Ryan Pace has had success in the past by finding the players that are overlooked throughout the course of the NFL Draft and signing on afterwards. Some of these players have made an impact on the roster and are viewed as valuable assets moving forward. The names include Cameron Meredith, John Timu, Roy Robertson-Harris, Bryce Callahan and others.
Even with the NFL Draft now only 22 days away, it’s not too early to start thinking about who the Bears could add to their roster afterward that could make a difference and stand out in Training Camp and the Preseason. One of those players that Pace might have his eye on goes by the nickname “Mr. Excitement.”
Martez Carter is a running back from Grambling State. He stands only 5’7″ but weighs in at 193 lbs. At his size, he reminds people of former Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew out on the field. However, there’s an element to his game that MJD never had.
Carter is electric. Put the ball in his hands and he instantly reminds you of someone else who is currently in the NFL: Tarik Cohen. He contributes on both punt and kick returns and showed excellent hands in college, hauling in 33 receptions for 449 yards and 2 TDs this year. All while amassing 854 yards and 10 TDs on 167 carries.
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A man who is his size, and built like he is, should not be able to move as well as he does. But put on the tape and Carter’s explosiveness immediately jumps off the screen.
6. Martez Carter (RB – Grambling)
Just watch.
— Maliik (@Obee1ne) December 15, 2017
Some people might look at other mock drafts that are out there and see Carter selected in the 5th or 6th round in some places, but there are a couple of factors that could deter him from going that high.
One factor is that he wasn’t invited to the combine. He ran well at his pro day, but teams may not have the full set of numbers on him. To take a risk on a smaller player that they don’t know a ton about from a small school might not be something most teams want to do. Especially with a “valuable” draft pick.
The other factor is that this is a deep running back class. One of the best, potentially, the league has ever seen in Saquon Barkley. Some players that would be considered 2nd round picks any other year are going to be pushed down to the 4th or 5th round due to teams knowing they can get quality players later on. This could potentially push Carter to the 7th round or out of the draft entirely.
Pace knows that he has to add talent to this roster. It doesn’t matter where it comes from or what “package” it comes wrapped in. Pace has shown willingness in the past to take risks on players that don’t fit the traditional mold (Cohen) but have talent that can elevate his team.
Would Pace be willing to take a shot on a player like Carter? It could be one that has a massive return on investment.
