In the third round the Bears picked one of the most athletic defensive linemen in the draft in Bullard.

According to Mock Draftable, Bullard’s most comparable current NFL player is Sheldon Richardson. He fits the physical profiles they look for at 6’3″, 285 pounds, running the 40-yard dash in under five seconds and a 10-yard split of 1.65 seconds, among the best at his position in the draft.  Oh, and his arms are nearly 34 inches long.

Bullard has the size and strength to take on blockers and the speed and quickness to get after the quarterback. He might be the perfect compliment to Akeem Hicks and Eddie Goldman. He’s the smaller defensive lineman like Fox had in Derek Wolfe, Fangio had in Ray McDonald and Pace had in Cameron Jordan.

Bullard dropped because he lacks ideal height, but he has the measurable to make up for it. He likely would’ve gone much higher in a weaker draft. He was given a second round grade by Greg Gabriel on Pro Football Weekly. Here’s what he wrote:

Strong Points

Has good size with the frame to get bigger. Has long arms. He is a good athlete with quick change of direction. Runs well and has excellent balance. Is strong and powerful. Has real good initial quickness and stays low. Shows strength at the point, can use his hands to shed blocks and make plays. Reacts quickly and finds the ball. Top competitor, plays an aggressive game. Good pursuit player. Good pass rusher with both power and moves. Can play multiple positions.

Weak Points

Lacks ideal height. Like most college linemen, he needs to improve his overall hand use. Needs to get a little bigger.

The Way We See It

Bullard is a good college player who projects to be a good player at the next level. Plays both inside and outside and can play in a 3-4 or 4-3 in the NFL. He is a quick-reacting player who finds the ball and is consistent versus both the run and the pass. Is a top competitor and plays with a high level of intensity. He should come in and start for a team as a rookie and be productive. He lacks ideal height for a 5-technique but he has long arms and has sound technique. Will line up inside in pass rush situations.