Scouts Need to See More
The Bears will get a second look at Trey Lance, if they're thinking of moving up in Round 1 to take him.
Like quarterback Justin Fields, Lance will have a second pro day. Unlike some players who have multiple pro days, Lance actually may need it.
Lance's second North Dakota State pro day will be April 19 and the reason this is a good thing is he is still a relative unknown quantity heading into this draft.
Lance really played only one season at North Dakota State, was brilliant but at a lower level of football. Then he played only one disappointing game in 2020 before his team's season was wiped out last fall by COVID-19.
The one season Lance played was the length of an NFL season for North Dakota State because it included a run to the FCS title game. But even in 16 games he didn't throw many passes.
Lance averaged only 17.9 throws per game and he ran it 10.6 times a game, gaining 1,100 rushing yards. He was 192 of 287 (66.9%) for 2,786 yards. The much publicized part of Lance's season was his 28 TD passes without an interception
Then came his one game last fall against Central Arkansas and he completed only 15 of 30 for 149 yards and two TDs with his first and only college interception.
Lance never was clocked in the 40-yard dash at his first pro day and there's no doubt scouts would love to see this. He told NFL Network he didn't need it because he had worn a GPS device to measure his speed in a 2019 game and it had him running 21.54 mph on a long TD.
This would have been among the top 20 times for the 40 at the NFL combine last year.
Lance definitely has no problem running.
"I think that's one of my strengths, is being able to move the pocket and get out of the pocket and scramble and make plays with my legs," Lance said on his pro day Zoom interview.
It's his passing scouts want to see.
Lance threw it 66 times at his first pro day and it had many skeptics quipping that he threw almost as many times on that day as he did in his entire college career.
Fields' second pro day is slated for Wednesday at Ohio State.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
