Chicago Bears: 5 First-round targets in the 2018 NFL Draft

3. Roquan Smith, ILB, Georgia

After cutting ties with Jerrell Freeman, the Chicago Bears could certainly use an impact addition at the inside linebacker position. As things stand now, the starting duo of Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski is decent, but there is certainly room for improvement.

Athletic freak Tremaine Edmunds is an extremely interesting prospect at the inside linebacker position, but Roquan Smith would be a better fit for the Bears at number eight.

Smith is an elite athlete at the linebacker position who could come in and immediately be the centerpiece of the Bears defense. He is an extremely active linebacker who shows the ability to defend from sideline-to-sideline. Smith is an absolute force against the run, making plays in the backfield and filling his gap responsibility with consistency.

He is also an impressive linebacker in coverage who could be a rare asset against the big and athletic tight ends at the next level.

Simply put, Roquan Smith is a modern NFL linebacker who has massive upside at the next level. He was an extremely productive playmaker in college and his skills should translate well to the next level. If Smith is on the board at number eight, he undoubtedly needs to be under consideration for the Chicago Bears.