Roquan Smith talks Ed Block Courage Award | All Access

All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. Good to have you alongside with my broadcast partner from News Radio seven eighty Tom Fair, and coming up in our next segment or two, we'll hear from Jim Miller from Serious

XMTFL Radio, the former Chicago Bears quarterback. And at the bottom of the hour, we're gonna be joined by Roquan Smith, the Ed Black Courage Award winner represented the Bears here for twenty twenty and outstanding twenty twenty season, looking forward to his return at twenty one and be looking forward to that conversation. Good evening, Tom, rough day, though rough day for all Bears fans the Bears family in general.

With news about Steve Mango McMichael, a diagnosis of als and you have been aware of this and have been visiting him and know intimately what the man's going through. But first and foremost prayers to his family, his wife, Mindy, his daughter, and everybody in that that circle, because it's a unique individual. And yes, his football playing excellence is something you often just go right to when you talk about it, but he is much more than just a football play here and a great friend and a great

guy he is. I love Steve McMichael and I always have, and I love him as a teammate, and I appreciate him as a friend what he did for me as when I came to the Bears as a young man, and we're so aware of the persona of the Bears defense. I knew what hamp was all about. I know what Mango is all about. I had four warnings of guys I was playing with in the USFLA, how good these guys are and how hard they practice in the day I walked into Steve McMichael when I was became aware

that he was diagnosed with ALS. I still see the Steve McMichael that I know at the first from the first time we ever met. That's the Steve McMichael that's in my mind. The Steve McMichael that I see nowadays, the disease as accelerated, and he is he is a different He is a a different shell of himself that he was when when I got to know him. However, my appreciation for him is not has not extinguished at all. Um. I love his knowledge. I love the opportunity ability to

talk to him. Um. When I hug him goodbye, it means a lot to me because I appreciate him so much. His wife Missty and his daughter Macy are a great support system for him where he lives. Inside that house, you get to go in there and you try to share a lot of memories and a lot of good time conversation of what we all used to be, because, believe me, I'm a lot different than what I used to be as a twenty three year old man, twenty

three year old young guy meeting Steve McMichael. But the memories, we talk about the instances that we've lived through, good and bad. In terms of a football life, there's still

there are such a media recall. So I think when the general public became aware of what Steve nickmichael is fighting through right now, there's sympathy for Hipple that noutiate the opportunity of the you understand what he was at the height of Anna's Again, that's still what I see, That's what I believe in, and that's the Steve Nickmichael

that I know and I'll always remember. Yeah, Dan Waiter here the Chicago Tribune did an outstanding job in a very difficult story to write, as Steve trusted in him. Also to Jared Payton, obvious connections with Walter and the fight that he had that Matt Suey was side by side with him, and importance to that family. He basically Jared called him his football playing uncle is Steve McMichael, who's his coach for the Chicago team that he played

for his last assignment. I think back in twenty ten, and you know it's it's family and the Bears organization also stepping up the McCaskey family, if I'm not mistaken, purchasing or help fund the wheelchair, which is hard to say without tearing up and getting emotional about just to think of that man and his persona. Like you mentioned, his personality, the energy which he brought with him when

he came into her room. He total like it is and still does, still does every single minute of his life. He puts things in perspective from his unique point of view. And I laugh and want to cry too at the same time, because you know he sit there and tell you you go through life's challenges with you, not just football, and he just put things in his unique way and

focus and he'll learned something from him every time. And you know long ago when you started teaching me with football is all about once you get to the inside out of what this game is and breaking down tape and everything about how significant intelligence is not just in the trenches at every position. But Steve McMichael was one smart football player. He was, and he hid behind it sometimes because he had that Mongo persona that was that big, rough,

tough Texas guy and which he was. However, he was super intelligent. If you would try to play him for something or try to get something out of him, he could see right through you. And that's what I loved about Steve McMichael's is his effort is hard work, his dedication to every one of his teammates, his dedication to Mike Ditka, to the mccaskeys and the Chicago Bears, throughout

his entire career. I remember going to a Chicago Slaughter game when he was the head coach of that indoor team, and I saw the way these kids gravitated towards him. They wanted to hear what Steve had to say. They wanted to watches his appearance on the sideline and the way he treated them and the way he treated them when they came off the field. It was kind of

like when I became a teammate of Ming. He was such a gracious guy and such an interesting guy to get to learn from because he was teaching me about offensive line play as a defensive lineman. It was never too big for him. He never He always had time for those types of those reps, the tools that he took, and he made you feel that the competition you were playing against on Sunday was not as good as the competition that I was facing throughout the week in a

practice every day against him. And you know, being there last week, when you see the wheelchair and then you see the van they got that has a wheelchair accessibility for him so he can get out, he's you know, he can Misty can drive him around and get to the different appointments and stuff he needs to be at.

