Pro Football Focus Confounds with Mock Bears QB Pick

Mock drafts continue to expand into Round 2 and beyond now, allowing for inclusion of the Bears' first picks.

One of the most interesting mocks is easily this week's Pro Football Focus two-rounder because of the quarterback pick they made for the Bears.

The so-called analytics experts, Pro Football Focus is known for a low opinion of Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Based on this their selection for the Bears in Round 2 seems all the more perplexing because the pick at No. 43 was Washington quarterback Jacob Eason.

Sports Illustrated has ranked Eason the fifth-best quarterback in the draft.

Here's what PFF said about Eason:

"The Bears get their guy, but there's a reason why Eason fell to the second round. Similar to Drew Lock last year, Eason has all the arm talent in the world, but that never quite translated to consistent play on the field. Eason had a passing grade below 60.0 in four of his nine Pac-12 games this year."

So PFF constantly criticizes Trubisky for his inconsistent play, then in its mock draft selects a quarterback it calls inconsistent.

Analytics can't account for everything, it seems.

With the second pick of Round 2, the PFF pick for the Bears was highly regarded center Lloyd Cushenberry III from LSU. Such a pick would allow the Bears to put James Daniels and Cody Whitehair at the guard positions and would solidify the interior of their offensive line.

PFF criticized Cushenberry for allowing "more pressures than any other center in the country," but then praised him for having the highest win rate at the Senior Bowl of all interior offensive linemen participating.

They aren't so sure Cushenberry is a center for the Bears, though, and point out he could move out to guard. This would leave Whitehair or Daniels at center.

It has to be pointed out PFF left TCU burner receiver Jalen Reagor on the board when making the selection of Eason. The Bears badly need more speed at wide receiver with Taylor Gabriel's future in doubt after two concussions last season, and Reagor is expected to turn in one of the faster 40 times at the combine.

They also left TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney on the board and the Bears would be in the market for a top cornerback if Prince Amukamara is cut for salary cap savings purposes.

CBS Sports' R.J. White had a three-round mock out this week and also had the Bears passing on Reagor not once but twice.

He had the Bears selecting Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun. The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder is considered an outside pass rusher and someone who could give support to Khalil Mack and possibly Leonard Floyd.

Also, at pick No. 50 in Round 2 White has the Bears drafting Antoine Winfield Jr., a safety from Minnesota.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is an unrestricted free agent.

"The Ha Ha Clinton-Dix experiment didn't work out for the Bears, but Winfield is a smart player with a great pedigree who can handle the strong safety role and let Eddie Jackson do what he does best," White said.

It's a well-informed selection, although Pace in the past hasn't been as keen on safeties early and has selected Eddie Jackson, Adrian Amos, Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson in Round 4 or later.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven