Bear Digest

Possible Day 3 QB Choices for Bears

If the Bears want to find an underrated QB of their own to develop, there are plenty to choose from in Rounds 5-7 in this draft.
Gene Chamberlain|
Possible Day 3 QB Choices for Bears
Possible Day 3 QB Choices for Bears

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Chicago Bears

The San Franciso 49ers seem to have their chips firmly placed on former Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy.

It's a great story, the last player drafted and then he leads the 49ers to the NFC title game before getting hurt. You have to wonder what might have happened had he been able to play a full game against the Eagles.

Either way, the 49ers now are reportedly fielding calls from teams about Trey Lance, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

There are many ways to interpret this situation relative to the Bears situation with Justin Fields, who probably needs to impress to cement his name as quarterback of the future.

Really, the best way is to understand the Bears need to draft another quarterback, or at least find one as an undrafted free agent. They could use their own Purdy.

They need to do it this year, not necessarily only next year if Fields falters.

The situation with Fields will take care of itself during this season. They signed PJ Walker and Nathan Peterman, but this is an entirely different situation.

If the 49ers could find Purdy with the last pick of the draft, then why couldn't the Bears use a very late pick to select a quarterback who could do something similar if necessary? Why should they have to wait to draft a USC quarterback Caleb Williams next year should Fields wind up not being their guy?

They already know what they have in Walker and Peterman. Both have been around the league long enough to know that Walker maxes out as a an emergency guy who could keep the ship afloat for a short time. Peterman's role is more the emergency backup.

We're not talking about that kind of quarterback here. We're talking an alternative to Fields who could be found in a late round or in free agency, should Fields falter. No one says the 49ers own a monoply on that type of passer.

Just because the Bears would use a fifth- or seventh-round pick for a quarterback who could conceivably be a starting quarterback doesn't need to be a threat to Fields' security. But having someone who might have enough talent to be a long-term starter can't hurt any team.

When the draft process was just beginning, the Bears were reported to have had contact with one of the quarterbacks in this draft class who might be a candidate for such a role. This was at the Hula Bowl all-star game, and it was Appalachian State's Chase Brice.

He's a 6-foot-2 1/2, 235-pound passer who refused to give up on his chances of playing meaningful football after he'd been more or less buried at Clemson and then was at Duke for a year.

In two years at Appalachian State, Brice upped his completion percentage and other production markedly after he was far less effective, with 19 TDs nad 19 interceptions, in his first three seasons as a college passer.

Brice had 6,258 yards on 461 of 739 (62.4%) for 8.5 yards an attempt with 54 TD passes and 17 interceptions at Appalachian State. He had 27 TD passes and only six interceptions in his final season.

NFL Draft Bible's assessment of Brice didn't offer great optimism for his NFL future, rating him 22nd among this year's crop of quarterbacks. That would be undrafted territory.

What do such assessments mean?

A year ago at this time Purdy was rated the 16th best QB in his draft class by NFLDB. The NFL Mock Draft Data Base consensus big board had Purdy rated 323rd in the class. That's almost 70 places after where he went at the end of the draft.

Considering the Bears have used the seventh round for players like Ja'Tyre Carter, Khyiris Tonga, Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons, Kerrith Whyte Jr., Stephen Denmark, Javon Wims and Daniel Braverman since they last pulled in a starter during that round, there's definitly no harm in drafting a quarterback in Round 7 and hoping he might develop into a valuable asset.

They might actually be pondering this before the seventh round, considering Stevenson High School grad and Purdue starter Aidan O'Connell was one of the local players they had at Halas Hall for a visit.

NFLDB rated him their eighth-best QB in this class and loves his accuracy. He's described by NFLDB's Ric Serritella as a timing passer

The 6-3, 213-pounder threw for 21 TD passes and only three interceptions while gaining 2,494 yards in his final six games last year while Purdue won five of the games.

"More of a traditional pocket-passer type, O’Connell does have limited athleticism but he has steadily improved his mobility," Serritella wrote about O'Connell.

Here's who else they could find so low this year who might be the next Purdy.

Jaren Hall, BYU

Curretly fitting in at No. 163, in Round 5, the BYU QB has some scouts divided. NFLDB had him graded as a third-rounder and possible top-100 player but others said a sixth-rounder. At 6-1, 207, he is a player who needs to show he can stay healthy. He had cracked ribs and a foot injury in 2021, two concussions in 2019, a hip injury in 2020. A good athlete who played baseball for two seasons at BYU, he has good foot quickness but isn't going to do any Justin Fields 50-yard end zone sprints. Rather, NFLDB says he confines his running to buying time to throw. Hall didn't play much until the fourth and fifth years he was at BYU and was 468 of 718 (65.2%) for 6,174 yards, 8.6 yards an attempt, with 52 TDs to 11 interceptions.

Jake Haener, Fresno St.

