The Bishop tells us: ‘When the boys come back ‘They will not be the same; for they’ll have fought ‘In a just cause: they lead the last attack ‘On Anti-Christ; their comrades’ blood has bought ‘New right to breed an honourable race, ‘They have challenged Death and dared him face to face.’
‘We’re none of us the same!’ the boys reply. ‘For George lost both his legs; and Bill’s stone blind; ‘Poor Jim’s shot through the lungs and like to die; ‘And Bert’s gone syphilitic: you’ll not find ‘A chap who’s served that hasn’t found some change. ‘ And the Bishop said: ‘The ways of God are strange!’
– Siegfried Sassoon, 1917
I happened to stumble across a doc on Scottish Independence. I couldn’t stop watching, so I’ll share.
Declaration of Arbroath, 1320
“As long as a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be subjected to the lordship of the English. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself”.
For FREEDOM, not oil, power or geopolitical posturing.
When I first heard ‘Zavion’ called, I got excited. I thought the Bears drafted the other Zxavion, Zxavion Harris. A DT with a record. Turns out, Harris didn’t even get drafted because of his red flags. Get on it, Poles!
My second initial reaction, “Great, another Velus-Cohen special.” Perhaps I’m just an overly traumatized Bear fans, “Tell me where Halas touched you…”
For any who still doubt that BJ is driving and Poles riding shotgun, this is the pick. So this really is the “in Ben we trust” era.
“This guy is going to be a weapon,” Bears assistant director of college scouting Francis St. Paul said on Friday. “This is one of the guys that Ben, when he saw the tape, started doing his little rocking and you could tell he was really excited about him.”
The new kickoff rules have actually pushed a lot of prospects with return skills up the boards making iffy HBs, scatbacks and hybrid WRs much more viable than in previous years. Drafniks hadn’t factored this much into their mocks, as such, they made Zavion Thomas a 7th RDer or priority UFDA;
Nevertheless, actual GMs and coaches obviously covet starting field position much more.
Silvy@WaddleandSilvy
Our friend @FieldYates told us a great story about Zavion Thomas. Field didn’t have him in his top 150. Someone called him and asked why. That person told him that Thomas would eventually be a third round pick. And it wasn’t from someone w/ the #Bears.
Teams would kick it out of the back of the endzone because that’s what the math dictated. Roughly 23% of kickoffs were returned. That’s not much value for a returner. They changed the rule to punish teams that booted it out. Suddenly coaches didn’t want to cede a measly extra 5 yards because it changed the winning/losing math. This dramatically boosted returns from 23% to about 70%, or as Hoge relayed, about 70 chances to create a big play per season.
If Zavion Thomas can gift the O an extra 5-7 yds per drive, that alone might be worth the pick. Think about how some clutch Devin Durvernay returns changed momentum and even a win or two.
An extra 5-7 yards could be the difference between a short shanked punt which only nets 20 yds, or turning a 60 yd FG attempt into a 53 yder to tie/win the game.
That’s not even accounting for the sky in the pie scenario where Thomas plays more like the OTHER Chicago returner named Devin.
Ben Johnson obviously calculated the risk to be worth it. Something else to consider. Maybe BJ doesn’t see Thomas as a gadget/ speed slot WR. Maybe, just maybe, he sees him more as his Jahmyr Gibbs.
Or Thomas was ridiculously overdrafted and Velus 2.0…
I have slipped through some inter-dimensional portal and have somehow arrived here. I originate from a timeline where the Bears won the Bradshaw coin flip. Where Martin didn’t break McMahon. Where the Bears traded up a measly two spots to steal Aaron Donald. Where Tharris and Mike Brown stay healthy, and Lovie keeps pounding the rock with Thomas Jones, thus becoming the first AF American HC to win a SB.
Where Mahomes, not Trubisky, was selected, and the double-doink never doinked because, well, Da Bears’ Mahomes-Mack-Attack lead the SB charge. M&Ms even pumped out a special Bears’ edition which naturally we ate up [puns are still a thing on Earth 2.]
SB Shuffle VI with Mahomes and Mack doing the Kid-N-Play was epic! something my grandchildren will cherish.
