Chicago Bears 2016 NFL Draft Analysis: Rounds 4 & 5

By Ha Kung Wong

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

We’ve talked about the Chicago Bears first round pick and their second and third round picks.  But how about all those picks they collected in the fourth and fifth round?

Fourth Round Pick – 113th Overall

Nick Kwiatkoski – ILB

NFL Combine Results

40 Yd. Dash – 4.73 Sec    Bench Press – 19 Reps    Broad Jump – 120.0 Inches

3 Cone Drill – 7.16 Sec    20 Yd. Shuttle – 4.22 Sec    Vert. Jump – 32.0 Inches

Granted, the Bears had serious issues at linebacker in 2015.  But they’ve already done a lot to address that issue, including bringing in ILB Danny Trevathan.  At 6′ 2″ and 238 lbs, Kwiatkoski played three different linebacker spots at West Virginia, which speaks to his versatility, and was actually a wide receiver in high school.  Kwiatkoski had 303 tackles and 28 tackles for loss over four seasons at West Virginia, being named first-team All Big 12 in his senior year. He was also a team captain and defensive player of the year in 2015 with 86 tackles, 10 for loss and 3 sacks.  Also of note is that he had the 5th fastest 20 Yd. Shuttle at the Combine among linebackers.

It’s clear that his versatility and consistency are his greatest strengths, but he was still a bit of a reach in round 4, particularly since there wasn’t an immediate need for him on the Bears defense.  But having solid backups on defense is important, and there’s potential for him to immediately contribute on special teams, so there certainly is some upside.

Fourth Round Pick – 124th Overall

Deon Bush – S

NFL Combine Results

40 Yd. Dash – 4.64 Sec    Bench Press – 17 Reps    Broad Jump – 123.0 Inches

3 Cone Drill (Pro Day) – 6.91 Sec    Vert. Jump – 36.0 Inches

Bush was a special player at Miami.

In four years, he tallied 9 forced fumbles and 4 interceptions to go with 10 tackles for loss.  In fact, he led the ACC and NCAA in forced fumbles in 2014 with 5.  Antrel Rolle is 34 years old and dealt with several injuries last year, which in part led to his release by the Bears.  This immediately opens the door to pair 6′ / 200 lbs. Bush with 2015 fifth round pick Adrian Amos.  There may be some concern regarding Bush’s ability to play in coverage, but the base skills and strength (he had the 5th most bench press reps at the Combine among safeties) are there and need is going to provide opportunity.  And I’m not the only one who thinks he will make in impact.  Check out the results of this poll put out by the Bears’ Twitter account:

Fourth Round Pick – 127th Overall

Deiondre’ Hall – CB

NFL Combine Results

40 Yd. Dash – 4.68 Sec    Bench Press (Pro Day) – 10 Reps    Broad Jump – 127.0 Inches

3 Cone Drill – 7.07 Sec    20 Yd. Shuttle – 4.06 Sec    Vert. Jump – 37.0 Inches

At 6′ 2″ and 190 pounds, Hall can play both cornerback or free safety.  In fact, he did exactly that in his senior year, and, throughout his time at Northern Iowa, also played just about every other position on defense, including in the front 7.  But coverage is where Hall shines, with 13 career interceptions in college, 4 of which were returned for TDs (a school record).  Also of note is getting the 4th longest broad jump among cornerbacks at the NFL Combine.

With Kyle Fuller underwhelming in 2015 and Tracy Porter receiving all his guaranteed cash in 2016 without anything lined up for the future, there are significant question marks at the cornerback position.  This is another one of those “need meets raw talent” situations which make sense in the fourth round of the draft.  Who knows if Hall can adjust to the NFL coming out of Northern Iowa, but his potential for disruptiveness on the field (82 tackles and 3 forced fumbles in 2015 in addition to all those interceptions) is well worth the gamble.

Fifth Round Pick – 150th Overall

Jordan Howard – RB

NFL Combine Results

40 Yd. Dash (Pro Day) – 4.59 Sec    Bench Press – 16 Reps    Broad Jump – 122.0 Inches

3 Cone Drill (Pro Day) – 7.14 Sec    Vert. Jump – 34.0 Inches

I love this pick.  Matt Forte had been with the Bears for so long, I almost forgot what it was like to need a running back, and how difficult a task it was to find consistency there.  Jeremy Langford is the heir apparent, and did well with his time on the field last year.  But getting insurance late in the draft, or going straight up running back by committee, makes tons of sense.

Howard rushed for 2,800 yards and 22 touchdowns over the last two seasons at Indiana and UAB, and more importantly demonstrated consistency in rushing for at least 145 yards in every full game he played.  He was first-team All-Conference USA while at UAB and went on to be first-team All-Big Ten while at Indiana.  And despite missing 18 total quarters due to injury, Howard still managed to rushed for 134.8 yards per game (good for second in the Big Ten).

Many draft pundits thought that Howard would be taken around the second or third rounds, so getting him in the fifth just oozes value.  And since the Bears have no idea how Langford will hold up as a workhorse back for an entire season, getting Howard in the mix is a terrific move.  It wouldn’t be shocking to see Howard even take over as the lead back in Chicago as soon as this upcoming year.

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