Chicago Bears: 5 Late-round sleeper targets in 2019 NFL Draft
Jalen Jelks, EDGE, Oregon
As with the case with Clinton-Dix, the Chicago Bears will need to make a decision on Leonard Floyd. He is about to go for his second contract and the team needs to decide if they want to give him a long-term deal with big bucks. They could pick up Jalen Jelks and groom him as a possible replacement. At the very least, he provides good depth in case there is an injury to Floyd or to Aaron Lynch.
Oregon had Jelks play as an interior defensive lineman for a bit, but weighing 256 pounds, he was often overmatched. As a 3-4 edge defender, however, he thrived. He received second-team All-Pac-12 honors. He had 59 tackles (15 tackles for loss), 6.5 sacks and seven passes defended.
While he didn’t impress on the interior line, it toughened him up. He attacks as an edge rusher and uses his quickness to get into the backfield in the blink of an eye. He has a variety of moves to get past blockers and his long limbs help him block the quarterback’s vision and knock down passes.
Jelks’ quickness and length also help him get to running backs as well. He has a massive radius and pursues well.
While Jelks adjusted well to the edge, he is still learning the nuances of the position. He could be used as a designated pass rusher while he gets better overall. With the depth the Bears have, that should work in year one. That way, if the Bears decide to part ways with Floyd, Jelks could be ready to take over.
Jelks is a smart player as well. On pass plays, he diagnoses plays and makes the decision to drop back and get a pass breakup instead of applying pressure and allowing a completion.
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Jelks draws comparisons to Jason Taylor. He has the physical tools to have success in the NFL, but is still a little raw. He’ll be polished soon enough, though, and it would be nice to see him break out with the Chicago Bears. Jelks is projected to go anywhere from the late third round all the way down to the fifth round. Wherever he goes, he has too many tools and athletic ability to not succeed in the NFL.