But it's just the hardest thing when you go see Steve is when you hug him at the end of the time spent with him, because you're not being embraced by a two hundred and seventy five pound hercules of a man. He can't raise his arms anymore, so he puts his head on your shoulders and that's as meaningful as anything you can go through. Oh gosh, yep. Well,

I'll tell you what. It's quite the family you eighty five Bears had together, and a lot of you guys are stepping up, guys like Dana Hampton and Otis Wilson and Gary Fenzick, Dennis McKinnon, Otis Jay Hilden. I'm sure many others are going to make that journey and be there for Steve and the Bears organization. There is a go fund me page check that out as well as his supporters put that together because it's a costly, costly

journey they're about to embark on and have been embarking on. Okay, we pray for Steve and his family, that's for sure. We'll move on, take a break and were joined by Jim Miller from Serious Sex MNFL Radio get his thoughts on what is a less than a week away from the first round of the NFL Draft. Will break down some ideas what he's been hearing. I have a feeling it's gonna be a roller coaster ride of a draft.

It's all just ahead. Along with Roquan Smith at six thirty here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy score, Welcome back to Bears all Access brought to you by IGS Energy. Choose clean energy for your home at IGS dot com because every good choice adds up to a better world. When broadcast partner from news Radio seven eighty one oh five point ATFM WBBM Town. There, I'm Jeff Joniac. We welcome in our special guest each week at this time, Big Jim Met our quarterbacks Chicago Bears two thousand and

one and Serious x M NFL radio host. I'm moving to chains with Pat crowin good evening. Jim, how are you doing and what's the latest word you're hearing as it relates to the Chicago Bears for this week's NFL Draft coming. Yeah, good to be with you guys. Yeah, pretty exciting obviously. The big trade today with the Orlando Brown going to the Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore picking up another first round pick. It we'll have other compensation, But

I think that's an indicator too. When they pick up you know who they're going to play at left tackle. There could be a run on tackles I think in the first round. I think because it is a deep draft with tackles, but they're all different kinds. You got run blockers and at certain spots two right tackles that I think are really good that could be right there where the Bears are selecting with their first pick. Plus, you got to think if any of those quarterbacks fall

through with that entice the Bears to trade up. If they do, like who slips through and it's somebody that maybe they could target from that standpoint, And I still think there's some really good corners that'll be there as well. There's a lot of fighting right now. Who is truly the best corner As you got Caleb Farley with the

back injury out of out of Virginia Tech. Pulsey's medical went, well, you heard Dallas actually released all that tape on JC Horn saying, hey, the Dallas asked him in a basically a zoom call, Hey, j C, who do you think is the better? And he said, hey, no disrespect to Patrick Curtan, but I'm truly the best corner in this draft. And then Kyle Pitts, the Florida tight end, he chimes in and agrees with j C. Horns. So who knows. Maybe Patrick Curtan could fall hopefully to the Bears, but

I think a couple of tackles will be there. Tevin Jenkins obviously out for him for out of Oklahoma State. That is a big, burly right tackle that I think everybody thinks as a plug and play player. And with Massey moving on, now, maybe that's a position that the Bears were target and that guy definitely would be available where they are at twenty, just sitting where they are. You know, when you look at you think about the Bears offensive life. I mean you think about what the

position they want to get themselves in the draft. I think they have a guy like Jermaina Fetti who has played a lot of snaps throughout the entirety of his career. Now, if you're gonna draft a tackle and he has starting potential, now what are you gonna do with Jermaina fetti, Are you gonna put him into an already clogged middle of the Bears offensive line and try to fit him into

a position that you already have players for there. So I think the Bears, I mean, they really have to have a variety of selections that they have in mind just in case that plug and play tackle is not there, And even if he is, again you're gonna have to shift around guys. Maybe there's some movable pieces on the day of the draft if they've shown enough to other

teams that they can get in there and compliment their lineup. So, man, I think it's probably one of the most confusing drafts after five because there's a lot of teams that are in desperate need. There's teams that are at the bottom of the first round that desperately need cornerbacks. So I think the maneuvering on the first day of the draft and the second day of the draft for that matter, is that there's gonna be a lot of movement, a lot of phones ring in, and a lot of guys

that better be paying attention to their telephones. Well, who knows, they may attack the offensive line a couple of times. I just I liked Jermaine Effetti more as a right guard, and just guys that I've talked to around the league they feel the same way. When he was in Seattle, that was somewhat of a struggle for him and he had the penalty issues, and they just they believe he plays better at the right guard spot than the right tackle.

