Bear Digest

Draft picks who could crack the lineup fastest for Chicago Bears

The talent level, need and competition level all intersect to make these potential draft picks the ones who could get into the lineup fastest for the Chicago Bears.
Gene Chamberlain|
Jahdae Barron, who has met with the Bears, rates one of the players who could get on the field fastest if drafted by Chicago.
Jahdae Barron, who has met with the Bears, rates one of the players who could get on the field fastest if drafted by Chicago. | Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

When teams draft players it's most often with an eye on the future.

The common NFL draft pick does not come in and start from Day 1, although some will. The Bears have had six non-specialists starting from Day 1 since Ryan Poles became general manager, including QB Caleb Williams, tackles Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones, cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker.

The chances of landing a player who starts immediately in Rounds 1 or 2 this year appear unlikely now for Poles, but it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Their starting positions all appear set for the start of camp unless Jones has problems healing from a broken ankle, which definitely is not foreseen.

The Bears are in the enviable position now of drafting to develop starters rather than needing desperately to plug and play.

Still, some possible draft picks would have better chances to get on the field for coach Ben Johnson faster than others.

Here are potential Bears draft picks who would have the fastest path to contributing meaningful numbers of plays or even becoming a Day 1 starter. Note, the list does not include edge rusher Abdul Carter, who would be an immediate starter but is going to be drafted before the Bears pick. Nor will you find offensive linemen after they secured five starters for this year, and this year is the focus of this analysis.

1. RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

He would start. The all-around talent is undeniable and because he is an all-purpose type of back he wouldn't need to come off the field on third downs. A potential instant star in the making and whoever the backup running back is would need to get used to the idea of getting limited snaps instead of 50-50 play share.

2. TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

They started last season in a double-tight end formation on opening day and that was with Gerald Everett as the second tight end. Ben Johnson's experience was using 12-personnel the third most in the league last year, 32.2% of the time. So of course a talented U-type tight end would rate high for playing time. Johnson's Lions did this with backup type Brock Wright as the second tight end. Consider, then, what they would do with a versatile weapon like Warren. No doubt Johnson would be scheming up all sorts of strange play calls and formations. Even if they weren't in 12-personnel, they could find ways to get Warren involved as the only tight end, as a player in a three-tight end package or 13-personnel or even lining up at wide receiver. He also becomes the natural choice as the wildcat quarterback. None of this means he is a starter, though.

3. RB Omarion Hampton, N. Carolina

His smashing, power style would make him an immediate contributor and possibly even the starter if they decided his strength was more conducive to the attack as a starter than D'Andre Swift's speed and big-play ability. Hampton's pass blocking would be an asset, too, although Swift's receiving skills give him an edge.

4. CB Jahdae Barron, Texas

Pro Football Focus rates him better than Michigan's Will Johnson and, in fact, the seventh-best player in this draft. Obviously a cornerback of this skill level would immediately be a favorite to overtake Tyrique Stevenson at cornerback. His experience at playing numerous positions also would let him be a challenger at safety. It's probably a key reason the Bears have reportedly visited with him.

5. CB Will Johnson, Michigan

Graded 13th best player overall by PFF he also would rate a strong challenger to overtake Stevenson immediately for a starting role. Scouting reports have said he's not quite the man-to-man coverage player Barron is and there will be a new emphasis on man-to-man in Dennis Allen's scheme. Still, the talent is undeniable and he could start.

6. TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

A top tight end and, in fact, possibly even a better fit for Johnson's offense in conjunction with Kmet than Warren. That's because he's more of a true U-type tight end or even a wide receiver. His blocking ability isn't up to Warren's but that doesn't hurt him as a complementary target who can even play wide receiver. He's more like Sam LaPorta, Johnson's last tight end, than Warren is. But he is coming off shoulder surgery. Not a starter but an immediate contributor.

7. RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

It's unclear whether he could even be an immediate starter and he actually might not even fit their blocking scheme well. But he would be the draft's consensus third-best back and would be used extensively if drafted because of his more physical style of running. He hasn't had much experience in the passing game, with only seven receptions until getting 22 in his final year, so D'Andre Swift figures to be needed as the main all-purpose threat if this was a second-round pick. PFF says he could be successful "behind any blocking scheme," although they're really using their imagination here because Johnson has run about 80% of the time behind zone schemes.

8. NT Kenneth Grant, Michigan

Graded 16th best player by PFF, his explosive power and size would make him a more effective version of Andrew Billings to work alongside Grady Jarrett. However, there's no guarantee he'd even start right away because they do have Billings and defensive tackle in the NFL is truly an acquired skill. So many top DTs need three years or more to make impacts, even some of the best. Some try to equate Grant to the raging wildebeest known as Dexter Lawrence. He doesn't look nearly as athletic or explosive as Lawrence, who is 6-4, 340 pounds and ran the 40 time faster at the combine (5.01) than Grant did at a pro day (5.11) where the times are always more lenient. But he could be a very effective interior force who finds playing time, first as a backup to Billings.

9. RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State

There are a lot of backs who might eventually become big contributors in this draft but Henderson has been consistently outstanding for several years and can contribute as a receiver or runner right away. The problem here is he has a skill set more like Swift's and they're looking for someone first with some power.

10. DE Mike Green, Marshall

He isn't quite in Allen's mold for defensive ends but needs to only put on about 5 to 10 pounds to get there but at least he wouldn't need to add as much as Florida's James Pearce or Mississippi's Princeley , who are total scheme misfits in the range of 243-244 pounds. They've already told Austin Booker he needs to add some weight. Drafting players who need to add even more doesn't make much sense. But Green also has impressed many scouts as the best pure edge rusher in the draft outside of Carter. The Bears would use a player like this immediately as a backup in a rotation. He'd have to take some reps from Booker, who flashed but has a long way to go. He'll also have to convince the Bears the past unsubstantiated rumors of sexual assault truly were garbage.

11. DE Mykel Williams, Georgia

A fit size-wise right away in the scheme and someone who has all the athletic ability to contribute immediately as a backup in the edge rotation after he faced top-level competition. He can play the run, as well. But his reps will be limited by Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published | Modified
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.