The Chicago Bears Perfect 2019 NFL Draft

Projecting a team's draft picks is a fool's errand. It's impossible to know who a team will take, because I have no idea who will even be there when it is their chance to draft. Although I am trying to be realistic in who will be available for the Bears in this process, there is a chance that some of these guys are gone two, possibly even three rounds earlier than where I am projecting. And this is especially tough when projecting Bears draft picks as they do not have a first or second round pick, so I am only looking at the deepest, darkest parts of the NFL draft. And since the Bears do not have many picks, I'll also point out some guys I would like them to sign as undrafted free agents as well.

Round 3, 87th Overall: Amani Hooker, Safety, Iowa
I limited myself to one Iowa Hawkeye, but man, this is one that I feel very passionate about. I'm not sure if Hooker lasts this long, but if the Bears traded all of their picks to ensure they got Hooker, I would call this draft a massive victory. I have already waxed poetically about the Hawkeye safety, but in short, he's a versatile defender that could play safety or as your nickel back, can defend pass and run, and just always seems to be in the right spot at the right time to make a big play. The one concern about him (and nearly all Iowa players in general) is what kind of athlete he is, but he put those concerns to rest with a very impressive combine performance.
Outside of having T-Rex arms, everything else was incredibly impressive. He was named the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, and it's crazy that he could fall this far, but judging by where he is ranked by most "experts" this is a reasonable range for him to get drafted. I might cry tears of joy if the Bears end up with him.

Round 4, 126th Overall: Austin Bryant, Defensive End, Clemson
Little known fact, Clemson actually started four defensive linemen this season. I know Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, and Christian Wilkins get all of the love since they are likely first round picks, but Austin Bryant was no slouch. The guy had 17 sacks with 30.5 tackles for loss in his last two years with the Tigers, and he might have had more if he didn't need to constantly race his teammates to the quarterback. You can make the argument that he benefitted from not facing double teams, but he'll have the same luxury with the Bears as Akiem Hicks and Khalil Mack will be getting most of the offense's attention. If he slips this far, it would be a great addition to the Bears depth at defensive line. Also, I totally wanted to put Anthony Nelson here, but I promised myself I could only pick one Hawkeye.

Round 5, 162nd Overall: Ross Pierschbacher, Center, Alabama
Since Pierschbacher is a native Iowan, I did a deeper dive on him here. He started all four years at Alabama, starting at left guard and taking over at center for his senior year. To start at Alabama for four years with how proficient their offenses were would make me think that he'd be a day two pick, but I have seen a lot of mocks with him more falling in the 4th-5th round range, and if that's the case, the Bears would be stupid not to pounce on him to give them a strong backup for the interior offensive line, especially with Kyle Long's injury history. i will say that I saw more impressive play from him as a guard than after he transitioned to the center position, so I see him as a good guard but maybe just an average center prospect. Common sense says he shouldn't be here for the Bears, but common sense isn't exactly what NFL teams are known for.

Round 7, 222nd Overall: Jalin Moore, Running Back, Appalachian State
Not sure if you have heard, but you can find a decent running back later on in the draft. I feel like this year, it's Josh Jacobs, and everybody else. What order guys will fall is a complete mystery. Because of an injury, I would say Moore has a better chance to fall than most, but even I can admit that this seems like a fairly aggressive drop for his talent. Plus, even with his injury, he put up 27 bench press reps at the combine. Does benching help running backs? Not at all, but it impresses other dudes in the gym, and isn't that what's most important? In real talk, he was always productive when he was on the field, but his senior year was cut short after fracturing and dislocating his ankle on a touchdown run. I will say that I'm not sure if it's the ideal fit for Nagy's offense as the most catches he had in a year was 12, but that may have been by the Appalachian State design, or he may have trouble with his hands. Worst case is he can bench press like 1000 footballs.

Round 7, 238th Overall: Terry Godwin, Wide Receiver, Georgia
I have an affinity for five-star recruits out of high school. Godwin didn't light it up in college, but he still had a productive college career with a Georgia offense that would far prefer to run than pass. Also, with his smaller stature, he was never going to be the number one guy. I think he projects as a great option in the slot as he has great quickness and has the hands to catch balls in traffic. He is great for receiver depth and could also be an option as a return man.

