Chicago Bears: The 2018 NFL Draft Report Card

The Chicago Bears 2018 NFL draft report card is here. People will say it’s pointless because picks are unpredictable. That’s true. Still, there is worth in doing this.

Such things offer some insight into the expectations and possibilities of each pick. The more talent a team gets in a certain round, the higher the value. The higher the value, the higher the expectations. Elevated expectations lead to a higher grade. That’s how these work. Last year the Bears were widely panned by the league for their 2017 class. I gave them a fairer assessment and it turned out they did well.

Did the haters return this year or was there a greater degree of love? Here is the breakdown of every pick through all seven rounds.

1st Round:  Roquan Smith (ILB, Georgia) = A

This is the most proven 1st round pick of the Ryan Pace era. There is no arguing that point. Roquan Smith was a ready-made starter the moment his name was called. He played two years at Georgia and dominated for most of that stretch. There is almost nothing he can’t do on the football field. He’s fast, physical, instinctive and plays the game with the mind of a quarterback. Nothing gets past him. His one drawback is an inability to take on blocks from offensive linemen but that’s a minor concern.

Bears fans wanted a leader in the middle of their defense. Somebody who could direct the action like Urlacher and Singletary did. Smith has that sort of pedigree about him, even before one discusses his actual talent. That’s what should make people most excited.