Last Friday saw the latest Bear With Us launch, covering Caleb Williams and the #9 overall pick…
And then over the weekend, Jeff and I caught up on what he’s hearing about #9 overall (plus a full mock of the craziness that may lead up to Chicago’s pick.
Link: https://t.co/9wuFHdCznt
— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) April 6, 2024
More Nine at #9 tomorrow.
Your Turn: Does the draft still feel far away? Or does it finally feel around the corner?
I’m drowning in tape, scouting reports should start flowing over the next few weeks.
In the meantime… here’s a sneak preview of one of our next targets. I L L
Your Turn: What’s your take on the Illinois star?
Nine at #9 will continue tomorrow
Your Turn: Illini fans, what are your thoughts on Newton?
Over the next few days, my hope is to detail the names and faces behind a few of my favorite options for Chicago at #9 overall.
Today, we’ll kick off the miniseries with a cut-up of University of Texas 3-Technique Byron Murphy II, whose tape I imagine will make Matt Eberflus jumping out of his chair. We know Eberflus wants an explosive 3-Tech in the middle of his defense, and that’s exactly who Murphy is — a disruptive playmaking machine with experience across the entire defensive interior.
When Murphy flashes, he flashes. At times, Murphy’s combination of lower-body power and dynamic hand-usage makes him look unblockable while rushing the passer. Check out the first 4 clips of the cut-up below — his offensive linemen barely stop his momentum en route to the quarterback. At times, they don’t even get a hand on him.
Byron Murphy's tape is a blast — his explosiveness is obvious, his motor is relentless, but it's his hand-usage & feel for leverage that put him over the top imo. Can rush speed-to-power, swat hands, and win 1v1 rush lanes.
21 years old. Have to think the #Bears are interested pic.twitter.com/B3JsIB54KC
— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) April 2, 2024
Athletically speaking, Murphy is quite short in stature but excellent in most other measurable categories. His 10 yard split & broad/vertical jumps are great signals for his explosiveness, but Murphy’s weight also stands out to me — weighing at 297lbs at the combine (and listed at 308 on Texas’ official website), Murphy stayed away from being a size outlier and instead registers as ‘pretty small’. In a league that’s moving closer and closer to 280lb 3-techniques every day, I think the extra 10-15lbs he’ll to carry compared to other defenders of similar quickness will be a major advantage for him in run defense.
Deep in the NFL Offseason, sometimes all we’re left with to talk about is drama. It doesn’t always have to be interesting, either — nearly anyone can go viral for saying something inflammatory, be they an ESPN Analyst, a former NFL Quarterback, or even just a fan with a take that’s truly out of left field.
Yesterday saw a perfect example of that juicy juicy drama catch fire all over the Chicago sect of Twitter — JT O’Sullivan, the analyst that runs the YouTube Channel The QB School, had this to say about Chicago in relation to Caleb Williams:
“Is it the ideal situation for him to go where he’s going to go? I mean… absolutely not…. the track record is the track record. If I could pick where he would go… that’s just not what I would want for him”
https://twitter.com/DCdude202/status/1774267071687180349
Obviously I’m cherry-picking one take to talk about amidst a long, well-done podcast by Bootleg Football, but I’d like to talk about it nevertheless — I think this take is tired, largely because I think Chicago’s ‘Track Record’ has become overblown over time.
Let’s re-contextualize the Bears’ five most recent 1st round Quarterback selections, stretching past the last 37 years — maybe you’ll see the same trend I do:
The picks have yielded poor results, no doubt. But should we be shocked that Chicago’s consistent inability to select a better option than the 4th/5th best QB in a draft class might be just as large a problem as their inability to surround those QBs with talent?
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1773024997717549465
Your Turn: If Nabers falls to #9 Overall, do you want him?
In just a few weeks…
…You’ll find yourself wondering…
…Are the Bears good now?
(And the answer is yes)
It’s been a busy week for me in real life, so thanks for putting up with two audio posts back to back. Hoping to dig into some film by the end of the week.
Nick and I had a blast recording this last one — we talk through…
With Justin Fields officially traded, it feels like the Chicago Bears are at the dawning of a new age. That means change — some good, some bad, and a whole lot of ‘New’.
That means new additions around DBB as well — Jeff & I will be hosting a show we’re calling Saturday Spaces (creative, I know) that you can expect weekly starting the weekend after Easter. The two of us recorded similar shows throughout this last Bears season, and I think they turned out well.
I recorded this last weekend’s show for your listening pleasure — check it out at the link below and let me know what you think.
— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) March 23, 2024
Your Turn: What Bears-related topics will you focus on over the next month?
The Bears showed out in force for Caleb Williams’ USC Pro Day. Their contingent included Ryan Poles, Matt Eberflus, Ian Cunningham, Shane Waldron, and even Chicago’s newest WR…
Keenan Allen showed up to USC’s Pro Day in some Bears gear to watch Caleb Williams pic.twitter.com/AHM5QWg44h
— Barstool Chicago (@barstoolchicago) March 20, 2024
What does it all mean? Probably what it looks like — Chicago is gearing up to select Williams #1 overall in late April.
And just in case the Bears had any concerns, Williams left the contingent without anything to be concerned about on the field. Each of Caleb’s throws looked easy and the ball leapt off his hand. It’s easy to wax poetic about a throwing motion like his, but we can save that for another day — for now, excitement seems to be building for the 22-year-old Washingtonian. If getting excited is your thing, don’t be afraid to get swept up in the fervor.
Your Turn: What’s your take on Williams these days? Did anything change after the Pro Day?