However, I am dismayed to see NONE of this transpired on this Earth. For that, I offer my condolences. How a team can land Butkus and Sayers in the same draft and STILL not win a SB is truly a cosmic outlier; tbh one timestream in the multiverse must be the Steven Baldwin of Earths, and I am eternally grateful that it is YOURs and not mine. Whew.
On that note, I will relay how the Bears’ Draft 2026 unfolded on Earth 2.
Bears’ draft picks 2026:
Rd 1, Pick 25: DE Keldrick Faulk Rd 2, Pick 57: SS Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Rd 3, Pick 69: DT Tyler Onyedim Rd 3, Pick 89: C-IOL-T Trey Zuhn III Rd 4, Pick 124: CB Malik Muhammad Rd 5, Pick 166: WR Kendrick Law Rd 6, Pick 213: DT Jordan van den Berg
Rd 1, # 25 DE Keldric Faulk. Allen is picky, and Faulk is one of the few DEs who actually fits his mold. The GM on Earth 2 isn’t counting on an old Jarrett, schizo Dexter, Motivated Dayo [coming off an achilles] or Turner [coming off a torn ACL] to magically become elite and improve a terrible Dline which can neither stop the run or rush the QB.
Rd 2, #57 SS Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Yes, Still needed a S in Earth 2, and yes, many over here likewise mocked EMW to Bears at #25, so fantastic value that fills a need. No-brainer.
RD 3, #69, DT Tyler Onyedim actually fell 2 spots to Bears. Can never roster enough Dline, right? Well, at least that’s what Bears in Earth 2 believe. On Earth 1, apparently, Bears can never roster enough TEs.
RD 3, #89 C-IOL-T Trey Zuhn III. Shockingly, the Bears on Earth 2 also needed a C, except on our planet, Dalman didn’t retire but tragically died in a stand-fucking orgy at Coachella. I guess he really didn’t want to play for the Bears in any timeline. As such, Bears still needed a C, so they pick a 6’6 320 Zuhn. Now, this isn’t exactly a new C since he also played LT, but luckily for Bears, they need that too! Braxton-Benedet-Trapilo are sketchy at best while Thuney isn’t getting any younger. Ergo Zuhn who can sub across the Oline wherever needed.
RD 4, #124 CB Malik Muhammad We’re earth 2, not bizzaro world, so some overlap is natural, and it seems a universal Konstant that Tyrique Stevenson is a bozo who can not be trusted. Some still wanted CConnor Lew to further solidify the trenches.
RD5, #166 WR Kendrick Law BJ must be appeased on any Earth! He saw something in Law – a thick YAC weapon with some return chops. I see in this version the Lions drafted him at #168 as they share the same type as BJ.
RD 6 #213 DT Jordan van den Berg Did I mention that on our Earth Bears stack the trenches? Faulk and Berg at bare minimum spell Motivated Dayo, Jarrett and Sweat, and as such, make them more efficient. Worst case scenario – Dayo busts, Jarret gets old as Turner struggles to find a position while recovering from his torn ACL forcing Faulk and Berg to pick up the slack.
As Mario Lemieux famously said: “Tu rates 100% des tirs que tu ne prends pas.”
Rd 1, Pick 25: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon Rd 2, Pick 57: Logan Jones, C, Iowa Rd 3, Pick 69: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Rd 3, Pick 89: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU Rd 4, Pick 124: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas Rd 5, Pick 166: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona St. Rd 6, Pick 213: Jordan van den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech
UDFA Signings / Invites Player, Pos, School
Beau Gardner LS Georgia Caden Barnett G Wyoming [Vanilla Gorilla!] Coleman Bennett RB Kennesaw St Gabriel Plascencia K SDSU Hayden Large TE Iowa Jaren Kump C Utah Jayden Loving DT Wake Forest KC Eziomume CB Tulane Mason Murphy OT Auburn Miller Moss QB Louisville Omari Kelly WR Michigan State Skyler Thomas S Oregon State Squirrel White WR Florida State
Tryout Invites Dain Walter OT UWL Devin Pringle DB UConn Jaheim Ward DB Eastern Kentucky Josh Kreutz C Illinois Terrell Tilmon DE Texas Tech
TOs, which are notoriously fickle yr-to-yr, were the ONLY factor separating us from laughing stock Ds like Dallas. Bears need to replace approx 24/33 TOs.
