NFL Draft: Redrafting the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft 9. Laremy Tunsil
Originally selected 13th overall (+4)
The Chicago Bears drafted Leonard Floyd with their 9th-overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. This wasn’t the worst pick of all time, but Floyd’s career never really took off in the Windy City. Instead, he’s currently finding a high level of success with the LA Rams.
That said, the Chicago Bears developed one of the best NFL defenses in recent memory, even with this relative bust of a pick. In this situation, they know that the defense is going to be strong regardless, so they’ll pick up an offensive player to bolster their chances on the other side of the ball.
Laremy Tunsil took a while to get going in the NFL, but by the time 2019 came around, he had developed into one of the best offensive linemen in the league. He will attest to that with back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances.
Chicago could have used a player like this in 2020 when another disappointing offense led to a discouraging season for Bears fans. A large portion of the blame here can be assigned to an aging offensive line that continued to regress as the years went on.
Tunsil, on the other hand, has gradually improved. He may have been able to revive this offensive unit and help give them a chance to reach the playoffs.