The Chicago Bears selected three rookies in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Considering Bears general manager Ryan Pace utilized a trade to grab two of them, that speaks to their value in the eyes of this franchise.
Chicago added their eighth cornerback — and second in this draft class — when they selected Georgia Southern’s Kindle Vildor with the 163rd overall pick. They also added speed in the form of Tulane wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who they traded two sixth-round picks to move up and take him at 173rd overall.
While it’s far too early to begin assigning grades before they step up on the field — and years later — we can’t help ourselves.
Let’s take a look at our early grades for the Bears’ final two selections in the fifth round:
CB Kindle Vildor
Bears general manager Ryan Pace has said that you can’t have too many cornerbacks on your roster. And he certainly meant it. Following the 2020 NFL Draft, Chicago has eight cornerbacks on their roster.
They added two cornerbacks in this draft — second-round pick Jaylon Johnson out of Utah and fifth-rounder Kindle Vildor out of Georgia Southern.
Vildor is an athletic corner with the ability to play in multiple coverages, and he’s certainly a project for the Bears. Vildor had 9 interceptions, 9 tackles for loss and 25 pass breakups in his final three seasons at Georgia Southern.
While Vildor shouldn’t be expected to immediately compete for that starting right cornerback spot opposite Pro Bowler Kyle Fuller, he’ll serve as a solid special teams contributor, particularly early on in his career.
Pace has managed to find some late-round gems — especially on defense — and perhaps Vildor will add his name to the list down the line. For now, the Bears got a developmental cornerback in the fifth round that will see action on special teams.
Grade: B
What do you think, Bears fans? How would you grade Chicago’s selection of Vildor?
Read on for Mooney’s grade
WR Darnell Mooney
The Bears offense was among the worst in the NFL last season, due to a number of issues. While wide receiver wasn’t a big part of those struggles, there is a roster need following the release of Taylor Gabriel.
Gabriel was considered the Bears’ speedy receiver, but he missed nine games due to injury in 2019. Chicago’s offense lacked speed at the receiver position. Now, they’ve found someone they believe will be able to add some explosiveness to their offense.
The Bears drafted Tulane receiver Darnell Mooney with the 173rd overall pick, trading their pair of sixth-round picks to move up into the fifth round to grab him.
Chicago has gotten their speedy receiver with Mooney, who clocked a 4.38 40 time at the NFL Scouting Combine. But he insists that he’s even faster than that.
Still, Mooney’s speed should help stretch the field on offense. While his frame and size are certainly concerns, it shouldn’t matter when he’s equipped to use his speed to get open down the field.
Mooney was dubbed the most underrated receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft by The Draft Network, and he’s said he’s more than just his 40 time. Mooney says that he’s a route runner — and that speed is an added bonus.
Grade: B-
What do you think, Bears fans? How would you grade Chicago’s selection of Mooney?
