One of the time-honored traditions of the NFL draft season is teams beginning to overthink evaluations of certain prospects. One way they do this is letting one season overshadow another. A perfect example? Dan Marino threw 37 touchdowns for Pitt in 1981. A year later he threw just 17. As a result, he ended up falling all the way to the 27th pick in the 1983 draft with other far more inferior QBs going ahead of him. The Chicago Bears have seen this happen many times.
The 2020 draft is likely to be no different. Many feel the big candidate to endure such a plunge is Grant Delpit. The LSU safety was incredible during his sophomore season in 2018. He delivered five interceptions, five sacks, and made 74 tackles. However, he struggled at times in 2019, not showing the same explosiveness and tackling consistency he had the year before.
Some believe part of that was due to a high ankle sprain he played through. Others wonder if 2018 was a mirage. The truth is the Delpit’s talent is no joke. Most agree he should be a 1st rounder but could end up falling to the 2nd as NFL.com just projected. Right into the Bears’ lap.
“Aggressive, urgent striker with good upside who posted a disappointing follow-up to an exciting 2018 campaign. His evaluation requires a full load of 2018 tape, where his coverage potential was better illustrated. He transitions with instinctive eyes and plays physically against tight ends. Willingness to rush in and hit has never been a problem in the alley or in his fits, but tackle inconsistencies have plagued him throughout his career due to angles and technique that could be challenging to fix.”
Chicago Bears are equipped to make Delpit what he should be
The Bears have question marks regarding their strong safety position. With Ha Ha Clinton-Dix gone, they’re currently looking at Deon Bush as their most likely starter. Not ideal given he’s been a backup his entire career. Adding Delpit would give them top tier talent at the position next to Eddie Jackson. Even better, they’d have a coaching staff who is well-equipped to turn him into the player he can and should become.
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Chuck Pagano came into the NFL as a defensive backs specialist almost two decades ago. Since then he’s helped mold several great players in the secondary. One of his biggest success stories was molding Mike Adams, a former undrafted free agent and longtime journeyman into a two-time Pro Bowler when he was with the Colts. Hand him a player of Delpit’s talent and the possibilities could be endless.
The best part is he would have to be a leader in the locker room or on the field. Jackson has that stuff covered. He’d be free to fly around and play. If he’s willing to take instructions, there is no reason to think he can’t reach his potential in this defense.
