The Chicago Bears don’t have a selection in the 2019 NFL Draft until the third round, No. 87 overall, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be able to land a quality prospect who’s capable of eventually challenging for a starting job.
Recent Bears draft history suggests this is the case. General manager Ryan Pace has found gems in the middle portion of the draft and has landed players like Eddie Jackson and Tarik Cohen in the fourth round. Jordan Howard was a fifth-rounder.
Bears fans are used to Chicago selecting in the top 10, so this year’s draft feels somewhat underwhelming. And that’s a good thing. Championship-caliber teams are usually waiting around (whether it’s the first round or beyond) for their turn to pick.
The 2019 draft isn’t top-heavy and it isn’t overflowing with blue-chip talent. But it’s a deep class; the Bears will have plenty of options to pick from.
Here are four draft prospects who could slip down the draft board and into the Bears’ lap in the third round.
Jachai Polite | EDGE | Florida
Polite began the draft process as a first-round pass-rushing prospect, but his poor NFL combine performance and questionable football character has caused him to slide down the board as a Day-2 prospect. Polite should come off the board in the second round, but once a freefall begins, it’s hard to stop. The Bears need an edge defender with some twitch who can get after the quarterback and Polite fits that description. Don’t be surprised if Ryan Pace makes a move up the board if Polite’s slide becomes reality.
Marquise Brown | WR | Oklahoma
Brown was considered one of the top, if not the top wide receiver prospect in this year’s class, but a foot injury has prevented him from doing any pre-draft workouts. Brown is a small receiver who relies on speed and quickness to get open, so teams have to be concerned about the long-term impact of his injury (if any). Will Brown fall into the third round? Crazier things have happened.
Darrell Henderson | RB | Memphis
This year’s running back class doesn’t feature a first-round pick in the bunch, which means the position as a whole will slide into Day 2. With Josh Jacobs the consensus top back in the class and several others like Miles Sanders and David Montgomery jockeying with Henderson to be RB2, one of them is going to slide out of the second round. Henderson is the speedster and most productive of the bunch, but he lacks prototype size and didn’t have a ‘wow’ combine like many had expected. He’d be a steal for the Bears at No. 87.
Taylor Rapp | SAF | Washington
The Bears addressed their safety need by adding HaHa Clinton-Dix in free agency, but they’re a good bet to draft one in April. And there’s a good chance they could use their first pick to do it. Rapp is a lot like Amos in terms of his strengths against the run, and while many have him pegged as a second-rounder, his limitations against the pass could cause him to slide to Round 3.