TLDR:
BJ/Poles declared they were going BPA, and that’s EXACTLY what they did. If they went for need, they would’ve drafted:
Round 2, Pick 57:Logan Jones, C, Iowa Pro Comparison: Seth McLaughlin Summary Logan Jones anchored Iowa’s Joe Moore Award–winning offensive line and won the Rimington Trophy after logging more than 2,800 snaps as a four-year starter. He shows good athletic traits and excellent consistency in Iowa’s zone-blocking system. Jones likely projects as a center only at the next level and lacks the ideal size and length the NFL typically covets, despite his stellar college career. He’s a savvy, intelligent player who could thrive in a zone or pin-and-pull scheme.
About 2025: Unanimous All-American 2025: Rimington Trophy winner (nation’s top C) Strengths Excellent feet and athleticism to reach frontside defenders and cut off backside pursuit; smooth mover in space and to the second level. Good initial strike in pass protection with the footwork to mirror, clamp and stone defenders on counters. High football IQ, consistently setting protections, identifying the Mike and adjusting the point when needed. Weaknesses Struggles to move head-up defensive linemen in the run game and anchor consistently against power in pass protection. Lacks the ideal size and length [30″ arms] NFL teams prefer; combine measurements will be closely scrutinized. Smaller pass-protection sample in a run-heavy offense and has shown occasional issues picking up games and exotic blitzes. Combine Data 40-yard dash: 4.90 seconds [Sub 5]. Vertical jump: 32 inches 20-yard shuttle run: 4.59 seconds Broad jump: 9 feet, 2 inches 3-cone drill: 7.46 seconds
Butch Take: I don’t mind this one [despite the Trex factor]. Bradbury was never the long-term answer and Logan Jones may actually supplant him. Iowa has a fantastic record with Oline and TEs. Seems a bit undersized, but BJ/Rouschar covet nimble Cs, and Jones can make blocks others can’t. It should be noted that other IOL/Cs like Slaughter, Hecht, Zuhn and Lew were frequently graded more highly, but hey, THEY didn’t win the Rimington, and I never trust ‘converted’ Cs. Prefer them to be true centers, and Jones is that. C is also notoriously difficult to judge, so I’m going to have to trust BJ knows WTF he’s doing.
Round 3, Pick 69 (via Rams): Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Pro Comparison: Jack Doyle Summary Sam Roush is a sturdy, reliable tight end who excels as a traditional inline blocker and middle-of-the-field target. A high-achieving student-athlete at Stanford, he has a large catch radius and the strength to run through defenders in the open field. While he may not be the fastest player, his consistent blocking and ability to shield defenders make him a valuable asset in a balanced offense.
About Career: 119 receptions, 1,201 receiving yards, 4 receiving TD Family: Two uncles and grandfather played in NFL Strengths Effective inline blocker who plays bigger than his 250-pound frame. Natural hands catcher with a large, reliable catch radius. Strong long-strider capable of running through arm tackles in space. Weaknesses Lacks high-end twitch or explosiveness of elite tight ends. Can struggle to create consistent separation against tight man coverage. Occasional losses early in reps against highly active edge rushers. Combine Data 40-yard dash: 4.70 seconds Bench press: 25 reps Vertical jump: 38.5 inches 20-yard shuttle run: 4.37 seconds Broad jump: 10 feet, 6 inches 3-cone drill: 7.08 seconds
Butch Take: must admit, this befuddled me. Poles just restructured Kmet. Loveland is obviously TE1, so drafting TE3 at 69 makes lil sense. I can only conclude BJ wanted to make up for Smythe’s 25% snaps [though I read Bears only lined up 8% in 13 personnel. Need to confirm]. Nevertheless, T3 ain’t going to stop Jahmyr Gibbs or sack Jordan Love.
Round 3, Pick 89: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU Pro Comparison: Rashid Shaheed Summary Zavion Thomas is an explosive, versatile playmaker who can line up across the formation or contribute as a dangerous return specialist. He relies on elite short-area quickness and precise footwork to create instant separation against man coverage. While he lacks the size to dominate in jump-ball situations, his ability to reach top speed quickly makes him a constant big-play threat in space.
