The general rule in evaluating draft classes is that it takes three seasons before a general manager should be graded for his performance. Now that the 2018 season is in the books, it’s time to look at how the Chicago Bears’ 2016 draft class has played out.
To be clear, players can still get better after Year 3. The more likely scenario, however, is that 2016’s class of Bears has already defined what their career trajectory, and their importance to Chicago, will be.
Let’s get to grading.
Round 1, Pick 9: Leonard Floyd, OLB
Floyd finally put together a complete 16-game season in 2018 and had his best year as a pro, even if it wasn’t as a dominant pass rusher. Floyd hasn’t had that breakout year as a sack artist yet and it doesn’t look like it will ever come. He’s just not strong enough at the point of attack and his pass rush arsenal hasn’t expanded to the point where he can challenge offensive tackles on a rep-to-rep basis.
That said, Floyd has proven to be a better all-around defender than anyone could have imagined. He’s been reliable against the run and is a very good coverage linebacker.
The Bears haven’t received the Von Miller-like production they were hoping for from Floyd, but his play hasn’t been a disappointment. He’s a long-term starter and should be a Bear for the next several seasons.
Grade: B
Round 2, Pick 56: Cody Whitehair, Center
Whitehair has been a stud for the Bears. His career got off to a fast start as a rookie when he looked poised to become the best center in the NFL. He regressed a bit in 2017 but came back to have a very strong season in 2018.
With Kyle Long’s deteriorating health and advancing age, Whitehair is quickly becoming the leader of the offensive line and has the feel of a decade-long starter for the Bears.
Ryan Pace hit an absolute home run with this one.
Grade: B+
Round 3, Pick 72: Jonathan Bullard, DL
Bullard’s been a disappointment through three seasons in the NFL. He hasn’t emerged as a must-start player and appears to be losing ground to Roy Robertson-Harris and Bilal Nichols in the Bears’ pecking order.
Bullard was viewed as a draft-day steal for the Bears, but it looks like he was drafted right where he should’ve been. In fact, Bullard may have been over-drafted at this point considering he’s started just five games for Chicago.
Grade: D+
Round 4, Pick 113: Nick Kwiatkoski, LB
Kwiatkoski was a good pick — a very good pick — by Ryan Pace. He’s should be a starting linebacker at this point in his career but with Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith blocking his path to first-team reps, his best years may come in a different city.
Kwiatkoski has flashed legitimate ability as a run stuffer and all-around thumper whenever he’s had a chance to play. There’s a lot of upside here, and Pace would be smart to overpay Kwiatkoski to keep him around as a future starter alongside Smith.
Grade: B
Round 4, Pick 124: Deon Bush, SAF
Bush hasn’t done much through three seasons and has little to no chance of unseating Adrian Amos (if he’s re-signed) and Eddie Jackson. He was pretty average when he filled in for the injured Jackson late last season.
Bush has carved out a valuable depth role and could end up earning a second contract with the team in an effort to maintain continuity in the secondary’s depth chart.
Grade: C
Round 4, Pick 127: Deiondre’ Hall, SAF
The first real bust from the draft class. Hall, despite his appealing physical make-up, was never able to put it all together for the Bears (on and off the field). His poor decision making away from the facility factored heavily in Ryan Pace’s decision to trade him to the Eagles last September.
Grade: F
Round 5, Pick 150: Jordan Howard, RB
Another walk-off home run by Ryan Pace.
Howard, a fifth-round pick, finished his rookie season second in the NFL in rushing yards and became the first Bear to begin his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He had a solid 2018 season, but it wasn’t good enough to quiet rumors about the Bears pursuing Kareem Hunt or that Howard isn’t viewed as a fit in coach Matt Nagy’s offense.
No matter what ends up happening with Howard, his first three seasons of production in Chicago has been as great of a return on investment for a fifth-round pick as anyone in the organization could’ve hoped for.
Grade: A+
Round 6, Pick 185: Deandre Houston-Carson, SAF
Late Day-3 picks have to offer special teams ability in order to make the roster, and Houston-Carson has been able to do just that. He’s appeared in 32 games as a pro and is one of the team’s more reliable special teams contributors.
Grade: B
Round 7, Pick 230: Daniel Braverman, WR
And then there was Braverman, who was everyone’s training-camp hero in 2016 only to become a practice squad player and eventual roster casualty. He was released by the Bears in September 2017 and has appeared in only three games so far as a pro, all with Chicago in 2016.
Grade: F
