Deep Sleepers Chicago Bears Should Target in 2017 NFL Draft
The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Pace know a thing or two about finding sleepers.
Most will point to fifth-round rookie Jordan Howard one year ago as the poster boy for proof. But the front office has found value all over the place as of late, whether it's an unexpected performance at center by second-round rookie Cody Whitehair or big playing time for 2015 fifth-round safety Adrian Amos.
Pace and those around him have yet to hit it out of the proverbial park on a deep sleeper late in the draft, though. This year would be quite the time to do it given the extensive needs across the roster as turnover continues.
Below, let's look at some late-round sleepers the Bears should target, keeping in mind coaches have met with most of these guys at one point or another and project as players who could eventually have an impact, at least more so than a typical late-round pick.
De'Veon Smith, RB, Michigan
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Regardless of Benny Cunningham's arrival this offseason, the Bears might look to infuse some competition into the backfield in the later rounds of the draft.
Michigan's De'Veon Smith is a notable name to know.
Smith won't wow anyone on film and is the type of back most teams will pass up. He's not overly versatile, but he is a violent finisher between the tackles who uses his size at 5'11" and 223 pounds and rarely dances in the backfield.
In other words, Smith could wind up quite productive behind one of the NFL's best interior offensive lines. If the Bears want a back well-versed in his role to complement Howard, Smith could win out on sheer reliability when asked to accomplish his job.
Smith isn't a flashy player by any means, but the Bears have their versatile backs, and a reliable interior runner who can make the roster is a good way to spend a late pick.
Dylan Donahue, Edge, West Georgia
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Linebacker depth and an ability to rush the passer are two needs the Bears could look to check off the list late in the draft. West Georgia's Dylan Donahue can hit both.
Donahue is undersized at 6'3" and 248 pounds, but quality lateral agility helps him look like a strong depth presence in a traditional-linebacker sense, if not an extra rusher in certain packages.
An extra rusher behind Leonard Floyd, Pernell McPhee and Willie Young isn't a bad thing. If the best Donahue can become is a quality special teams player, it's still a win for a late-round pick.
In the hands of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Donahue might find himself with a successful defined role.
Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashford
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The globe seems split on Ashford tight end Adam Shaheen.
Some such as CBSSports.com slap him as a second-round value, while he isn't anywhere to be found elsewhere due to questions about his game and transition to the pros.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, though one of the deepest tight end classes ever will drive him down the board.
Chicago shouldn't complain if Shaheen falls. He's a project, but a 6'6", 278-pound project worth spending a late pick on. Part of a conclusion by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein explains the risk-reward dilemma:
"He's a poorer blocker than what might be expected for a player with his frame, but he's also a much more dangerous pass catching target. The jump in competition will be substantial and teams will expect him to become a more consistent blocker, but he's a pass catching tight end in a Y-tight end's body.
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Chicago will look to add more pass-catching options in this year's draft, perhaps doing so at both tight end and wideout despite free-agent signings.
Funnily enough, Shaheen is something of a mix of the two while he works on his skills as a blocker.
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Brendan Langley, CB, Lamar
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Most mock drafts peg the Bears as grabbing a cornerback as high as No. 3 despite free-agent adds.
On paper, Chicago might be more inclined to let Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper compete with Kyle Fuller and others while addressing the position late in the draft.
Lamar's Brendan Langley is a nice consolation prize if the Bears choose this route.
Langley dabbled at wideout throughout his career, so he's dangerous with the ball in his hands. He's still learning the corner spot, but a 6'0", 201-pound defensive back who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the combine is a guy worth developing on the back end of the roster.
Like some of these players listed, maybe Langley only has a solid career as a special teams player. Fine, but the draft process seems to be sleeping on his upside at a spot where the Bears will take whatever upside they can get.
Jamari Staples, WR, Louisville
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If the Bears don't want to go tight end late or want to add a wideout to the mix, it's hard to go wrong with the value on Jamari Staples.
Staples is bigger at 6'3" and 195 pounds with the ability to fight for a catch at its highest point and otherwise stick as a reliable presence on the outside.
Chicago doesn't have many of those guys fitting such a description right now after Alshon Jeffery's departure. Kevin White remains an unknown, Cameron Meredith needs more time and Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright aren't chain-moving players.
Staples, at least, continues to fly under the radar perhaps in part because of his collegiate situation.
"That staff is really high on him. They love his leadership and talent. When you watch the tape, you see how many yards were left on the field for him due to bad throws or missed reads by Lamar Jackson," an AFC scout told Zierlein.
A boundary wideout who can inhale targets and stick on the roster, not to mention flaunt some upside, is a smooth move for the Bears late in the proceedings.
John Johnson, S, Boston College
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Safety is the same as corner mentioned earlier—the Bears might address it early...or not.
If the Bears choose to ride with new addition Quintin Demps alongside Amos and other younger guys, Pace could still look to add a high-upside player in the closing rounds of the draft.
Boston College's John Johnson is a name to keep in mind. He's a physical specimen with the sheer coverage skills to play deep down the field if asked. His coming in at 6'0" and 208 pounds with a 37-inch vertical and a time of 6.72 seconds in the three-cone drill are simply smooth bonuses.
The merits of an exceptionally deep defensive back class have quelled the hype around Johnson and might push him down the board to Day 3, where the Bears would be wise to pull the trigger if they have yet to address the position. Smart players with sheer coverage abilities and range don't come around often.
Johnson has both and could push for snaps right away.
Jerod Evans, QB, Virginia Tech
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Tennessee's Joshua Dobbs has received plenty of hype as of late, but when it comes to quarterback sleepers, Virginia Tech's Jerod Evans is perhaps the biggest name to know.
Should the Bears skip on one of the first four or five quarterbacks in the first two rounds and ignore mid-draft guys like Nathan Peterman, Evans is a great way to grab plenty of starter upside sure to stick on the roster and learn while Mike Glennon acts as starter.
Upside is the name of the game for the 6'3", 232-pound Evans. He has much to like, including an ability to throw well on the run, take shots downfield with a strong arm, read defenses and simply bully defenders as a runner. The problems are a simplistic offense that let him stare down targets and a jittery presence that had him taking off as a runner too early often.
CBSSports.com's Rob Rang detailed the risk here: "He possesses legitimate talent but is a significant project who may have been served playing more at the college level to improve his overall accuracy, something that likely will not happen simply watching from the sideline as a backup in the NFL."
Evans is a risk, but at the same time, it's hard to ignore the positives already in place. Few NFL teams will give him what he needs—time to develop without the pressure of acting as a starter right away.
But Chicago is one of those places.
All contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise specified. Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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