Chicago Bears: 2017 Rookie class receives high grade

After experiencing a backlash for last year’s draft, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace received some redemption by getting a high grade by NFL.com.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace went through the gauntlet of criticism for how he went about forming his 2017 draft class. He gave up some valuable draft picks to move up one spot and pick quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Also, he picked some unknown quantities from smaller schools.

In addition to Trubisky, Pace drafted Adam Shaheen from Ashland in the second round. In the fourth round, he chose Eddie Jackson from Alabama and Tarik Cohen from North Carolina A&T. Finally, in the fifth round, he selected Jordan Morgan from Kutztown University.

Many so-called experts mocked what Pace did. How could he give up valuable draft picks to move from the third overall pick to the second pick? Additionally, they said the Bears reached in selecting Shaheen in the second round. Even the Jackson selection, a key player with the Alabama Crimson Tide’s championship team, was criticized because he dealt with an injury.

Sports Illustrated gave the Bears a D for their pickup of Trubisky. They said:

"Pick 2 and the first massive surprise of the night. The Bears sent picks 3, 67, 111 and a 2018 third-rounder to the 49ers to move up one spot for Trubisky… It is a massive commitment that comes right after the Bears signed Mike Glennon in free agency. Is Trubisky here to take the job in 2017 or to sit and watch? Given the price, it almost has to be the former. This is a huge gamble by the Bears on a quarterback who drew mixed reviews throughout the draft process. GRADE: D"

They also gave the Bears a C for drafting Shaheen, saying they could have gone in many other directions.

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Now, the NFL.com came out with draft ratings following these players’ rookie seasons, and Pace could smile. Draft analyst Jeremy Bergman gave the Bears a solid B+ for their draft class:

"Trading up one spot to draft Trubisky — and letting go of three mid-round picks in the process — was a risk, but one worth taking in retrospect. Trubisky is a work in progress, but under the tutelage of Matt Nagy and Mark Helfrich, the QB can aspire to a sophomore surge, a la Jared Goff in L.A. Chicago made the most of the few other selections it possessed, hauling two great athletes in Jackson and Cohen, the latter of whom was an immediate game-breaker. Jackson and Adrian Amos will give the Windy City a top-five safety tandem in years to come. Chicago needs to utilize Shaheen more to justify a higher draft grade; the tight end caught just 12 passes in 13 games despite Zach Miller missing half the season. GRADE: B+"

Trubisky sat the first four games of the season. However, Glennon couldn’t take control of the offense so the rookie stepped in. He had some growing pains, but showed that the confidence Pace had in him was substantiated.

In picking Jackson, the Bears finally answered the safety question for the foreseeable future. He showed he was over his injury. He became the first rookie in NFL history to take a fumble recovery touchdown and an interception return touchdown of 75 yards or more.

I agree with the analysis on Shaheen. The Bears did not use him enough in 2017. He showed flashes of how good he could play at times, but the coaching staff kept him out at key moments. Bears head coach Matt Nagy uses the tight end a lot so Shaheen probably gets a lot more action in 2018 and his contribution skyrockets.

Tarik Cohen lived up to his “Human Joystick” moniker. As with Shaheen, the coaching staff inexplicably kept him out of action even though he showed how good he could become. Morgan suffered an injury and the Bears placed him on injured reserve, thus ending his season before it began. He is healthy now, though, and the Bears feel he could contribute on the offensive line this season.

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Though he won’t say so publicly, I’m sure Pace feels vindicated and proud of this draft class. Four of the five draftees stepped up and contributed right away. They’ll only get better and hopefully become key players to help turn the team around.

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