DA BEARS 2017 TEAM MOCK

April 23, 2017

Just in case someone out there missed it, this team is in total rebuild mode, no matter what DA Bears house mouthpieces tell you. Spin it anyway you want, but when a team just cuts loose players like CUTLER & JEFFERY & others, they are starting that roster over. So, let’s help give them some more new blood to hopefully finish off their foundation.

Round1 Pick3 JAMAL ADAMS/S LSU 6’0/214 PPR#3
Don’t tell me you can’t take a S this high. Remember we just agreed it’s start over time for this team. And ADAMS is a great starting point. He is so talented that it’s almost scary. He can run and he can hit. And he does it faster and harder than most others out there making their living in football. The son of a former first round draft pick (George/RB/Giants) he can be the guiding light of a newly restocked secondary as the coaches try to sift the pepper from the fly shit. His 4.44/40 speed is outstanding. So are his 33 3/8″ arms. Just look at his stats from his 2016 season: 76T-7.5TFL-1S-4 PBU-1 INT- 1FF. Draft him and let him play.

Round2 Pick36 EVAN ENGRAM/TE OLE MISS 6’3/235 PPR#44
The beauty of this pick is two-fold. It adds some depth, starting near the top, to the TE corps & provides another downfield threat for GLENNON to throw to. All because ENGRAM is the best of the move/hybrid TE class. He ran a 4.40/40 at the Combine and that is a legit speed for him. He’s not inline, but every team is finding someone like him to help spread the field and stretch the secondary. His 10″ hands & 33 1/2″ arm length create a large target area to throw at. He caught 65 balls for 926 yards & 8 TD last season for the Rebels. Even though he is a TE he effectively replaces ALSHON in their receiving corps.

Round3 Pick67 TANOH KPASSAGNON/DE VILLANOVA 6’7/289 PPR#73
Help yourself to a huge piece of clay to be molded into a Pro Bowl DL. He’s raw as hell but the upside is phenomenal. Try picturing 10 7/8″ hands & 34 7/8″ arms. Those are vines folks. And how about a Combine 40-time of 4.82. Fans in Japan would probably nickname him Godzilla, affectionately. He was a big star on the big stage that is the Senior Bowl. And as MIKE MAYOCK likes to say, ‘he doesn’t know what he’s doing yet’. He should blossom in a couple of seasons, which is when the roster should be coming together to contend for an NFC North title run.

Round4 Pick111 ELIJAH QUALLS/DT WASHINGTON 6’1/313 PPR#115
While we are fixing the DL a bit, let’s top off the job with one of the most physical and gifted big men in the game. QUALLS absolutely amazes at times with his combination of power and agility for his body type. He and EDDIE GOLDMAN should give the team a very solid NT tandem to rotate. QUALLS is very quick off the snap and is often able to shoot gaps to collapse the pocket. His 5.16/40 isn’t all that bad for his bulk and body size. He will chase the ball further than you might expect from a guy his size and shape.

Round4 Pick117 CHAD HANSEN/WR CAL 6’2/202 PPR#116
Don’t let his 4.53/40 time fool you. Once this long strider gets his momentum going and puts some moves on defenders he is often able to be wide open 15-20 yards downfield. He and ENGRAM should really buoy up the receiving corps. Last year at CAL he caught 92 balls for 1249 yards & 11 TD. And that was while missing the last 2 regular season games to injury. He has 10 1/8″ hands sprouting from his 32 1/8″ arms. His best is yet to come.

Round5 Pick147 ADAM BISNOWATY/OT PITT 6’6/305 PPR#146
Been looking for an OT to add to their OL group since Round 2. But rather than reach beyond value at the Pick I held out hope that we could find some quality later on. And here he is. Best aspect of his game is in the run game, which plays to DA BEARS running game as triggered by JORDAN HOWARD. He’ll be best served at RT. Pass pro is not his forte’ but his long arms (33 7’8″) and huge hands (11 1/4″) do help his cause in pushing pass rushers away from the pocket, thus buying some extra time for his QB. He’s a tough kid, who likes to mix it up. Defenders don’t look forward to battling him all day long. He has a chance to beat out BOBBY MASSIE for a starting job. More than held his own against top level competition every day in Mobile.

Round7 Pick221 AVERY GENNESEY/OT/G TEXAS A&M 6’4/318 PPR#215
Was projected as a top 10 OT prospect heading into the 2016 season. But he slipped back, primarily due to some poor fundamentals and less than nimble feet. But with some special coaching help he might be able to clean up some of those issues and eventually fight for a starting job, perhaps inside. But at the least he might offer a very good option as a 4-position backup on game days. 5.40/40 at the Combine confirmed his lack of quickness and foot speed. But his 9 1/2″ hands & 33 5/8″ arms are at least adequate for short term duty at OT if needed. Good value for Round 7. Seems to have some upside.

That’s all we can do for now BEARS fans. DA BEARS would now appear to be in a position to sort through some areas where they have volume but unproven quality, like in the DB group. If keepers can be established this year, then next year they should be able to target very specific need areas in VFA and the 2018 Draft. Patience along the Midway, while more Monsters are accumulated.

Pigskin