RB David Montgomery, Iowa State
No. 73 (third round)
Montgomery is a well-rounded back who will contribute immediately and might even start the season opener.
The Bears traded up 14 spots to draft him. They gave up Nos. 87 (third round), 162 (fifth) and a fourth-rounder next year to the Patriots in exchange for Nos. 73 and 205 (sixth).
Why the Bears like him: Where to begin? On the field, Montgomery has great instincts, vision, balance and lateral agility. He’s a human pinball. He led the nation in forced missed tackles in each of the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Bears also believe he has untapped upside as a contributor in the passing game.
“We feel he can be a good route runner,” general manager Ryan Pace said. “I think that can be expanded. He has very natural hands.”
Off the field, Montgomery was famous at Iowa State for latenight workouts and video sessions. He was a galvanizing leader for that program.
“He has unbelievable makeup and character,” Pace said.
Why he wasn’t drafted sooner: Montgomery doesn’t have top-end speed. He’s not a home-run hitter. He ran the 40-yard dash at the combine in 4.63 seconds. By comparison, the two backs taken before him Friday — Penn State’s Miles Sanders and Memphis’ Darrell Henderson — each ran it in 4.49.
In his own words: “My strength is my ability and my motor, being able to make people miss and being able to catch the ball.”
WR Riley Ridley, Georgia
No. 126 (fourth round)
Ridley led Georgia with 44 catches for 570 yards and nine touchdowns in his junior season. Ridley, the younger brother of Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley, was named one of the Bulldogs’ most improved offensive players by the team after the 2018 season.
Why the Bears drafted him: A physical 6-foot-1, 199-pound receiver, Ridley is known for strong route running, which he said he developed with the help of his brother. NFL.com prospect analysis says he has strong hands, a wide catch radius and excellent body control.
Why he wasn’t drafted sooner: Not known for his blazing speed, he ran an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.58 seconds. His production was limited over his first two seasons to 26 catches for 456 yards.
In his own words: “I had a meeting with the receiving coach (Mike Furrey). I sat down with him and I realized this is one of the coolest coaches I’ve ever met in my life at this level of football. He wasn’t just blocking out certain things; he was letting me know I could be on this team and I can be all-in and be able to find a chance to fight for a spot.” — Ridley on his visit with the Bears.
Analyst’s take: “I know he didn’t test well. I know he doesn’t have a ton of production. But that dude knows how to run routes, and he generates separation.” — NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah
You should know: Ridley is the third Georgia player Pace has selected in the last two drafts and the fourth since 2016. Firstround pick Roquan Smith and seventh-round pick Javon Wims both played at Georgia and were drafted in 2018. Pace picked Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd in the first round in 2016.
CB Duke Shelley, Kansas State
No. 205 (sixth round)
Shelley earned second-team All-Big 12 honors last season after intercepting three passes and breaking up nine. He also has experience returning kickoffs and punts.
Why the Bears drafted him: Shelley projects as a slot cornerback, a position at which the Bears are in transition after Bryce Callahan’s departure in free agency. (They signed veteran Buster Skrine in free agency.)
His ball skills are a major reason he started all four years at Kansas State. He’s a willing tackler, which is important for a player his size (5-9, 180 pounds). A torn ligament in one of his big toes cut his 2018 season short by five games, but he ran an unofficial 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at Kansas State’s pro day.
Why he wasn’t drafted sooner: Shelley’s size seemingly limits him to the slot, where he didn’t play very often in college.
In his own words: “I’m definitely a hard worker. I’m going to work harder than anybody around me. I take that very seriously. Technique is probably the biggest thing I feel sets me apart in my game, the technique that I play with. … I’m going to compete every play. I don’t like balls getting caught on me. I don’t care if it’s 1 yard or 5. I like to compete all the time, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
You should know: Shelley’s given name is YaQuis Bertron Shelley Jr.
“My grandma named me ‘Duke’ when I was just a little boy,” he said. “I’m actually a churcher, and Duke means ‘prayer,’ so my grandma came up with it when I was little and it just stuck with me.”
RB Kerrith Whyte, Florida Atlantic
No. 222 (seventh round)
Whyte becomes the second running back added to the Bears’ 2019 draft class, an explosive runner with notable toughness. He was an early entrant into the draft despite playing a complementary role to fellow Florida Atlantic back Devin Singletary last season. Whyte averaged 6.5 yards per carry and totaled 866 rushing yards and eight TDs. But as a seventh-round pick, his path to sticking around into September may come on special teams. In that regard, his experience as a kickoff returner (28.7 yards per return) likely caught the Bears’ attention.
Why the Bears drafted him: This late in the draft, the Bears scan for traits they might be able to develop. Whyte’s is speed. Pace said he ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. Whyte also has kickoff return experience, earning second-team All-Conference USA honors last season as a junior.
Why he wasn’t drafted sooner: His vision and instincts aren’t the caliber of backs who were drafted much higher. That’s evident in how he gets caught in traffic at the line of scrimmage more often than he would like.
In his own words: “I’m a playmaker. I have long speed, very explosive, can do a lot of things, just make big plays. … In games, I don’t have too much film of route running or catching the ball, but we ran it a lot . ... I can catch and run routes. We have a lot of practice film. We just never got to call it in the game. That’s another asset to my game.”
CB Stephen Denmark, Valdosta State