We're some 40 hours free of the end of the draft and a lot of thoughts have been kicking around my head about these guys. Probably yours too. So let's get them out there. With apologies to Peter King, here's some things I think I think:
2a. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington - The one pick I got right in my mock, and I wasn't at all sure about it because it heard that CB is not a priority in the Flus defense. Still, I always saw #2 CB as the biggest weakness on this team as a whole - I don't trust Graham (yet), Vildor is still not ready, and the rest of the guys are slot guys. We desperately needed another legit CB with Jaylon, especially with all the WRs the Vikings allowed the other teams in the North to draft. I expect growing pains, as there are with pretty much any rookie CB, but I'm a fan of this pick. If Graham also proves he belongs and Tavon Young is still a consistent nickel, our CB room suddenly looks really nice.
2b. Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State - So, this is the "sliding doors" pick in the draft to me. We did not have a starting caliber safety on the roster besides EJax. On one hand, I think most draft boards had Brisker higher rated than the WRs left on the board (Pickens, Pierce, Moore), so when Poles says he trusted his board, I have no reason to doubt him. When we look back at this pick (and the next one), I will be interested to see if we would have been better off with Pickens/Pierce/Moore and then Nick Cross in the 3rd, or with Brisker and Jones. Poles talks about not forcing the board, but I have to think by taking Brisker he felt a little forced to take a WR in the third. Was that the right call? We'll see in a few years. But Brisker is a better prospect than Cross (just as Pickens, Pierce, and Moore are probably better prospects than Jones). I like Brisker a lot. Where this team is, right now, knowing you need the give Fields more help, I would not have had the stones to take him over a WR. But that's where I'm where I am and Poles is where he is.
3. Velus Jones, WR, Tennessee - As I said in the draft thread, I don't get the criticism of Jones as a "gadget player" considering he had more receptions last year than Pickens or Pierce have ever had in one year. The Deebo comparisons - look I get it from a measurables standpoint, but it's like how there for a while every kinda fast, elusive, small RB in the draft was compared to Darren Sproales and most of them didn't ever get close. The Bears say they have a plan for him and I should hope so. I don't really care about his age at all - he seems like a mature guy in his interviews, which is a nice change from the attitudes we see from some new receivers. My main, I won't say "concern" exactly, but maybe "hestiation", is that they took a guy who is more valuable to the team (given his return ability) but not as valuable strictly on offense, where you need help. We have guys who can return kicks - Herbert, Newsome, now Ebner (below). Given where this team, and Fields, is right now, I think I'd rather have a guy who contributes more to the offense than someone who helps out in several phases. There's going to be a lot on his shoulders and he seems up to the task. Apparently Poles talked with Fields about the WRs and Fields gave his seal of approval to Jones. Hopefully he's working out with Fields as we speak.
5a. Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah - Finally an O-lineman (one of many) and seems like the best potential fit at OT. I would keep him there, personally, since we are thin there and the rest of the guys we got project more to OG. I think he's your swing tackle next year and maybe going forward.
5b. Dominique Robinson, LB, Miami (OH) - Just the kind of swing this team should be taking. Was one of the highest rated guys left on the board, and can learn from some good pass-rushers on this team. He might end up on the inactive list for the first half of the season given his lack of experience at the position, but I could see this team trading Quinn to a contender during the season and getting him more snaps during the latter half of the year. The video and reports I saw from the Senior Bowl seem really encouraging.
6a. Zach Thomas, OG, San Diego State - I don't really know with the rest of the linemen. I like the strategy of drafting a bunch of guys with traits and seeing what shakes out. I typically don't really love the "this guy was an OT in college, but he's probably a guard in the NFL" because my reaction is usually "why don't we just draft a guard who we know can play guard?" but I understand the value in having someone who can play OT in a pinch. Seems like a good dude based on the press conference I saw.
6b. Trestan Ebner, RB, Baylor - Maybe my favorite pick in the draft and someone I had legit never heard of before seeing his name come up. I've seen a lot of highlight videos, but this one got me stoked on this guy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzsXKFUuIHM). He's basically your Tarik Cohen replacement except bigger and a little less elusive. I see reports saying he's a "plodder" but he seems really smooth when I watch him and seems to be really running away from dudes. I think he is active most Sundays and contributes on a regular basis next year.
6c. Doug Kramer, C, Illinois - Seems kinda small for center - might have to bulk up like Mustipher did. Obviously it's cool that he is a local guy that grew up a Bears fan, so I'll be rooting for him to stick around. Might be down to him or Mustifer for the backup center spot.
7a. Ja'Tyre Carter, OG, Southern - Same "analysis" as for Thomas. It will be very interesting to see who shakes out from the O-line guys.
7b. Elijah Hicks, S, Cal - This dude, man, I don't know that I've seen anyone this excited to be a Bear. I assume everyone's seen this video, but if not, enjoy (https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc_nMqSlbUY/). Also seems like a great guy who raised a bunch of money to feed local families during the pandemic. He's pretty much a DHC clone - both spent 3 years at CB, then moved to safety their last year, both did a ton on special teams, both are a little limited athletically but seem to put themselves in the right place at the right time and are willing to help out any way they can. I'll definitely be rooting for him and wouldn't be surprised if he makes a big play or two this year, like DHC tends to do.
7c. Trenton Gill, P, NC State - I got nothing. He's a punter. He looks and sounds like an intern at an accounting firm. The difference between a very good punter and a below average punter is imperceptible to me. It'll either be him or Winslow as the punter and I honestly could not care less.
Where is everyone else at?