About 2025: 41 receptions, 488 receiving yards, 4 receiving TD Career: 1,213 receiving yards, 7 receiving TD, 1 rushing TD, 3 return TD Strengths Reaches top speed in two steps with elite acceleration. Precise route runner with twitchy movement out of breaks. Dangerous open-field runner with the ability to stack defenders vertically. Weaknesses Struggles to win contested-catch battles against larger defenders. Lacks the size and play strength to be an effective blocker. Difficulty separating on deep routes against physical cornerbacks. Combine Data 40-yard dash: 4.28 seconds Vertical jump: 36 inches
Butch Take: Another offensive weapon! [pun intended]. Honestly, my first reaction? “Great, Velus/Cohen 2.0” An apologist can argue that we needed a true ‘gadget’ threat. Someone who can take a jet sweep or return to the house, or back off the safeties with 4.28 ludicrous speed. Heck, some comp him to Tyreek Hill, and he’s somehow related to Sweetness.
I guess Bears can score 50 a game.
OT. Sat, RDs 4-7
Jacob Infante@jacobinfante24 ·28m #Bears GM Poles drafting in RD 3:
• Velus Jones Jr. • Zacch Pickens • Kiran Amegadjie • Sam Roush • Zavion Thomas
Not even gonna bother with best available. GMs usually go off the rails by RD 4 [some earlier, apparently].
Only ones I maybe want:
Edge, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
DT Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss
So Poles will likely draft a safety, scatback and water boy.
We would all prefer Dline, but BPA pointed to drafting the 2nd best Safety.
It’s entirely possible Poles was eyeing Edge Mesidor or Edge Malachai Lawrence drafted right before Bears at #22 and #23, respectively.
The Browns decided to draft the 4rth best WR instead of the 2nd best S, which set up S Theineman for Poles on a platter.
Many assumed he’d be gone by #25. Plenty mocked Vikings taking him at #18, but instead they drafted DT Caleb Banks – a massive DT with bum feet. Lions the pick before predictably drafted a LT in Blake Miller.
At this point a GM must show his hand. Poles preached “BPA” but Safety happened to also fill a hole. Instead of drafting DT Peter Woods, or Edge Keldric Faulk like the Chiefs and Titans after Bears, Poles selected the consensus best S.
Courtney Cronin@CourtneyRCronin ·2h Ryan Poles: “This was the most aggressive we were in terms of the guys that we like.” If a player wasn’t the right scheme fit, didn’t fit their character profile, etc. “then you’re off the board.”
The Bears feel like they’re in a position to be “very selective of who we want.”
Poles: “Why mess around with those who don’t fit what we’re trying to do?”
Of note, S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Didn’t go in the 1st, so Poles correctly valued the board.
Dillon is a genetic freak! He blazed a 4.35 [faster than many CBs/WRs]. 9.72 RAS out 10. Vertical jump 94% [who says white men can’t jump!]
Larry Mayer@LarryMayer ·3h With 25th pick in first round of draft, Bears select safety Dillon Thieneman. The 6-foot, 201-pounder appeared in 39 games over three seasons at Purdue (2023-24) and Oregon (2025), registering 8 interceptions, 14 pass breakups, 306 tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks.
PFF graded him as the 8th best player out of 914. Comped to Kevin Byard, Jevon Holland or Harrison Smith.
Productive, athletic and versatile + filling a hole on D. Poles almost HAD to draft Dillon Thieneman. Albeit many of us must still get over our Chris Conte PTSD…
OT:
TRENDING: #Bears first-round safety Dillon Thieneman’s sister Kiera has gone viral on social media during the #NFL draft for her facial reactions during the interview.
====Day 2==== Bears hold the #57 and #60th in the 2nd, and #89th in 3rd.
Will Poles trade up in day 2? Initially I suspected yes, but after digging through best available, no, I don’t think so. Still TONS of talent left esp on the lines and LB. Like on Day 1, Poles should just let gems fall on his lap.
For those wondering about trades, Pit shared this :
Seahawks traded 52 and 82 for 35
Texans traded 58 and 99 for 48
Bills traded (to the Bears) 56, 62, and 109 for 41, 72, and 240
They can absolutely go up or down, but I feel like they’ll stay or even trade down. Depends on how they tier prospects, but Day 2 is the meat of this draft. Simply scan the list of Lance Zierlein’s best available and circle all the players who could contribute immediately. Bold for prospects who interest me or were linked to Bears. [i]=interviewed/visited
Matt Miller [correctly guessed Loveland last draft while everyone was picking Dline or TE Tyler Warren]Mock for Bears:
Initially Peter Woods.
