's just every day it's been a

different guy that they've just fallen in love with. They've been on this magical trip tour, right They've seen every quarterback. They were at every pro day, then went to the owner's meetings and finished up with Richardson was the last pro day that was last Thursday, and so they've seen them all right up close and personal, and they've taken them all to dinner and got to you know, hear

all the answers straight from the quarterbacks. And I think it's who impressed them most the most and obviously who did they feel that they can win with at the quarterback position. I have a hard time getting Richardson out of my head. Yeah, he is something he physically. I mean, did you hear anything about Richardson until the combine? Yes? I did, But I know what you're saying. It did blow up. But and I know that it's raw and it's twenty one and it's not a lot of experience

in fourteen starts, but the toolbox is impressive. Yeah, and he's raw, he hasn't played a lot. He's got a lot of work to do. And again, can you draft him and let him sit? You know, are you going to have the patience to sit him? Because he's not a guy that you can throw in there right away. His upside, I mean, he is literally the classic boom er bust right because he's got all the skills and

it's such a great athlete. And as everybody's been saying, Um, if he doesn't work out at at at quarterback, he may be the best tight end in this draft. And this is a big Yeah, that's quite the statement. All right. Why are the Raiders hosting Bryce Young? Um? I think they're just doing their due diligence a lot of times, you know, say, if if a player doesn't work out at another team, you still have gone through the process where, let's say he becomes available and maybe he's a player

you like to sign. And always bringing this up about Mike Rabel. Mike Rabel is supposedly when he was coming out of Ohio State, and I think Bill Belichick knew the Steelers were gonna get him. But Bill had, you know, brought him in and talked to him like and said, you know, I don't think we're going to get a shot to take. I get that, but this is Bryce Young, this is the quarterback. You know what I mean. It's it's pretty much one or two, right, But they could

there be some something brewing there. Oh, I don't think the Raiders have any any shot of moving up there. All right, let's talk about Cam Newton. I had a chuckle. I listen, I know the guy wants to play, and I don't. I do not fallow the guy for wanting to get back in there and get that back in the saddle. But he lists the quarterbacks that he's willing to be a back up for. So Justin's on that list.

DeShawn Lamar tah the two kid quarterbacks Richardson as well, Hurts Rogers, Josh Allen and Sam Howe as a former quarterback, and that kind of statement. How do you feel about that? I think he's a week too late, because wasn't he just had his pro day last week at Auburn tweeting out that there's not thirty two yeah better than me, which basically said I believe the starting quarterback. So it

seems a little disingenuous. A week later that maybe he thought about it and said, yeah, there's kind of no upside and what I tweeted last week, and now I better kind of retract that a little bit if I am going to have an oportunity, because I think a lot of teams would have an issue with that. You know, here he just projects himself as a starter. Now he's going to come in and be a great team player to be a backup, when he just said a week

ago he believes he's still a starter. You know, that room's important and how that room functions, how guys get along, Yeah, how the harmony, harmony and it you want a healthy, you know, how healthy quarterback situation. You know, I thought the Bears had one. You know, you look at how they insulated young Justin Fields with Andy Dalton and Nick Foles a couple of years ago. That was good. Last year, I thought it was good for him that it was

all the room. Final ninety seconds Ravens GM Eric da Costas saying there's a chance they could pick a quarterback in round one. Thoughts, Yeah, I can happening. Let's say, if we'll love us falls. Yeah, one minute, if will love us Falls, I mean, it wouldn't shock me. I mean, they can't get their quarterback side, and it came out the details of that contract, and they may have to go in a different direction because right now it's heading towards two franchise tags and he's out of there, so

you cannot rule that out. And if he's the best player on their board for them to take, yeah, I think, uh, I think they potentially might be taking a quarterback. And mac Jones is not being shopped. No, he's not being That's why they bought Bill Bill O'Brien in there to rectify that. All right, buddy, another show on the books. Nice job, Thank you, all right, thank you, Jim Miller. We'll talk to him next week from Serious x M

NFL Radios, Moving the chains. I'm Jeff Johnnyac. Thanks to our executive producer Bears Radio Network, Eric Kastrossky, our producer tonight, Charlie Bevans, Thanks to Dan Brilliant, Jordan Trentup and most of all you for listening. We'll talk to you next week. As we built to the draft, we took a look at the defensive side of the ball, the line of scrimmage, tackles and ends, and also look at the linebackers previewing the upcoming draft here in a few weeks. That'll do

it for us. Tyler Aki is coming up next. He'll be on from seven to eight here on a I'm one thousand ESPN Chicago and the Chicago Bears ready on network. We'll talk to you later. Good night, everybody, Thank you for listening to the Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears Weekly. Podcasts are available on the Chicago Bears Official line. Brought to you by Verizon and Apple Podcasts. Bears Weekly has been brought to you by Bett Rivers and Miller. Liked