Chicago Bears 2018 NFL Draft Targets: Tarvarus McFadden
The Chicago Bears must make Florida State cornerback Tarvarus McFadden a mid-round priority in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Ryan Pace has had an up-and-down three years as the general manager of the Chicago Bears. The Bears have not had a ton of on-field success during his time, but Pace has done a nice job of adding impact players to the mix through the draft. If quarterback Mitch Trubisky becomes the real deal and the Bears find another handful of impact players in the 2018 NFL Draft, Pace will be well on his way to turning this thing around.
In particular, Pace has done a great job of finding value in the mid-to-later rounds of the draft. Guys like Eddie Goldman, Adrian Amos, Cody Whitehair, Jordan Howard, Eddie Jackson and Tarik Cohen were all under-valued draft gems who became big-time contributors for the Bears.
Obviously, it is extremely important that the Chicago Bears nail the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but the other rounds are important as well. Who can Pace find as his next mid-to-late round gem? In my opinion, Florida State cornerback Tarvarus McFadden would make a lot of sense for this team.
Both Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are set to hit free agency this offseason. The Bears will undoubtedly have interest in bringing both players back, but let’s be honest, actually signing both cornerbacks is extremely unlikely. Fuller and Amukamara are both talented cornerbacks who will command big money on the open market. The Bears will likely be able to bring one of them back, but both seems unlikely.
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Losing either Fuller or Amukamara would create a massive hole for the Bears at the cornerback position. McFadden may not be the ideal immediate solution, but he has the talent and upside to make a difference at a likely position of need.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio loves size at the cornerback position, and at 6-2, 205 pounds, McFadden certainly fits the bill. He shows impressive length and athleticism on the outside and extremely exciting ball skills. McFadden has the raw talent to be a shutdown cornerback at the next level.
As a sophomore in 2016, McFadden was an absolute star on the field for Florida State, piling up eight interceptions on the year. However, last season, McFadden was extremely inconsistent. Opposing teams were able to pick on him much more than they should have last season and he did not create a single turnover for his team.
McFadden still flashed his massive upside last season, but he was far too inconsistent to become the big-time NFL draft prospect that he once seemed to be. After his inconsistent year, McFadden is probably not going to be a first-round selection. Sure, there could be a team that falls in love with his athletic ability and size and reaches a bit, but I find that unlikely.
Instead, McFadden will probably be available when the Chicago Bears go on the clock in the second round (39th overall). With his size and obvious upside at the cornerback position, McFadden is an ideal second-round target for the Bears.
Next: Bears 7-Round 2018 NFL mock draft
There is certainly some downside in his game and he may not be able to take on a huge role right away. That being said, McFadden’s talent is for real. He is the perfect player for the Bears to bring in and grow at an important position of need.