Bear Digest

Unsung back who could fit into Chicago Bears draft wheelhouse

NFL analyst Chris Simms has completed his look at the running back class and sees a surprise player as third best, placing him in position to be a Bears pick.
Gene Chamberlain|
Central Florida running back RJ Harvey throws the stiff-arm. Harvey has caught the eye of one draft analyst who sees the back as No. 3 in the draft at his position, right in the Bears' wheelhouse.
Central Florida running back RJ Harvey throws the stiff-arm. Harvey has caught the eye of one draft analyst who sees the back as No. 3 in the draft at his position, right in the Bears' wheelhouse. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

If the Bears are not going to be able to draft Ashton Jeanty and 10th becomes too soon to draft a back like Omarion Hampton, the question they face is when and who they decide is the next-best back.

Their only 30 visit lined up so far is for a third-down or receiver type of back who was originally a wide receiver, 5-foot-10 1/2, 194-pound Brashard Smith of SMU.

NBC Sports' Chris Simms has another name for consideration who he has rocketing up his chart.

"You turn on the film and go, 'Why is nobody talking a bout this guy?' " Simms said.

The back is Central Florida's RJ Harvey, a player ranked by many well down their list and often regarded as a Day 3 pick.

The Bears have the 39th and 41st picks in Round 2 and the 72nd pick in Round 3, but don't pick again until Round 5.

Simms' running back rankings vault Harvey over players like Ohio State's duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, Arizona State's Cam Skattebo and Tennessee's Dylan Sampson.

"Can he be a superstar and run for over 1,000 yards as a rookie?" Simms wrote in his analysis: "I think there's that potential here. His body reminds me of J.K. Dobbins and Josh Jacobs.

"He has thick thighs that are Barry Sanders-ish. The thing that popped out to me is his jump-cut ability is as good as you will see."

Simms concludes by calling Harvey a breakaway threat who can help in the passing game, as well.

"He is a guy that plays faster than his 4.4 flat speed and can go 70, 80, 90 yards to the house," Simms said.

Harvey is 5-foot-8, 205 pounds, and produced an outstanding, athletic combine. He had a 4.40-second 40 with a 1.57-second 10-yard split, a 38-inch vertical leap and a 10-foot-7 broad jump, while bench-pressing 16 times at 225 pounds.

The 40 time was fourth-fastest among backs, while his broad jump was sixth and vertical tied for seventh.

Harvey gained 3,792 yards rushing on 579 carries over four seasons, with a whopping 43 touchdowns rushing. He had 2,993 yards on 259 carries coming on his final two years. He had 61 catches for 70 yards and four TDs.

Not everyone is as high on Harvey as Simms. Mel Kiper has him ranked 10th best after he was seventh on an earlier ranking. Pro Football Focus sees him as 85th best pick overall.

"Needs to have more urgency and violence," was Trevor Sikkema's analysis.

The NFL Mock Draft Data Base has him as the 124th best player on its big board, making him a fourth-rounder.

"I love this guy and I think he's flying way under the radar right now," Simms said. "I'll be shocked if you don't start to see RJ Harvey thrown into, at least, the third round."

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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.