And so we'll see what the Bears do. Certainly, he's had the ability to do both, and that's that's good for him. You like to have that versatility as you can back up Tom. That's always nice to have on your offensive line. But I'm thinking of a big right tackle potentially could be in the wheelhouse for the Bears. That's if it's not in the first round. At some point in this draft, say you got you know, the Jalen Marshall kid from from Michigan, and he may be there.

As the draft rolls along, he could slip out of the first round. I think many have them going in the second round in the middle part of it, and we'll see what happens there. But there is tackles of all kinds that could be had in this draft. I think the most challenging aspect of it from the scouts that I've spoken to and other people that have been

in this business a long time. Is that And this was posted today too by Lewis Riddick of ESPN, that there's so much missing info on these guys, especially the medical because what one hundred and fifty guys went to Indianapolis. Some of those are rechecks, some just because they needed to get measured and stuff. I mean, it's a very risky thing when you're talking about draft assets and how much pressure there is on guys to make the right choices without getting face to face with guys and it's

just different. And I know everybody's on the same path as this, but the medical information and that's absolute lutely necessary, and to really look in at guy's eyes and see, you know, what's he really all about. I think it's gonna be That's why I think there's gonna be a lot of trades, gonna be a lot of trades out of this draft into twenty twenty two because they hope to be back to normal and have a normal process. And I think that could impact every team in the league,

including the Bears. Well, what about the receiver from Alabama that weighed in at one hundred and sixty six pounds. Now, is that like almost a medical concern because you know how physical the game is football is here's a guy that's healthy, but because he's one hundred and sixty six pounds, you know there's question marks about what he can really contribute to your team. Listen, what I've seen out of college, this dude can play football. I think if he can

play and he keep he keeps his body safe. But it's all I hear all week is one hundred and sixty six pound way and what you know, what does that mean for his future in the way he's looked at by some of the scouts in the NFL. Jim can help answer that. Yeah, well, I think for him when you look at DeVante Smith won the Heisman, Like you said, he was their kick returner and pump returner as well. So Nick Saban felt comfortable. You know that's you gotta be a pretty tough player to be a

return man. I think we all agree with that, and I think a lot of people when you look at his speed, I think his comparable as somebody like DeShawn Jackson. When Philadelphia drafted d jack so high, right, Everybody's like, oh, look at how wire he is. But the biggest problems with with DeShawn Jackson was that guy so fast he

lives in the future. He always had all the hamstring issues, um, you know, and things like that, and obviously he's had some issues from that standpoint, but he's a tremendous football player. I don't I don't you know he's not the top receiver. I think we know Jamar Chase is. Everybody says is the unanimous best receiver you know, since probably Calvin Johnson came out. He is that special of a player. Then

you've got the other guys. His teammate Waddle probably gets selected before Davonte Smith, but I think he's not cre but out of the first round. And there there are so many good receivers in this draft or Shot Baton and Elijah Moore from Old Miss. I mean, it goes on and on of all types xs z's slots. I mean, it's it's easily double digits that you'll have a plethora receivers to choose from as a draft road. And even then that fourth fifth round range, there's a bunch of

guys that had some really good careers. And again, you know when you go through as deep with the draft at least that I'm going into these guys trying to find out a little bit about everybody all the way through seven rounds, Tom and Jim. Is that because of the number of games played. A lot of these guys played a quarter of a season or no season, or you know, coming off an injured season they only played five games. It's very difficult because you don't have the

sample size that you used to. So it would scare me as a as a personnel man to you know, go in there and and and jump on a table for some of these guys, even in the later rounds. Well, it's I mean I was going through some of the big ten receivers today. You know Bateman, Rashad Bateman is you know, he's going up the draft board. Rondel Moore is going up the draft board. You know, at least those guys played and then you compare him and he's

a different player. But look at Nico Collins, who's typically he's gonna be probably an ex receiver in the NFL. He's a six four wide receiver out of Michigan. He's different than those guys, but he opted out. Like he said, I think teams much to your point, Jeff, they're gonna

want the more known commodity. So even if their games were limited like those previous players that I mentioned, whether at Purdue or Minnesota or and the players that least were able to participate in the Senior Bowl, you're probably gonna want to select just to be on the safe side, the more known commodity is probably the best way to say it. All right, let's take a break before we

join Roquant Smith at the bottom of the hour. This is Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy eight Score with Tom There, Jim Daim, Jeff Jonning AAC back in a few There's All Access here at Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score with our producer Pelio Rosso, who, by the way, Tom and Jim was the play by play man. He tells me the Chicago Slaughter, so he too moved by the news. On Steve McMichael today, that's pretty cool story. Steve was great to everybody, that's

