All signs pointed toward the Chicago Bears adding a running back this offseason, whether via free agency –which they did with Mike Davis — or the 2019 NFL draft.
And while Davis is an underrated signing at this point in the free-agency cycle and could end up being the Bears’ lead back in 2019, Chicago is still an odds-on favorite to add a ball carrier in the draft.
The Bears hosted one of this year’s most productive running back prospects, Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singletary, on a pre-draft visit Wednesday, this coming on the heels of Chicago’s time spent with him at the 2019 NFL combine.
Singletary began the draft process viewed as one of the most explosive running back prospects in the class along with Memphis’ Darrell Henderson and was being compared to the likes of LeSean McCoy. Then came his putrid performance at the 2019 NFL combine, and his draft stock has cooled quite a bit.
Singletary checked in smaller than expected (5-7, 203 pounds) and ran an exceptionally slow 4.66 40-yard dash. He appears much faster than that on film and he’ll need a strong Pro Day to resolve the conflict between the tape and the stopwatch.
Singletary ran for an astonishing 54 touchdowns over the last two seasons at FAU, including a mind-boggling 32 scores in 2017. He finished his career averaging six yards per carry, which is even more impressive when considering he has 714 career carries.
Singletary was once considered a potential second-round pick, but his poor performance in Indianapolis has caused him to fall quite a bit. He’s more likely to be an early fourth-round pick at this point.
The Bears’ first selection in the NFL draft is in the third round, No. 87 overall, where Singletary will very much be in play.