Peter Woods, DE, Clemson.
Now he’s changed it to OT Caleb Lomu
Fowler’s intel: Lomu is a popular name in league circles in the back half of Round 1. He is on the radar of the Eagles, Lions, Texans and 49ers, among others.
Biggsy mocks DE Zion Young Fishbain mocks OT Caleb Lomu Schrager mocks DE T.J. Parker
==The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain== succinctly surveys viable Bear targets using colleague Dane Brugler’s “Beast.”
We’ve been covering the draft specifically, but now I want to pull back and survey the overall landscape. In life we sometimes get so stuck in the minutia, running to and fro the rat race tubes, that we forget to squeeze out and take it all in. Walking the streets of a city differs from viewing the city from a nearby mountain.
On that note, this vid touches on some of the sentiments I share on overall roster construction in the modern NFL. Modern being the key adjective because sometimes as long time NFL fans, our mentality can freeze in a different era [see, music taste]. We all loved Irish [to varying degrees!], but if his WRs weren’t 6’4, if his DCs weren’t blitzing like a methed-out Buddy Ryan, and if the pundits didn’t actually play, then he wanted no part of them. Or as he would put it, “Be gone!” He also wanted to draft a stud HB in nearly every draft searching for our next Sweetness!
Well, hate to break it to us Bear fans, but this ain’t 1985! NFL changes seemingly every 4-5 years. Sometimes it’s subtle [i.e. the avg size of ILBs] other times it’s more pronounced [I doubt we’ll ever see a HB going #1 overall ever again].
I still subscribe to some longstanding NFL truism: building the trenches is #1. My earliest critique on Poles was him building the secondarybefore the lines.
Poles to his credit DID attempt to fix the Oline at least, he was simply[ironically] TERRIBLE at it. Nate Davis [$30M], Lucas Patrick, Coleman Shelton, Tyler Biadasz, Kiran Amegadjie…Oddly enough, considering Braxton Jones was a 5th RDer, he might be Poles’ greatest ‘gem’ while Wright has proven to be a good pick [but is he a better RT than Carter a DT?]; luckily for Poles, and us, the new crew of BJ/Rouschar seem to be superior in Oline evaluation and development.
TBC, I didn’t HATE the prospects per se. CB Kyler Gordon [#39], SS Brisker [#48] were startable; I just felt that Poles should focus on the lines FIRST.
The following draft, Poles selected Wright [over Carter at #10], then DT Gervon Dexter [#53], so he did attempt to build the Dlines, but then he drafted yet another CB Stevenson at #56
“Statistically CBs get INJed the most, aging nearly as fast as HBs, so unless your SB window is near, they’ll likely be irrelevant by the time you create a contending team. Optimally, you build the trenches then get a top CB still in his prime”
This sadly applies to Bears. Both Johnson and Gordon were INJed for much of the year while Brisker’s brain became mush. Stevenson seems durable, but BJ benched him for a journey CB Wright. Will Johnson, Gordon and Stevenson remain on the team by the time it makes a real SB push? Doubtful.
Ergo, BUILD THE TRENCHES.
Afterwards, add the gravy of a premium CB and HB.
Naturally with MOFOS far better than Gervon, Pickens or Unmotivated Dayo. However, perhaps the template of wanting ONE Übermensch is outdated
‘The last two SB winners didn’t have a 10+ sack player…SEA and Philly just sent waves of big men at you…it’s like hockey where teams just throw line A then sub in a whole new line B. Line B won’t be as great as line A, but it gives the starters much needed rest and makes them more effective overall’
This trend seems hard to dispute. We all wanted Garrett, Crosby, Hendrickson to a lesser degree, but look what happened to the Puke. Once Micah Parsons went down, their season was basically over. Packers didn’t send waves – they sent one tsunami; their SB dreams dissipated with their tsunami.
Consequently, Bears should acquire as many [impact] Dlinemen as possible. After fielding a healthy stable, then the finishing touches of Safeties like Nick Emmanwori [35th] or CB Quinyon Mitchell [22nd].
Spine of team – right down the middle – should exhibit intelligence, character and leadership the closer you get to the middle – Daniel Jeramiah
This is actually an old trope which used to be racist – just ask Warren Moon [‘QB, C, MLB and S should be white’].