for sure, whoever he ran into. If you get past I mean, look at his face and maybe some salty language, right guys, Oh gosh, you know the one thing about Steve is is I and I tell a story a lot of times because Ming was super encouraging in the weight room and like the exterior things that you had to be good at in order to be a professional football player, and he was. He was complimentary, he was encouraging,

he made you feel good. But then he also brought it out onto the football field when you needed a most so you know, he was he was an ever present guy from the weight room to the meeting room too, on the field and he did. That's where his influence is the biggest. Yeah, sad to hear that that news today. I know you guys touched on it earlier. And I've had cross paths with McMichael a few times of my time in Chicago. Nothing but total respect and we just

had great exchanges back and forth. A very intelligent man and everything that he was involved with. And uh, you know, so thoughts and prayers out to his family, but I think you get the genuine sense. And I heard Tom talking earlier about his teammate, you know, and it's sad where you get to this point in life. I've lost some teammates like Ryan Wetnight, who was a former Chicago baron. I think it all hurts, there's no doubt about that.

But you can generally see the true love of your fellow teammates and obviously the reaching out from Tom and all of his teammates. A truly special group, a very tight knit group. And I think that that really shows and really has been exemplified since the news broke earlier, what I heard about it today, I think that's just a byproduct of those locker rooms. I don't care what year, what team, If it was a tight locker room, those

guys are gonna be together for a long time. Jim, your team oh one and your other teams in the course of your career. You could feel it. You could feel it from the O six team here, uh and that group of guys and Tom certainly you're You're eighty five team that goes without saying they've they've despite despite all of what it was offense, defense, it's still you come together in times of need. So that's for sure.

Coming up here in moments, we're gonna be joined by Roquan Smith, the Bears Ed Black Courage Award winner of the Event Tomorrow Night National Event, the Award Foundation at six o'clock. Virtually everything, virtually obviously right now, Hey, real quick, before we joined Roquan that before last week's show, we didn't we didn't have the official ward. But to Sean Gibson back with the Bears, uh Jim at safety? That that relationship, you know. So there are some executives that

feel safeties. I hate to use this term, but they you know, Oh you can find them anywhere and the draft and you can run through him. And certainly we have had many safeties here in Chicago over the years. Lovey Smith's era, they kept drafting guys and playing him and drafted him and sometimes they get a lot of playing time and then they'd be gone. But there's been a rotation with Eddie Jackson. Does he benefit from having the same guy back there? There's gonna be likely competition.

But assuming this is a starting role again for Toshan, is that an important choreographed aspect of the secondary. Yeah. I like the resigning to Sean. I thought he displayed a lot of leadership last year. I think you certainly could see his energy and enthusiasm. He plays with a lot of heart. Thought he was very productive, sixty five tackles, had seven pass defense too interceptions. As a love for the game. And you know, I just I'd like the resigning.

I really thought he played well on the back end of that secondary, and well, you know, we'll see Eddie Jackson. I thought Eddie had a down year. We'll see if he's motivated to come back, bounce back and have a bounce back year from that standpoint, but yeah, I think that continuity always helps, and we'll see if he's able to hold and solidify that spot again, because I do think there'll be competition there at the safety spot. Yeah, I'm happy too. It completely changes all of my mock drafts.

I was considering the Bears take and saying, however, you know, I think that the safety has really become a difficult position in the NFL. I think when you talk about, oh, you know, running backs are a dime a dozen, or you can get a guard anywhere to come into play, or centers aren't that valuable to me? I think safety is as increased in value over the last ten years in the NFL because of the difficulty of the offenses

they're facing. It's not a predetermined run offense on first down and then we'll see how many yards we get. Maybe we'll run it again or we'll throw it for the first time. You got to be ready to be challenged on any down and distance, if you're a defensive back, if you have any coverage responsibility. So I'm really happy that Sean Gibson is back with the Bears, and I think it also can changes where they can go in the draft because there isn't such a vulnerability in the

center of that defense without him here. Well after our interview with Roqueine coming up here in moments, I asked my partners here to pick twenty fifty two and eighty three to come up with the right scheme fits for the Bears what we think they're gonna run at whatever position they deem appropriate. So you guys still have some time to think that through. We're gonna wait till after roque one. I got some ideas too. You know, I

always fall in love with guys. Last year, my guy was Antoine Winfield, guy wins a Super Bowl back there with his boy Tom Brady. I love that, But I got another one. I got another one this year after weeks of research. I just I can't get him out of my head. But I'll tell you about him later. You guys laugh at that all the time. It's Joe