Undrafted Free Agent Targets
Mathieu Betts, Edge, Laval
Oh, you don't know about the football powerhouse that is Laval? Apparently, you're just not that into the pigskin, because they are ten time Vanier Cup Champions, including a perfect season this past year, led by their defensive ace, Mathieu Betts. This guy is hands down the best Canadian prospect in the draft, and although his most likely destination is practice squad, there is enough raw talent to at least invite him to camp.

Jordan Brailford, Edge, Oklahoma State
Probably the least likely guy to be available, but he definitely has the talent to be a situational pass rusher where he could help out the Bears. I've seen him projected in the 5-7th round range, but considering that he ran a 4.65 and broad jumped 10.5 feet, I could see somebody taking a chance on that athleticism early.

Taylor Cornelius, Quarterback, Oklahoma State
Out of the six quarterbacks I saw when I worked with the East-West Shrine Game, I was most impressed with Cornelius. I don't think he's going to set the world on fire, but he could be a serviceable backup in the right offense.

Keelan Doss, Wide Receiver, UC Davis
Doss played at a small school and put up big numbers. Unfortunately, he got hurt at the combine, so that will knock his draft stock down a bit. I think it's likely somebody takes him in a late round, but if he's available, it'd be a great addition for the Bears.

Matt Gay, Kicker, Utah
He's a kicker; that makes him a great addition for the Bears. He's also 232 pounds, so that's pretty cool too.

Jimmy Moreland, Cornerback, James Madison
Moreland showed flashes at the Shrine Game, but what really stood out to me is how much the coaches (and even special guest Aeneas Williams) were trying to coach him up and getting on him for mistakes. It was clear that they saw a lot of potential in him, and I don't think it's a high ceiling, but he could be a serviceable player in the slot.

Matt Nelson, Defensive Lineman, Iowa
Hey, I could only project one player to be drafted by the Bears, but I might as well have them sign one as a free agent. Nelson played out of position as a defensive tackle at Iowa, but at 6'8", 295 pounds, he's perfectly built to be a stout defender as a 3-4 defensive end. I think he can set the edge, bat down passes, and occasionally get to the quarterback, but he was not put in the best position to succeed due to team need at Iowa. He'd be a great addition to provide additional depth along the defensive line.

3 Takeaways from the Iowa / Nebraska Game

I know I'm a little late this week, but there is still likely to be over a month before Iowa's next football game, so I think it's still timely enough. Anyway, it wasn't pretty, but at least Iowa got a win over Nebraska. Here are my big takeaways.

1. Mekhi Sargent Is The Man

Iowa has been going by a running back by committee approach this entire season. Sometimes it's Ivory Kelly-Martin, sometimes it's Toren Young, and other times, it's been Mekhi Sargent. As the season has gone on, Iowa has leaned more and more heavily on Sargent. Unfortunately, IKM has been battling injuries all season long. Toren Young is a good power back but Iowa coaches have not trusted him in the passing game. Luckily, Sargent has stepped up, and against Nebraska, he stepped up in a big way. He went for 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns and had teh big game from an Iowa running back that fans have been waiting for all season. His vision, quickness, and versatility in that he can fill any role you need from a back separates him from the pack, and I expect to see him as a big part of Iowa's bowl game.

2. TJ Hockenson Is The Best Tight End For Iowa

Before I get going, let me just say that I love Noah Fant. He's a freak of an athlete and should make a team very happy if he leaves school to ply his trade in the NFL. And although Fant is the most talented tight end on the roster, TJ Hockenson is the best tight end for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He's a better blocker, he consistently finds ways to get open, and he is more sure handed. Never was this more apparent than Iowa facing a fourth and eight with less than a minute to go while in Nebraska territory. They had plenty of options, but they chose to go for it, and they chose to throw it to Hockenson. It paid off as Hockenson caught the ball and two plays later, Miguel Recinos hit a game winning field goal as time expired. Yes, they should be using Fant more, but don't let it overshadow how great TJ Hockenson has been for the Hawkeyes.

3. Let's Appreciate Our Senior Defensive Linemen

AJ Epenesa had his one "holy shit" play, and Anthony Nelson was an absolute monster against Nebraska, but let's take a step back and appreciate the contributions of Matt Nelson and Parker Hesse, two seniors who were instrumental in filling a gap for Iowa's defensive line before helping build something special by the end of their time in Iowa City. Neither guy is a future first round pick, and honestly, I'm not sure if they will even be drafted at all. 

Parker Hesse ends the year with four sacks, a solid, yet unspectacular total, but the guy hustled his ass off and made some incredible plays in the running game. He was excellent at diagnosing plays which helped him outperform his athletic measurables.

