Ryan Pace isn’t perfect. He’s made some mistakes as Chicago Bears GM. His first round picks thus far have underwhelmed, and that’s something that can’t be ignored. Things can still change, but it’s frustrating. At the same time. there is one thing that cannot be questioned. Pace is proving a maestro of finding talent late in drafts.
It started in 2015 when he found a young safety in the 5th round out of Penn State named Adrian Amos. After some ups and downs, he’s become a reliable starter on defense. A year later it was an unheralded running back from Indiana named Jordan Howard who came in the 5th. He went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and has become their best offensive player.
Then in 2017, it was a wise-cracking, confident little offensive weapon in Tarik Cohen. The 4th round pick was an instant impact player who created big plays on both offense and special teams. Now it seems like two more names are ready to ascend into that conversation. One as a second-year starter and another as a surprise reserve.
Eddie Jackson and Bilal Nichols adding to the Ryan Pace legacy
Another 2017 pick that flashed as a rookie and is now emerging as a true playmaker is safety Eddie Jackson. Teammates have already taken to calling him the “quarterback of the secondary.” It’s not hard to see why. The 25-year old has been everywhere to start the season. He already has a sack, an interception and forced fumble through three games. He had another interception call off because of a penalty.
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There’s a possibility that a Pro Bowl could be in his future if this keeps up. The far bigger surprise though is rookie Bilal Nichols. Not a single person knew who he was when the Bears picked him in the 5th round of the draft this year. All they found out was he is a defensive tackle out of Delaware who had some physical upside.
Turns out he might be a bit more than that. Since getting on the field for the first time in week two against Seattle, Nichols has made two huge plays. He delivered a bull rush that forced Russell Wilson out of the pocket and into the arms of Aaron Lynch for a sack. Then on Sunday in Arizona, he made one of the most overlooked but crucial plays of the game.
That tackle for loss by Nichols forced Arizona into a 4th and long situation. On the next play, Lynch got heat on Josh Rosen from the back side and he underthrew his pass right into the waiting arms of Bryce Callahan for what was, by and large, the game-clinching interception. It’s rather amazing how Pace continues to find players who can contribute at this level so late in a draft.
A testament to his keen eye for details and trust that he has in his scouts and front office.