usually the smallest guy in the field. Well, yeah, I mean I know the more the kid from a purdew that you fell in love with because he had like a sixty inch vertical jow, I backed off a little bit. Are you talking about Ryandell? Yeah? Yes, Jim overall your favorite player in the draft, regardless of position, in round got one. Now you just can't get out of your head. Well the guy bears or nobody, I don't care, whoho

is it. Well, we brought him up and kind of Jim Naggy put me on his radar screen down at the Senior Bowl. That Richie Grant, and it's a safety position. That guy's a heck of a player. You know. I think it's gonna be interesting to see which guy goes first when you look at Trey von ma Rig or Richie Grant or Richie Grant's just a fun player to watch, how he practices. He's just you know, he's kind of an old schools player, but he's versatile, he does it

all and extremely productive. And there's there's a lot of favorite players in this draft. There's some good players and we'll see what diamonds in the rough the Bears can uncover Tom Do you got one? You know it's gotta be given? No, Well, I it is it? Costume? Is that how you say offensive tackle? From Texas? You know? Thirty four stars, six seven, three ten. He's been there. Man, he's had his hand in. You know, he's got a lot of starts, he's got a lot of confidence, he's

got a lot of experience. So it's not a big transition asking him to come in and play immediately because that's what he's used to. And I think when you're a guy, you know, Jim, you know that, when you're dedicated and you want to be a starter every down you play a football from Pop Warner to the end of your career. He just seems like one of those guys that wants to be on the field. And you know,

kind of similar what we've learned about Jermaina Fetti. I know he's had his ups and downs and he's had some issues throughout it this time, but man, he shows up every Sunday, he's in his uniform and he's playing football. So when I think about the Bears and the need for an offensive tackle, I look at this guy in thirty four starts in college. He's got a lot, he's got a long track record of success, and he's gotten

better every year he's improved. And it's just like Kellen Mahon, the quarterback from A and M. He's a four year starter. His his UM stats have improved every year he's on the fields. He's gotten to be a better football player that's going to be able to transfer to the NFL level. So uh, but you know that I think his name is Pity the defensive end, the pass rushing from Michigan. Yeah. Yeah, So when I look at his frame, I look at his body, he reminds me of He's got a built

like a Khalil. And when I think of the two high, high profile pass rushers at Miami, I'm not as excited about those guys that maybe where they're they're falling into the draft right now. I like the framework of some of these pass rushers that earn leverage throughout their rush. They don't have to falsely bend their knees all right. Time to switch gears and get on board with our

friend Roquan Smith. The twenty twenty Bears representation for the Ed Black Courage Award is voted on by teammates kind enough to spend some time us here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score Roquin. You're with Tom Thare, Jim Miller, and yours truly, Jeff Joni at good to

talk to your congratulations on the honor. I know every time a player gets this award, and it means a heck of a lot because it's your brother in in the locker room that say, hey, you know, this is the guy that's that's really earned this right to represent the Bears in this fashion. And I'm certain that's that's how you feel about it, Isn't It absolutely lists a tremendous honor for me. It's good to be on here

as well. Thank you guys for having me. But yes, a tremendous honor to be voted on by my teammates means a lot to me and man, yeah, speak Tom. Obviously, a lot of this has to do usually with somebody overcoming something significant, whether it be physical or off the field or something like that. But there is an emphasis on sportsmanship and the courage to to lead and beat an inspirational locker room. So that that's on your that's

on your resume right now. And you know, you came into this sport at Georgia and emerging as a leader of that program, and you're you're leaning in that direction now with the Bears as well. Do you feel that now as you enter year four? Absolutely? I feel it like even going into last year, I was a bit more comfortable and felt like it was going to be a really good year, and then with this year here coming with year four, I feel like year three, in my opinion, was an appetizer to what I like have

on my radar for this year. So so a lot more comfortable and I'm very excited to get get back going. Roquan, congratulations, were super happy for you, and we're glad you're a Chicago Bear. I don't know if you had any defensive coaching changes throughout your college career, but in your short time here in the NFL, you're on your third defensive coordinator. What is that transfer like from going from one voice

in the room to the next to the next. It's a that's an adjustment for sure, because everyone's philosophy is a little is a little different than what they believe in. But the end of the day, I just look at it as if as if ball is ball, and there's only so many things you can call and only so many things you can run, and it's just about when you run them. And I feel like that's the that's what's the difference in like each and every defensive coordinator.

