2017 NFL Draft Grades: Chicago Bears Trade Up for Mitchell Trubisky
By Tom Pollin
The Chicago Bears traded up one spot in the 2017 NFL Draft to take quarterback Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 overall. Grading the pick.
The question about Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace was if he had the guts to make a bold draft move. Then he shocked the NFL world by trading the Chicago Bears’ No. 3 pick with the San Francisco 49ers to move up to No. 2 in the 2017 NFL Draft. Pace then took that pick and went nuclear on the draft and everyone’s predictions, selecting North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
The 6-3, 220-pound quarterback started 13 games for the Tar Heels in 2016. He led the team to an 8-5 record, completing 304-of-447 pass attempts for 3,748 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
Trubisky was the highest rated quarterback on NFL.com’s prospect board. Here are some positives from their scouting report:
"Delivery is crisp and efficient. Locates safeties and reads their intentions immediately after the snap. Quick through his progressions and will double back to targets if his protection allows him time. Pocket mechanics and throwing motion are solid. Tough and competitive. Shows courage and poise in the pocket. Throws passes from balanced platforms and rarely defaults to an off-balance throw unnecessarily. Has all the arm you need."
From the negative side of the slate:
"Almost 98 percent of his dropbacks came from shotgun. Will have to learn NFL footwork from under center which could take time."
Those would be difficult to take if the Bears hadn’t have gone out and signed veterans Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez last month. Trubisky will get the necessary time to work on those weakness’. The total price the Bears payed the 49ers for Trubisky is their No. 3 pick in the first round, the No. 67 overall pick in the third round, the No. 111 overall pick in the fourth round and a third round pick in 2018.
In his third draft as Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace has tied his job to the right arm of a quarterback who everyone had questions about before tonight, for better or worse. He gets an A+ grade for his intestinal fortitude. He gets a B grade for daring to do with a No. 2 pick what everyone thought he was incapable of: going all-in on a quarterback.