Chicago Bears: 7-Round 2018 mock draft three days away

As a result of letting Cameron Meredith walk, many feel the Bears are back in the business of looking for a wide receiver. They did sign two players afterward, but that’s probably to a: help on special teams, and/or b: bodies to go through training camp.

Dante Pettis has athletic genes in him. His father, Gary, played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball. Also, his cousin, Austin, played 4 seasons in the NFL. Pettis inherited those genes. He was all-conference in high school in two positions (wide receiver and cornerback).

Pettis is an explosive off-the-snap receiver. He runs great routes and runs the entire route tree. He moves around and helps the quarterback when he gets hurried. You can put him on the outside or in the slot. Pettis played better when John Ross was on the other side, so having Allen Robinson should help Pettis.

He needs to work on his toughness at the higher level. Aggressive, bump-and-run corners gave him some trouble. Once he gets free, however, his crisp route-running and fakes help him get open and take big chunks of yards.

Pettis is also a great help on punt returns. The way he runs routes help him on returns. Additionally, his ability to make the first man miss means he makes a lot of high-yardage returns. This is something that the Bears struggle with since the exit of Devin Hester. Getting big returns helps in not only scoring (when he gets touchdowns) but also gives the offense a shorter field to work with. Always going on 75-yard drives doesn’t result in scoring many points.

Don’t get it wrong, though. Pettis will get you points on punt returns. He owns the NCAA record for most punt return touchdowns with nine. Picking up a receiver who runs crisp routes and complements Robinson surely helps the Bears’ offense. With the other receivers on the field receiving attention, Pettis can be a valuable asset.