The Bears landed a much-needed interior lineman with their first pick of the second round and traded back into the round to grab a coveted wide receiver. Tomorrow I’ll be back to wrap up the draft in its entirety. Today? Highlights!
James Daniels, C/G, Iowa
From Lance Zierlein at NFL.com:
Daniels is a fluid mover with tremendous initial quickness to win positioning on most every zone block he’s asked to make — both on the first and second levels. His height, weight and arm length numbers at the Combine will be critical in either solidifying his draft slot or potentially dropping him a round. Some teams might see him as a zone-only center, but he may be strong enough to fit in with other blocking schemes. He needs to get stronger, but he’s a plus run blocker and pass protector with a chance to become a Pro Bowl starter.
Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis
Lance again:
Ultra-competitive and highly productive, Miller plays with a chip on his shoulder that has driven him to out-work the man across from him. While he played both inside and out for Memphis, some teams could struggle with figuring out his best fit. His inconsistent hands are definitely a concern, but his ability to get open and to work all three levels of the field increase his chances for success as a WR3.
Data Entry
Ryan Pace has made a distinct shift from his draft approach in 2018. Instead of targeting high upside players, he’s getting guys who are plug-and-play for specific roles on this roster. He needed a QB of the defense, so he drafted Roquan Smith. He needed a zone blocking interior lineman, and grabbed James Daniels. He needed a shifty YAC WR who could play in the slot, and traded up to grab Anthony Miller (who hit all three WR thresholds I identified 2 months ago, might I add).
Now the most obvious need remaining is for an outside linebacker opposite Leonard Floyd. This would be more of a power player than a speed guy (think Pernell McPhee stylistically), and the remaining prospect who makes the most sense for that role is Duke Ejiofor, though Ade Aruna would also fit that bill.
