Tomorrow, Robert and I will be hosting a DBB Spaces on Twitter at 1 PM ET. This will be an episode dedicated entirely to the ninth pick in the draft. How will it work?
The first few minutes of the episode will be Robert and I mock drafting the first eight picks.
We will then make our arguments for what the Bears both WILL DO and SHOULD DO with their options at nine.
We will then open up the lines for any and all fans to present their preferences for Ryan Poles. All trades and choices will be given a platform. Polite arguments will subsequently commence.
The plan is for this episode to last two hours. We want your voices to be heard. It should be a lot of fun.
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.
The Tape:
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.
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”
Iโll never forgive @CALEBcsw for not doing an ๐๐ฅ๐ข/๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ. He shouldโve done more to manipulate his way home. Going to ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ ๐จ without a fight may be his undoing pic.twitter.com/Erwm0i0Wl2
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:
1987 โ Jim Harbaugh | Pick #26 | QB4 in his class
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?
When it comes to the ninth pick in the draft, three wide receivers seem to have consensus appeal: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State), Malik Nabers (LSU) and Rome Odunze (Washington). There are varying opinion as to the ranking of these three but the likelihood remains that at least one will be on the board when the Bears pick for the second time in the first round.
So, who are they?ย As always, this time of year, I lean on Lance Zierlein at NFL.com.
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Zierlein Comparison: CeeDee Lamb.
Zierlein Overview:“Harrison comes from impressive NFL bloodlines and possesses similarities that made his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, special. Harrison can run but isnโt a burner. What makes him tough to handle is his consistent play speed paired with quality salesmanship in his routes. Heโs able to uncover no matter where heโs aligned or which part of the field his assignment takes him to, and he is capable of finishing catches in a crowd. Harrison can be sudden while working possession routes, and heโs well qualified to beat any opponent with his ball skills if the battle heads deep. Harrison is a touchdown champ with a variety of ways to excel, and that characteristic figures to follow him into the pros. He has the traits and tools to win in all three phases of the route and on all three levels of the field. Heโs a pedigree prospect and a Day 1 starter with high-end production expected.”
Video:
Malik Nabers
Zierlein Comparison: Justin Jefferson.
Zierlein Overview:“Nabers is the next big thing coming out of LSUโs receiver room, with the pure explosiveness and talent to be mentioned in the same breath as former LSU stars starring in the league today. Despite a lack of polish and precision as a route-runner, Nabersโ gliding movements and speed alterations seem to disguise the top-end speed and separation potential that await opposing coverages. Heโs a bouncy leaper with the athletic ability to make the impossible catches possible. He tucks away accurate throws and displays the toughness and play strength to fight for tight-window victories over the middle. Nabers will need to address his tendency to track and play deep throws with finesse, or his early advantages will turn into 50/50 battles. He can play all three receiver spots and has the profile to become a productive, high-volume target over all three levels as a potential WR1.“
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…
Where Vegas has the Bears’ current Over/Under (8.5 wins) and what we think about that
Caleb Williams’ Pro Day
The Keenan Allen addition & how he fits into the Bears’ puzzle
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.