Matt Nelson had even less impressive statistics, but he filled his role as the tallest defensive tackle in Hawkeye history (not looking this up, but it sounds right). Nelson only had one sack this season, but that was not his role for this defense. He was there to take up blockers and allow others to make plays. Had he stayed at defensive end, he may have been able to put up some decent numbers as he had five sacks in his sophomore year before moving inside. That just speaks to the type of player Nelson is. He is not built like a defensive tackle, but the team needed one so he moved inside and did the dirty work. Although Iowa has guys waiting in the wings, both of these guys will be missed in 2019.

4 Takeaways From The Iowa / Northern Iowa Game

Another week, another win for the Hawkeyes. Although Northern Iowa scored some touchdowns during garbage time, Iowa throttled the Panthers from the very start and finally had a dominating game where you can exhale and just enjoy the beatdown. Iowa should always beat a team like Northern Iowa in that manner, but as we know, it doesn't always work that way. Here are five big takeaways from Saturday night's game.

1. Nate Stanley Is the Best QB of the Kirk Ferentz Era...and the Worst Fit
Nate Stanley has the most talent of any quarterback Iowa has had on its roster during the Ferentz era. I would be very surprised if he wasn't the highest draft pick in a couple years, but although the talent is there, it's still very raw. That leads to total inconsistency, so although the ceiling is the highest, the floor is Jake Christiansen levels. The guys that have been successful under Ferentz haven't had the biggest arms, but they were accurate and quick decision makers. During Saturday's game, Stanley showed what he could he could be as outside of the interception, he looked great all game long. This is going to sound like a massive insult, but he kind of reminds me of Josh Allen with less arm strength and mobility. He still has a really good arm, but it's not a howitzer. His mobility, uh, yeah, that's not going to win any games. It's possible that he can gain consistency and accuracy in his throws, but in the meantime, he will guarantee that Iowa fans yell at their TV, sometimes in celebration, sometimes...not so much.

2. Iowa Doesn't Need a Lead Back
Ivory Kelly-Martin was supposed to be the starter this season, but due to an injury in game one, those plans have changed. In his place, Toren Young has taken over the lead role with Mekhi Sargent right behind him. It was always supposed to be a time share, but the percentages have changed. Luckily, the production hasn't. Iowa has two, and possibly three when IKM returns, backs that can be trusted to get in the game and make plays happen on the ground. In this game, Young led in rushing yards with 84 on the ground, including a touchdown, but Sargent had the more standout day as he had 72 yards, two touchdowns, and a 48-yard reception. The Iowa offensive line appears to be a lot closer to good than great, but these backs will get yards if given some holes, so even with an injury, there is enough depth to still keep the ground game churning.

3. Good God, This Defensive Line
Is it fair to ask whether this is the best defensive line during Kirk Ferentz's tenure? I know it's a bit absurd at first glance, but even if the starters can't quite be considered the best, Iowa has never had this amount of depth at all positions of the defensive line. Right now, the starters are Matt and Anthony Nelson, Sam Brincks, and Parker Hesse. If you swapped to the reserves of AJ Epenesa, Cedric Lattimore, Brady Reiff, and Chauncey Golston, that would still be a really good defensive line. There isn't a single one of those guys that I feel bad about when they are in the game, and that ability to swap guys out and keep them fresh may make this the most effective defensive line that Ferentz has ever had. As with all things Iowa, the big test comes this week, but even with the big hogs up in Wisconsin, they can't be feeling great about their chances on neutralizing this Iowa defensive line.

4. Tyrone Tracy Had 1 Catch, and I'm All In
Tyrone Tracy Jr. caught a pass from Peyton Mansell, and the fact that he caught the ball and looks fairly fast is enough to sell me on him being Iowa's best receiver. The wide receivers did have BY FAR their best game of the season, but I still don't have overwhelming confidence in any of them. Brandon Smith seems to be the most talented, and somehow Nick Easley emerged from the darkness to get ten receptions and a touchdown, but I haven't seen any of them reliably finding ways to get open. When Iowa can stretch the field with the vertical passing game, they are legitimately dangerous on offense. It gets them away from predictability where opposing defenses actually have to line up guys more than five yards off the line of scrimmage. I have no way of knowing whether Tracy can be that guy, but Iowa still needs one, so I'm just going to keep my wishful thinking.