It’s hard to look at the draft the Chicago Bears had and be too complimentary. They had just five picks and used two of them on running backs and two on cornerbacks. That means they addressed only three positions total in the draft — and one of them was a hole they needlessly created for themselves.
Despite Jordan Howard being a bell cow for three seasons, they traded him away for basically nothing. Doing so left them with a need at the position, which handcuffed them to having to spend their lone top-100 pick on a running back.
They did well with that by landing Iowa State’s David Montgomery. He should be able to work well in a committee with Tarik Cohen, but that doesn’t mean he’s their biggest steal.
That honor goes to Riley Ridley, the Georgia Bulldogs’ wide receiver prospect. Ridley is the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley. He actually played against his brother when the Bulldogs lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the NCAA Championship game in January 2018.
Riley Ridley’s performance in that game sparked interest in him going forward. Like his brother, he’s a savvy route runner with soft hands. However, he hasn’t developed as much as Calvin did, which is why he lasted as long as he did. Still, the younger Ridley has all the tools necessary to be a legit No. 1 receiver, it just may take some time.
Fortunately for the Bears, they have that with Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel on the team. Ridley can take his time to adjust to the NFL while honing his skills. In time, this pick should look brilliant.