Thankfully, we have progressed as a society beyond these stereotypes. I’ll put Samurai Mike’s and Mike Brown’s football IQ up against anyone. [Maybe we just need to draft more Mikes!]
This may also help explain the seemingly befuddling move to extend TJ Edwards. Maybe DeMarco Jackson is way more athletic, but can he line everyone up right? Can he be the general with the green dot?
Unc Byard was that for the secondary but Poles signed another S with leadership and communication chops in Coby Bryant.
Losing Dalman at C absolutely hurt, and we can only hope the new guy can at least hold court.
When I found out Dalman retired
Obviously the player who must exhibit the most intelligence, communication and leadership is the QB and the arrow is pointing up for Caleb in those departments.
Still, down the line, Poles will have to address the MLB and C positions, maybe as soon as this week.
Other NFL axioms exist like about arms, starting experience, ‘don’t draft outliers’ etc but the aforementioned seem more foundational.
It needs to be said though that NFL teambuilding philos can’t become dogmatic. Plenty of tipping points.
For instance, even if one professes “Never draft a HB, LB or S in the 1st RD!” if Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs somehow miraculously slip to #25, Poles will sprint to podium like the Flash. Heck, I can envision Poles drafting WR Carnell Tate or TE Kenyon Sadiq if they’re somehow still on the board regardless of “need.”
QBs need the three Ps: surround them with the playcaller, playmakers and protection – Jeremiah
This may be the most vital of all, and it seems the Bears FINALLY have the 3Ps in
1.BJ 2.Loveland/Burden/Rome… 3.Top 5 Oline
That can go a long way esp if the run and pass rush D get fixed.
Back to the draft grind. Coming quick! Covered quite a bit of the positions but now more the big boys on the O.
Oline is definitely hardest to grade cuz unless you’re a scout or pro, how the heck are you gonna get a hold of college tape of oline? Soon as the ball is snapped, the camera pans to QB, then RB/WR.
When I used to be more into the draft, a few sites actually compressed entire games/snaps, and a very bored unmarried, childless, Butch, would watch.
Yet I suspect NCAA/NFL cracked down on many of those sites [think this is how Your Boy Roy ended].
Olin knows what he’s talking about when it comes to Oline, but IMO, he’s OVERLY optimistic on just about everyone. Off the top of my head, I don’t really recall him criticizing any recent Bear Olinemen, and we had more than a few stinkers.
It’s just in Olin’s nature. He’s not a Greg Gabriel type willing to call his fellow grinders out. He may, but it’s very subtle, so us Bear fans are REALLY left at the mercy of the paid ‘experts’ when it comes to diagnosing.
If any regs actually watch college religiously and can diagnose all these prospects, feel free to chime in!
[Big Mike still around?]
Tier I
1. LT Monroe Freeling [Georgia]He’s not falling to the Bears. Next.
2.OG/RTMauigoa [Miami]. Unless Thuney also retires…Mauigoa can man RT, but Wright ain’t moving to LT. One stat I found interesting is that 1st rd OGs are relatively safe. About 70% ‘success’ rate while WR hit rate hovers around 40%.
3.OT Max Iheanachor [Arizona State]. “I’m not sure if he doesn’t have the potential to be the best one of all….16-32 range” – Simms. This is a prospect that has seemingly shot out of nowhere; some may even be shocked he’s graded this highly. He’s from Nigeria, mostly played basketball and soccer then transferred to the same local community college I attended when I nearly flunked out of school! East Los Angeles College [ELAC]. And yes, it’s exactly how you may imagine, so for Max to climb this far – inspiring. Lacks the polish/mechanics, but flaunts the raw body, power, and athleticism which Poles loves. As with most ‘raw’ linemen who came to football late – he’s a gamble. Remember, Kyle Long, a physical freak with NFL genetics, had to kick inside because he couldn’t handle LT/RT.
Tier II
4. OT Kadyn Proctor [Bama]. He’s def a popular mock to Bears at #25 ‘He’s not an athlete like the previous – not going to pull, sometimes stops feet, punch not great. High ceiling/low floor. Not a 1st RDer. Mid second‘ Simms. I just don’t know if he’s a system fit. Seems more equipped for one gap power. Poles specifically likes athletic LTs. Both Kiran and Braxton can move even getting to the second lvl; however, BJ/Rouschar may not mind more lumbering oafs who can, ya know, destroy the person in front of them. Trapilo isn’t exactly a dancing bear.
