A Bigger Push Up Front is Coming

The Bears were perceived as a poor short-yardage team in the past but have sought to solve this problem in the NFL Draft by taking Larry Borom in Round 5 and Teven Jenkins in Round 2.

Bears GM Ryan Pace late Friday night admitted the team had gone a long time without addressing the tackle position in the NFL Draft.

After all, they hadn't drafted anyone higher than the sixth round since Pace became GM in 2015. 

In 24 hours, they made up for lost time.

After moving up in Round 2 to take Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins, the Bears in Round 5 on Saturday selected Missouri tackle Larry Borom at No. 151 overall.

Borom actually rates by many scouts and analysts as a right tackle or guard, much like Jenkins, but played mostly at right tackle.

"I still like playing tackle," Borom said. "I still feel I can dominate at tackle."

Pace wouldn't commit on Friday to Jenkins being only a right tackle candidate, leaving open the possibility he'd be used on the left side where he had seven starts at Oklahoma State.

During the predraft process Borom got to meet over Zoom with Bears line coach Juan Castillo and was impressed.

Make it a double.@TevenJenkins | @lborom_ pic.twitter.com/qi8KA9cWJ5

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 1, 2021

"The only direction he's going to take me is up," Borom said. "He's one of the best in the game. He's a guru. We had our Zoom meeting and he's an up-tempo guy and he brings the juice and the energy."

Borom is built more like a right tackle or guard. At 6-foot-6, 332 pounds, one of Borom's great strengths is his foot quickness and it's the reason the Missouri Tigers played him at left tackle.

With a 33-inch reach, he's probably not ideal for an NFL left tackle but his quickness and agility has been enough to help him compensate. Borom showed off his with a 5.15-second 40-yard dash, not bad for someone in the 332-pound range.

Although Borom has good footwork, NFL Draft Bible expressed some doubt he can play left tackle in the NFL because the faster edges would give him trouble.

He's a solid blocker with ability to engulf defenders that a power-blocking guard might have.

Last year Borom started eight of Missouri's 10 games at right tackle. He missed two games with a lower leg injury. In 19 career starts, he had 16 at right tackle, one at left tackle and two at left guard.

Borom's quickness afoot partly comes from his early athletic exposure. He was a basketball player at 6-4, 320 in high school and then realized he was better suited size-wise to football.

"My dad’s 6-8, he's a tall guy, he's a hooper," Borom said. "So I've always played basketball. 

"Coming into high school, I went from a public school to a private school and the football coach just kind of connected with me right away, like you need to try out. You can still play basketball and do what you want to do. But you need to give it a shot. I gave it a shot and I fell in love with it."

During the predraft process, he trained with new Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven