Dark Horse QB Piques Interest of Bears, Patriots, Panthers
The final days before the NFL draft can lead to wild talk as teams try to dredge up talent using every possible option.
No longer desperate at quarterback, the Bears may have the need to find a developmental project at the position and have reportedly been involved in one of the latest predraft crazes—the rush to learn more about Ben DiNucci.
DiNucci is a 23-year-old quarterback who transferred from Pittsburgh to James Madison and blossomed at this Football Championship Series school. He led them to last season's national title game, a 28-20 loss to North Dakota State.
The Bears have had "numerous" video calls with DiNucci according to Pro Football Network's Troy Pauline. This was the reporter who said the Bears had inquired about trading with Cincinnati for wide receiver John Ross at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.
DiNucci also is said to be of interest to the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers, who have joined the Bears in having numerous video calls with DiNucci.
When Bill Belichick is interested in any quarterback it's going to attract attention, especially after he just lost Tom Brady.
DiNucci completed 70.9% of his throws as a senior. He threw then for 3,441 yards and 29 touchdowns, after throwing for 2,275 yards with 16 TDs in 2018.
In 2018 he struggled to avoid interceptions with 12. Last year, though, he cut that total in half.
DiNucci is no immobile pocket passer. He ran for 569 yards and seven TDs last year and 433 yards with nine TDs the previous season.
This is a player who was determined. Rather than put up with being relegated to the background behind other players, he left Pittsburgh.
DiNucci had been the backup and then became starter as transfer Max Browne struggled. DiNucci's play in 2017 didn't live up to what the Panthers wanted, and he was benched, started again, and eventually saw freshman Kenny Pickett get involved in a three-way battle.
Because DiNucci played at an FCS school, the scouting reports on him aren't as plentiful and are somewhat sketchy. Most focus on his great speed as an open-field runner. On the negative side, several have mentioned an inability to stand up to pressure while throwing.
The Bears have a good judge of James Madison's talent level on staff by the name of Matt Nagy. James Madison is Delaware's rival and the Bears' head coach was a Blue Hens quarterback.
Nagy also was a Pennsylvania prep quarterback and so is DiNucci, who played at Pine-Richland in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.
The Bears have shown widely reported interest in Florida International's James Morgan, and earlier in the process talked with Georgia's Jake Fromm.
With Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky set for the quarterback battle of the century, someone to be an understudy for the Bears only makes sense.
The expanded roster for game day under the new NFL collective bargaining agreement makes it more likely the team could keep an extra quarterback instead of two as they've done much of the last two seasons.
An interest in DiNucci would only seem natural but now it seems the Bears have competition for a player few had talked about prior to this week.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