5. LT/OT Caleb Lomu [Utah]. ‘Opposite of Proctor. Great feet. Questionable power. Sometimes plays too tall. Lacks the anchor and the ass. Not a 1st RDer. Top 45ish’ – Simms
IOL:
TIER I
1.Emmanuel Pregnon [Oregon]. ‘Blocking for him isn’t adequate. He wants to drive you into the dirt. Square. Strong Arms. Twitchy. 10-20ish’ -Simms. Could be a sneaky Poles’ pick if he falls to 25.
TIER II
2. Keylan Rutledge [Georgia Tech]’Physical. Plays beyond the whistle. Over aggressive. Athletic enough. They run in Georgia’ -Simms [20-30 range]
3. Vega Ioane [Penn St]’20-30. Best pass pro. Incredible anchor. Feet. Run game must improved.’ – Simms
TIER III
4. Spencer Fano [Utah]. ‘Looks more like an OG than an OT. Anchor and footwork won’t cut it at OT. Arms short, but wingspan is bigger than Will Campbell. Athletic but not aggressive. End of 1st RD’ – Simms Only interest I’d have in Fano is at C where some coaches tested him.
5.C Jake Slaughter [Florida]. Mocked frequently in 4rth. Connor Lew [Auburn], Sam Hecht [Kansas St], Logan Jones[Iowa] all clumped together. ‘Slaughter not overwhelming, but doesn’t make mistakes. More of a zone blocker Mid 2nd RDer. Center is the hardest for me to evaluate.’ – Simms
If Poles/BJ is looking for more than just a band aid at C, then these bigguns absolutely in play. I see Slaughter to the Bears in tons of simulations, some Hecht as ‘sleeper,’ and TBH, I don’t have the time to watch the tape of the others!
I like Chris Simms’ NFL breakdowns. They’re a nice blend of meathead and draftbabble [“Oily hips”]. It may help that he’s the son of a good NFL QB, and he himself was a starting QB in the NFL, so he’s steeped in football. He’s literally lived it since childhood, through pop warner, HS, college, then NFL.
Simms also talks about perhaps the more unsavory details – bubble butts, guts and nuts! and isn’t afraid to go out on a limb. Is he 100% accurate? Of course not – none in the NFL draft biz are, but his top 5s are worth a listen.
I also like his ‘tiers‘ as they put the players in perspective, and makes it easier to cross-check with his previous draft analysis. For example, just because a prospect is #2, doesn’t necessarily mean he’s in the same area code as #1. Ty Simpson might be #2, but he’s not getting drafted #2 overall behind Mendoza [may not even get drafted in the 1st RD].
Since I posted on DTs before his actual survey, here it is again in its entirety.
As one can see, they are BIG – not the traditional 3Ts Allen previously prefers. Will he change his MO? Dunno. He does like versality. Shemar Turner [6’3, 290] for instance may end up at DE despite being drafted as a DT. One thing these DTs have going for them is that they seem to be able to stop the run, and that’s Allen’s #1 priority. He wasn’t afraid to play Billings [albeit, they let him walk for a reason], so MAYBE these bubble-butts can replace that hole.
“They are run-stoppers PLUS.” – Simms
Also of note is that Simms doesn’t put Peter Woods in his top 5 [projects he’ll fall out of 1st. Mel Kiper mocked Woods going #19 to Chargers].
He is CRAZY high on McDonald [who is frequently mocked to Bears at #25]. ‘He’s between Jaylen Carter and Kenneth Grant. A top 12-10 player who is more than simply run stuffer.’
Carter went #9 and Grant #12, so either Simms is overrating McDonald, or the rest of the Draftniks are underrating him thinking he’ll fall to the 20s and beyond.
2. On Miller, “Athletic enough to play 3T like McDonald…Plays hard.” 3. On Banks, “If his feet were healthy, he”d be Chris Jones-esque” 4. On Big Citrus, “Explosive. Quicks, twitch, power. Incredible balance.” 5. On “the Fridge” Hunter, “Doesn’t pop, but disruptive and immovable vs double teams.”
Dominique “Big Citrus” Orange seems like an intriguing option if Poles passes on DT at #25.
