Chicago Bears: 7-Round 2020 mock draft post-Senior Bowl

The Chicago Bears will likely part ways with cornerback Prince Amukamara. He is on the wrong side of 30 (he’ll be 31 when the season begins) and he had a tough 2019 season. Additionally, the Bears frees up $9 million by letting him go.

The team might go through free agency to find a replacement or they could give Duke Shelley a shot at the starting job. At any rate, they’ll probably need to add some depth to the position.

They could go with Tino Ellis for that depth. Ellis played wide receiver in high school but switched over to cornerback when he went to Maryland. Because of that, he can pick up a receiver’s route quickly and know what he wants to do. Being a former receiver also helps him to go after the ball like a receiver.

Ellis has only one interception in his college career but has 21 pass breakups. He is active with his hands so he has the ability to increase his interception totals and continue to break up passes. Also, he is a physical cornerback who doesn’t shy away from hits.

He has to rein in that physicality, however, as he sometimes tries too hard for the big hit and doesn’t use proper wrap-up technique to get the ball carrier down.

Ellis has to work on his press coverage skills. He has a good punch and when he connects he can knock a receiver off and affect his route, but he often stays on his heels. When he does that he reacts too much and misses on his hit.

Ellis adds speed and athleticism to the cornerback unit. With the other members in the defensive secondary, the Chicago Bears would have good, young, athletic players who could help the defense return to the turnover machine it was in 2018.