So I'm like, I'm excited for what coach decide and I think it's gonna be great, and yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Real Miller getting talk to you, I hope you're having a great offseason. And let me just ask this, what areas of focus for you? I know from your standpoint, I thought you had an all Pro year last year and just how you perform, but you know, areas where you want to get better here this offseason? Oh? Yeah, absolutely, there's always room for improvement, and I'm looking at a

lot of a lot of different things. I want to even get better at my past coverage. I want to get better at my block protection. That's definitely a thing that I want to emphasize. Not saying that I'm like horrible or anything like that, but I just want to improve at a lot of those things and different things in the run game as well. So I feel like there's a lot of things I can do to my overall game to help me improve and not just like one one thing in particular. Roquan, how do you feel

about the seventeen games? Hey, it is what it is, seventeen games. I'll be ready. I'll be ready for each and everyone. That's what I like to hear as well. Roquan Smith, our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six

seventy of the Score. I always find it interesting come draft time, ro Quan, because you start reading all the different profiles on guys watching tape, and everybody keeps saying how the game's change in And you know, the prototypical linebacker size has changed over the years, even in the

three four bigger backers. When you think of the Steelers three four, now those guys are kind of getting phased out to the smaller guys to keep up with the different nickel packages offensively, and you know they're even getting smaller than than than you are now. I mean, when you came into the league, the faster the guys that almost play safety, do you feel that change? And if you don't, how critical right now? Beyond your athleticism are your eyes as a defensive player. In the current way

teams are running offenses. Oh, your eyes are everything, and like the way they're running, the way offenses are attacking guys now, and they're more so just attacking guys with eyes and it's just testing your odd discipline. So that's a big thing. And if I was an offensive coordinator, I would try the same thing, do the same thing. But I think it's it's big that like so many

guys linebackers. You look at linebackers from you know, in the nineties, early two thousand and how they was two fifty, two hundred and sixty pound backers, Like, Yeah, it's not really that place that place anymore, man, because it's like it's running hit and then they're just forcing a lot

of linebackers in the coverage situation. So the better you can be at covering and running hitting, I think that's the longer you're last in this league because that's definitely where the league is going, and it's just about who's gonna make those In my opinion, where will you be watching the draft? Do you want to participate in the draft to pay attention to all the picks that fall off the board as you were just in that situation

a couple of seasons ago. Yeah, absolutely. I absolutely pay attention on a lot of guys from Georgia and stuff. I like to keep up with those guys, seeing what they're up to as well the guys from Georgia and Dan. Also just seeing my new teammates, seeing who we get excited to welcome those guys in. So I'll be looking

forward to that. Hey, Roquan, when you talk about improving your eyes, and you talk about all the responsibilities you have, when you talk about improving your past coverage responsibility, is that a conditioning thing or is that having better knowledge of the offenses that you're seeing in front of you, Depending game by game, I definitely think it's something to do with the offenses that are in front of you, and like what you're seeing in your route route recognition

that helps you out a lot because if he knows what a guy can do, you can let him run his route whatever, and you'll just be sitting or waiting on him. So I think that's big. And also I think it's just about actually focusing on yourself and stand true to your technique and when you don't know what the route may be, because you're not going to know the route every single place, so it's about just sticking through to your technique and glued in on your guy

that you're covering. Roquan Smith, our guest here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventies, score one more round of questions with the three of us, Roquon will let you go enjoy your weekend. Exactly what is your impression of what Sean Desai has up as leeve, Because you know he's been here a while, you've worked with him indirectly over the years here as a Chicago Baron entering your fourth season, it sounds like he wants it to be a pretty

aggressive attacking defense. Okay, might have lost Rokuan there. Okay, we lost ro Quan there on our phone call, so I will probably not be able to get back at this point in the show. But very insightful stuff from ro Kwan Smith and fellas he talks about those Georgia guys as he's ogel Are Monty Rice, Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, that that's just the defensive guys, Jim. There's so many Georgia guys out of that great program right now. So his guys that he's came in with, probably those guys

came in with him and he is. He's very intrigued by some of that. The Bears have drafted several Georgia guys. Obviously they may very well do it again while we have a chance. Let's take a break. We come back. Jim and Tom give us their best possible fits for picks twenty fifty two and eighty three should the Bears stay there Thursday and Friday of the NFL Draft. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six

seventy the Score. Jeff Jony Act, Tom Fair, and Jim Miller with you. Rokwan offers his apology at a bad line that dropped out, so we'll let him enjoy his weekend. Good to talk to him though. It sounds very fired up. Fellas again, another important season, impactful season. Hopefully you can stay healthy after stuffing that injury in the Packer game. Missed the playoff game, but a very big part of the bears defensive future. This segment of Bears Out Access

