Chicago Bears: Grading every 2018 NFL Draft pick

Grade: A

The Bears went into this draft knowing they needed to add more playmakers on defense. Well, when they saw Roquan Smith still sitting there at No. 8 overall, I don’t think there was much discussion around whose name would end up on that card.

Now in the Windy City, Smith finds himself in a situation where he can thrive. The Bears are heading in a new direction with a rebuilt coaching staff and somewhat of a youth movement ongoing. Likely to slot in as a starter in the team’s 3-4 scheme, I don’t see him having any trouble being a difference-maker in 2018.

Smith is the type of linebacker who always seems to be around the football. Whether he’s dragging down a running back in the backfield, making a quarterback run for his life or using his athleticism to shine in coverage, the former Bulldog doesn’t seem to have any glaring weakness to his game. That’s why he became a Top 10 pick despite linebackers rarely hearing their names called that early.

Expect to see Smith slot in as one of the Bears’ starting inside linebackers from the get-go. Teamed with Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski in the middle of the Chicago defense, I foresee this unit undergoing significant improvement in 2018.