The 6-foot, 207 pounder was named Senior Bowl MVP and ran 4.85 in the 40 at the combine. He is called extremely tough and poised by NFLDB and he excels at off-script plays and attacking defenses downfield. He missed games last year after a bad ankle injury but returned sooner than expected. NFLDB suggest Haener could be a quality NFL backup and gives him a seventh-round grade after he completed 68.2% of his passes (1,085 attempts, 740 completions) for 9,120 yards and 68 TDs to go with 18 interceptions. He's currently 201st on the NFL Mock Draft Data Base big board, which puts him down as a mid-to-late sixth-rounder.

Tyson Bagent, Shepherd

A Division II NCAA record setter from Shepherd, he led Division II last year in passing yards (5,000) and passing TDs (53). It was a lower level of football but he dominated and is 6-2 1/2, 213. He ran 4.79 in the 40. Draft Network said Bagent "...projects as a developmental quarterback at the pro level," which is exactly what people said of Purdy last year. The Bears know a little about Bagent because he was one of the quarterbacks who played on the American team in the Senior Bowl, the squad coached by Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Bagent went 17 of 22 for 138 yards in that game, playing against a higher level of defenders.

Malik Cunningham, Louisville

A 5-11 1/2, 192-pound dynamic runner who needs plenty of work on his passing fundamentals. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash. NFLDB grades him the 10th best QB and a seventh-round pick. He ran for 3,179 yards on 618 carries in college, while completing 691 of 1,104 (62.8%) for 9,660 yards in 56 college games over five seasons. He had 70 TD passes to 29 interceptions and averaged 8.8 yards an attempt.

Does he run too much?

"When it's not there, of course, I'm going to take off and run," he said. "That's just the ability that God gave me. I can't do nothing about that."

Clayton Tune, Houston

Well-versed as a passer in an offense that also allows him to run on occasion. He ran a 4.64-second 40 so he can do it, and ran for 1,248 yards in his career. As a passer for five seasons and 47 games, he completed 63.9% (956 of 1,497) for 11,994 yards at 8.0 yards an attempt. He threw for 104 TDs to 41 interceptions. The only real knock on him was arm strength/accuracy downfield compared with some of the other top QBs, says NFLDB. There's no question about whether he's gutsy. He played through a torn hamstring in 2021. He gets a sixth-round grade on the Mock Draft Database big board but NFLDB considers him a undrafted free agent.

Max Duggan, TCU

He finished second in the Heisman voting and ran a blazing 4.52-second 40-yard dash, but his skills apparently don't translate to the NFL. Duggan put the speed to use with 1,856 yards gained on 488 carries. NFLDB says he'll go undrafted and the NFL Mock Draft Database has him ranked 239, a seventh-rounder. Scouts rave about his quick delivery and see sufficient arm strength. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year is also accurate throwing on the run but the nit-picking is over his footwork and it shows up in his completion percentage which was only 60.3% (739-of-1,225). He threw 73 TDs to 28 picks and had 9,618 yards.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson UCLA

A very athletic QB who scouts say needs to become more accurate with his passing. At 6-1 1/2, 203, he ran 4.56 in the 40 and rushed for 1,826 yards on 471 college carries. Although they saw needs for accuracy, his completion percentage improved dramatically from his fourth to fifth year. He completed 69.6% last year (266 of 382) after completing only 62.2% as a junior (176 of 283). So it's possible he's a passer who is on the way up. He had 88 TDs to 36 interceptions. The NFL Mock Draft Data Base sees him going in Round 5 while NFLDB says Round 6. One criticism was that although he is fast enough to get outside the pocket under pressure, he doesn't create plays well when he does, but there are plenty of examples otherwise.

Stetson Bennett, Georgia

The NFLDB one-word description kind of sums up how everyone looks at Bennett: "crafty." It can be a compliment or a knock. He is fast enough afoot at 4.67 seconds in the 40 but at 5-11, 192, he'd be battling his height all the time. He had 65% completions (601 of 924) for 8,429 yards but scouting reports knock the offense as one full of screens and shorter routes for a dominant national champion that could get away with the conservative passing. Bennett had 66 TDs and 21 INTs, and his ability to win can't be argued. NFLDB says an undrafted free agent while the database for mock drafts rates him 205th, or a sixth-rounder.

Holton Ahlers, East Carolina

A solidly built left-handed passer at 6-2 1/2, 237, but he can move a little with a 4.95-second 40 time and usually confines his movement to buying time in the pocket. When he does run, he breaks tackles. He is another QB who improved his accuracy drastically as a senior. He hit on 67.2% last year (315 of 469) for 3,708 yards, but all it did was elevate his completions to 60.7% (1,127 of 1,857). He threw for 13,933 yards, 97 TDs and 37 interceptions in 55 games. Both NFLDB and the database see him as undrafted, the database rating him 411th.

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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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