is brought to you by Athletico Physical Therapy. Visit athletical dot com. Do you request an appointment in clinic or virtually and start feeling better tomorrow. Okay, pick twenty round one Thursday night. Should they stay there? Start with Jim Miller, who might be the best fit no matter of position for the Chicago Bears. In your opinion, I think those corners are off the board. I don't think those quarterbacks are going to fall through unless the Bears trade up

to get a couple of spots. You know how I feel about JC Horne. That's a press man corner down to South Carolina. Love him, but I think that's where some tackles start to come off the board. If Da Saw is gone out of Virginia Tech, I think then you start to turn to the guys we just talked about Tevin Jenkins out of Oklahoma State. You look at him, six five three seventeen. He's got thirty three and a half inch arms a ten. He can move as well. But I think you're looking at a strong starting right

tackle right there. I think Tom made a good call on Sam Cosmi. If tackles do start to run and the Bears have a shot at him, his numbers are incredible. Six foot six out of Texas, three hundred and fourteen pounds, ran a four eighty seven at that size. Everybody thinks he's a can't miss player. So he's got strong hands,

tremendous work ethic. An offensive line coach for thirty years, said, he's got an athleticism in the determination and he loves him from them from that standpoint, so if the corner's not there, I will definitely take one of those offensive tackles that I just mentioned. Well, and Tom Herman's on the Bears staff, so he knows very well what they're dealing with with these players. Tom who who at twenty four? You? I like? I said, I'm going with the big offensive

tackle from Texas again. I like the fact that he's got thirty four starts. Jim talked about all of his measurables. He's proved that he is. Uh, he's in it to win it, he's in it for a lifetime, and um, that's what I want. I don't want to have to feed the sport to a guy. I want him to already be at the buffet table. Like that line. I am intrigued by Tevin Jenkins for what it's worth from me, if if that's the route they're gonna go with tackle the quote that I just can't stop thinking about that

he just keeps talking about his quote. I'm I'm gonna be one of those guys who will finish people in the dirt. And that's the kind of mentality I wanted my offensive lineman certainly, and the outside there. Um, oh, go ahead, go ahead. Be careful what the player says about themselves. If you recall when we drafted that offensive tackle in the first round from Wisconsin, before the draft, he said that he is the best offensive tackle in

the draft. We're talking about Yes, you know, you hear it. Yeah, don't fall. Don't fall for the self promotion, fall for what they've proved on tape. All right, I got you. And in terms of pick number fifty two, Jim Miller second round. Yeah, so if they're unable to get the corner first round, let's say that they elect to tackle war Say, if they do get a corner first round, then you still have tackles left that in the second round. I mentioned Jalen Mayfield potential out of Michigan could be

a guy target. Plus there's other tackles that are going to be there as well. But for me, it's kind of those two corners that you mentioned out of Georgia. Both come in over six foot. When you look at Tyson Campbell and Eric Stokes, all right, ran a blazing Stokes ran a four What do I have met? Four? Two nine was his forty yard dash. Tyson Campbell he's kind of rising up the board as well. He ran a four to three to six. I actually think Tyson will be gone at that point, but Stokes could still

be there. But numerous Campbells are going to be there. Kelvin, Joseph and Kentucky will be there. I would think Aaron Robinson from UCF would also be there. That would fit the bill. These are bigger corners that can run. But I'm thinking trying to target one of those one of those corners out of Georgia that are two press Man corners. Tom. You know, will Bateman still be around in the second round? Hor has he gone? For sure? I need size at

the receiver position. I love Darnell Mooney. There's so much uncertainty about Javon Wims and Anthony Miller that I don't know what where to consider them. I love Alan Robinson, but I need some size at receiver. And you know, Jim brought up Collins from Michigan. There's a six four guy. And what I like about Collins is he played for a coach that has a really tough guy attitude and

sometimes you bring that to the next level. You were raised by Jim Harball in the college ranks, and if I if you can give me a significantly sized receiver, and then when you think about Jimmy Graham and Cole Comet, you're talking about pretty big receivers to help the quarterback position. Yeah, the slop position is something I'm looking at too. I would consider if he does not get in the first round, maybe it's too late for a guy like Elijah Moore.

There's a lot of speed, there are size receivers. There's a whole buffet, as Jim has mentioned. Now just throwing this out of the table because of the back injury. And I know we're probably running along on your gym. But if for some reason, Caleb Farley is there at twenty and then you go to Saint Dylan Raddin's the offensive linement from North Dakota State in round two, would that be a scenario that could work for the Bears. Yeah,

there's no doubt. I think that's just the medical competitive advantage. You know, supposedly his re check at Indianapolis went well, I guess there was nothing here. But again, team's personal doctors are gonna have to look at it make that decision. You know. I think the Bears have, you know, made their share of mistakes. I think self admittedly, when they've you know, basically selected a player that coming off an

injury and it didn't work well. So that's all going to be from the medical and the doctors in order to make that decision. But I will say this about that for you in a tech corner. That dude can absolutely run. He can flat out run all over the field. So we'll see. I think people got him falling due to that that medical but we'll see who's willing to take the chance on him. All right, So here here's my guy, my little guy for the year. It's Elijah

Molden out of Washington. I really love this guy's play. Now, he's pure slot, but you know he's got some feistiness. At five nine and a half one ninety two, there's a lot to like about this guy. We don't have enough time to break him down, but I'm just throwing out a dot there and table. Now. We can't go through a buffet of players here at eighty three because of time. So, Jim, you gotta give me one player third round. Who's it gonna be going quarterback? I knew

you would. There's gonna be three guys there. You gotta give me one. Trask is probably too heavy footed, so I will go with Davis Mills. I love that he throws the football and he's athletic enough to do all the things the Bears are looking for. That dude can sling it. Dom Cam buying him quarterback cornerback Calix Ryan Pace did a nice job of picking Jalen Johnson in the second round, got play out of him. I'm gonna see if he can do it in the third round.

So you're going quarterback free for the first three rounds. Quarterback quarterback free. I know I'm saying you're going. I said you're going quarterback free. Yeah. The Stanford wants to add another golden dover, he'll go block the next round. Oh, then he wants Jeremiah Wis to Karamawa or Karma that guy something else. Now that's a chess piece. Can they afford something like that? I think they'd have to trade up to get him. Okay, do he's such a versatile player. Hey,

looking forward to this draft. I think it's all over the map. There's so many guys that you gotta say, Man, he look good in the Bear's uniform, and you hope that would be the case. But who knows how it's gonna work. I think there's gonna be a lot of trades. I know you'll be breaking it down on Serious Sex M NFL Radio, and we're not gonna have a show next week for the draft, so we'll be reviewing the draft the following week. Jim and so have a great,

great week next week. I know it's right in your wheelhouse. You guys do a ton of work and enjoy it. I'm gonna be fun a lot of it, and I know you guys will be all over it as well seeing who the Bear select. So yeah, let's all enjoy. It's gonna be great. Exactly. We'll be on WBBM on Thursday night and then Friday Saturday the score of a ton of draft coverage as well. We're gonna take a break.

Tom there returns with me in a moment on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score Credict two and where the Bears will play each week this season and you could win twenty five thousand dollars. Enter this schedule prediction challenge brought to you by United Airlines at Chicago Bears

dot Com. Jeff Joniac Tom there wrapping things up a couple of minutes before we added off to Anthony Aaron here on Chicago's Sports Radio six seventy the score, you'll be talking NFL as well as a big another big explosion of runs by the Cubs today as they wipe out their opponents with a fifteen run seventeen hit attack today. So thirty eight runs in their four game winning streak. All right, Tom, So we always talk about what everybody needs,

what don't the Bears need in this draft? High on the draft, though, I don't want a tight end, you know. So at last year, at the first nine games, m Jimmy Grahant played six hundred and thirty six snaps in the first nine weeks. In the next nine weeks, Cole played more than him at six hundred and three snaps. So I like how they compliment each other, and they have a couple of other tight ends that are very playable.

So if you find a guy in the free agent Marketer down the road, Yeah, take you know, take a chance on him, depending upon what type of look he has. And I would go interior offensive line because there it's a it's a log jam, there's there's a lot of guys there that can play start. The competition is gonna be good. I would say, if you're gonna go on the offensive line, I would like I would prefer anyway

that you get another tackle into the mix. But you know, it's funny because if you got a guy like the USC kid Elijah Vera, if he, you know, could he play tackle, looks like he can, but maybe he is a guard at a pro Bowl level. That's the way the thinking process is. But do you pass on somebody like that? No, you don't. If if that's somebody you

have highly graded, so you go best player available. I really don't think that's cliche, and I think that's that's something the Bears are going to have to look at everything else on the table for this Bears team in twenty twenty one. Looking forward to it. Tom good job, we'll talk to you in a couple of weeks. Draft coverage all week long on WBBMN six seventy The score thanks to our crew, including Jim Miller for Tom Thayer, I'm Jeff Joniac. Thanks to Jordan Trutup, Dan Billy, Julio Rosso,

Anthony Herron. Next on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Good night, everybody, Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes, or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Lite