With the conclusion of day three of the 2020 NFL draft, we now have the complete list of seven players that will be getting sized up for navy and orange uniforms when organized football activity resumes.
After selecting Cole Kmet and Jaylon Johnson during day two, GM Ryan Pace got on the phone and made a couple of trades to secure two additional fifth-round picks.
In the first of the two trades, Chicago sent a 2021 fourth-round selection to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the no. 155 selection in this year’s draft which they used on OLB Trevis Gibson from Tulsa. Gibson is a skilled edge-rusher who played his best football when he was asked to put his hand on the ground and rush the passer. Once camp breaks, keep an eye out to see how he transfers to an OLB in a 3-4 scheme where he will be asked to rush from a standing position. Until then, he could see work in sub-packages such as the nickel defense where his current skill set is best suited.
Trading a future pick to take Gibson meant Pace still saw value on the board at pick no. 163, a pick the Bears held at the beginning of day three. At no. 163, the Bears selected CB Kindle Vildor out of Georgia Southern. It is quite clear Pace believes what he said prior to the draft, a team could never have too many pass rushers or too many cornerbacks. The Bears cornerback room is quickly becoming a crowded one as they try to replace Prince Amukamara. Vildor projects best as a slot corner, a position that currently belongs to Buster Skrine and figures to remain that way for the foreseeable future.
This draft was widely considered a stacked wide receiver draft and the Bears wanted to
get in on some of that talent. As a result, for the second time Pace traded into the fifth round. This time, the Bears traded away two sixth-round picks (no. 196 and 200) as well as a seventh-round pick (no. 233) in exchange for picks no. 227 and 173. With the 173rd pick, the Bears selected WR Darnell Mooney from Tulane. Mooney’s biggest asset is his speed, he impressed scouts at the NFL Combine by recording a 4.38 40-yard dash. The Bears needed to replace the speed to take the top off a defense and stretch the field that Taylor Gabriel brought and are hoping Mooney can supply exactly that.
The Bears had back-to-back picks in the seventh-round with picks 226 and 227 which they used to take back to back offensive linemen. With selection no. 226 they took Arlington Hambright from Colorado and with no. 227 they took Lachavious Simmons from Tennessee State. During the end of year press conference following last season, Pace said the play of the offensive line simply wasn’t good enough and there would be competition across the board. Both players are seventh-round picks and obvious projects, so they don’t figure to be much of actual competition for starting positions, but they do add potential depth.
Full list the Chicago Bears 2020 draft class
Round 2 (no. 43) – TE Cole Kmet – Notre Dame
Round 2 (no. 50) – CB Jaylon Johnson – Utah
Round 5 (no. 155) – OLB Trevis Gipson – Tulsa
Round 5 (no. 163) – CB Kindle Vildor – Georgia Southern
Round 5 (no. 173) – WR Darnell Mooney – Tulane
Round 7 (no. 226) – OL Arlington Hambright – Colorado
Round 7 (no. 277) – OL Lachavious Simmons – Tennessee State