Bear Digest

Finding Their Next Nose Critical for Bears

Last year's attempts to bring in a one technique to play alongside Justin Jones failed for the Bears and here's what's available in the draft at the position.
Gene Chamberlain|
Finding Their Next Nose Critical for Bears
Finding Their Next Nose Critical for Bears

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Chicago Bears

Besides needing a dominant three technique, the Bears need another Ian Scott.

When they had Tommie Harris as a dominant three technique, it started with Ian Scott as his sidekick at the nose. The nose in a 4-3 scheme like the Bears run has the responsibility of keeping the center from double-teaming the three-technique defensive tackle and Scott did it reasonably well.

Fast forward to last season and the Bears brought in a few defensive tackles to play alongside three technique Justin Jones and none of this worked out. Mike Pennel and Armon Watts, as well as holdover Angelo Blackson, didn't work out well according to team run-stopping stats as well as Pro Football Focus. The website graded 126 interior defensive linemen and those three all ranked in the bottom 26.

The trouble with the one-technique nose tackle as it's played in this scheme is it's an uncommon acquisition. It's also likely to rank well below getting a three technique and defensive ends. 

Lighter, Not Heavier

The requirements in the Bears' one-gap approach are not for the big hunker-down road block, and this is what most of the college nose tackles are.

Siaka Ika of Baylor is an example, at 6-2 1/2 and 350 pounds of a two-gapper and not a fit for what the Chicago Bears do.

Players around 300 pounds fit better. Wisconsin's Keeanu Benton might be the best option for the Bears here in the draft. He is a lineman who could play either three or one techniques.

Benton is 6-foot-4, 309 and the NFL Draft Bible's scouting report on him describes someone who can fit as a one technique rather than a three.

"He is never going to be a high-level pass rusher but Benton is able to walk offensive linemen back," NFLDB said.

Penn State's P.J. Mustipher receives high marks from NFLDB for an ability to line up from a true nose to the three technique if required. The brother of Bears restricted free agent center Sam Mustipher, P.J. is 6-3 1/2, 315 and the NFLDB scouting report on it was "...an interior defensive lineman that can provide suffocating run support from various alignments."

SEC Defensive Line Help Available

In later rounds, Alabama's D.J. Dale might rate an ideal nose in the 4-3. At 6-2 1/2, 307, he's given a seventh-round grade by NFL Draft Bible for defensive tackles and is referred to as "squatty" in their scouting report. However, that's kind of the ideal player for this role of keeping the three technique clean.

Three other players from the SEC could fill that role. 

One is Cameron Young of Mississippi State. At 6-3, 316, he's at the top of the weight they would want for the role, if not a bit too heavy. NFLDB grades him as a seventh-rounder who lacks the good lower body power needed at the classic 3-4 nose spot, but that's not necessarily true for a one-gap approach.

The other player is LSU's Jacquelin Roy, who has ideal size at 6-3 1/2, 302. His tackling ability is in question by NFLDB but his athletic skills aren't. Tackling skills at nose in a 4-3 are not as important as freeing up the three technique to make the actual tackle, although he needs to perform his role.

Another one is Florida's Gervon Dexter, at 6-5 1/2, 308. He's almost too tall to be ideal and scouting reports suggest he needs to get his pad level. His 4.88-second 40 speed indicated he might be better at the three technique. Dexter made 124 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks so he is more than just a plug up front and could fit the one-gap approach for the one or three techniques.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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