Bears toss up first-round Hail Mary
Chicago trades slew of picks to move up one spot, then selects QB who didn’t start until fall
The Chicago Bears stole the Cleveland Browns’ thunder and everybody else’s with a stunning trade-up Thursday night shortly after the NFL draft began.
Da Bears dropped jaws inside and outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art — first in completing a stunning deal with the San Francisco 49ers just to move up one spot to No. 2 overall, then by selecting a quarterback, the University of North Carolina’s raw but promising Mitchell Trubisky.
The Bears haven’t made such an impact in any NFL realm in years.
And just like that, nearly every Round 1 mock draft in the world instantly blew up two picks in.
For months NFL insiders, outsiders, observers, coaches and GMs alike had wondered when the first of a group of talented, but probably not-ready-to-play quarterbacks would be selected. They sure got their answer fast. Three went in the first 12 picks.
“I didn’t see that coming at all, it was a total surprise,” Trubisky said. “I’m glad they came up and got me at No. 2. I think it shows that they believe in me and I believe in what (GM) Ryan Pace and coach (John) Fox are doing in Chicago and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
A year ago this week, probably few outside of North Carolina or Trubisky’s hometown of Mentor, Ohio, had even heard of the 22-year-old. He didn’t start for the Tar Heels until last fall, winning eight of 13 games.
In the past, such a lack of college experience always had been a red flag. Clearly the Bears no longer subscribe to that line of thinking. The team that hadn’t drafted a QB in the first round since Rex Grossman in 2003 must have loved what they saw in Trubisky’s small sample size.
Analysts furthermore have doubted whether Trubisky can overcome the mechanical flaws and inconsistency he displayed as a Tar Heel.
The Bears gave up a helluva lot to get him. They sent the No. 3 pick to the Niners, two third-round draft picks (including one next year), plus a fourth-rounder. That’s an impressive haul for new 49ers GM John Lynch.
This is the third eye-opening QB move the Bears have made this off-season. After cutting Jay Cutler in March, they made Tampa Bay backup Mike Glennon the highest-paid free-agent QB signee this year.
Presumably, Glennon and Trubisky will battle for the starter’s job.
The Browns, meantime, opened proceedings Thursday not by selecting the Ohio-raised Trubisky, but rather by snaring the most talented player in this year’s draft class: Myles Garrett, a pass rusher compared to Denver’s Von Miller, only with 20 more pounds on him.
Cleveland had expected to win the night with the Nos. 1 and 12 picks. After two trades, they wound up with three first-rounders: Nos. 1, 25 and 29. Garrett is the headliner, possessing a rare blend of moves, speed, power and athleticism able to make him a dominant NFL pass rusher for years to come. His reaction to being the top pick? “It was really just a weight off my shoulders,” he said on a Chicago conference call. “Now it’s time to put in that work so I can be prepared to go against the best.”
Surprises continued as the top 10 progressed.
Three receivers went in the first nine picks, something no one foresaw: Western Michigan’s Corey Davis to Tennessee at No. 5, Clemson’s Mike Williams to the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 7 and the University of Washington’s John Ross to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 9.
There was only one other trade in the top 10, but it was another biggie.
The Kansas City Chiefs paid big time to move up 16 spots and select the second quarterback of the night, Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes II at No. 10 overall.
In return, Kansas City gave the Buffalo Bills the 27th overall pick, plus their first-rounder next year and a third-rounder this year.
After New Orleans took the first cornerback of the night at No. 11, Ohio State’s Marcus Lattimore, the Browns seemed all set up to take Clemson’s Deshaun Watson — believed by many to be the No. 1 QB of the bunch.
But no. The Browns accepted Houston’s offer to trade up from No. 25 and the equally QB-bereft Texans selected Watson instead.
With their second pick of Round 1 at No. 25, the Browns selected Jabrill Peppers, the versatile University of Michigan safety/kick returner.
Late in the night, the Browns traded back into the first round, obtaining Green Bay’s No. 29 pick. With it, Cleveland selected the third tight end of the first round, David Njoku from Miami.
With the fourth trade of the night, the Atlanta Falcons moved up five spots to take Seattle’s No. 26 pick and took an edge rusher, Takkarist McKinley from UCLA.
Seattle traded down again, sending its No. 31 pick from Atlanta to San Francisco.
The NFL draft continues Friday starting at 4 p.m. with rounds 2 and 3.
The draft concludes Saturday with Rounds 4-7 starting at 9 a.m.