Bear Digest

Little Big Men in This Draft for Bears

If the Bears are looking for a change-up back, the combine and now pro days have revealed more about who can fit this type of role.

Gene Chamberlain

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A change in offenses and the departure of Tarik Cohen leave a question about how much the Bears under Luke Getsy would really use a change-up running back, or the old-school term third-down back.

Cohen was an ideal player for Matt Nagy in 2018 because of his versatility and intelligence. The torn ACL suffered in 2020 on a Week 3 fair catch eventually ended the career of one of the team's most popular players after essentially just three seasons. It's possible Cohen could bounce back with another team at some point if he has managed to regain enough strength in his knee.

The Bears moved on an Getsy comes from a Packers offense which really didn't use a change-up style of back, at least in the truest sense of the term. They had versatile backs across the board and were comfortable with any in there but especially Aaron Jones.

Coach Matt Eberlfus made it sound as if they do need to find a speed back when he spoke with Peter King for a podcast.

"We have to have an offensive line that can block the running game an appropriate way and then we have to have runners, you know, different pace runners," he told King. "You know, we have a good runner now but we're going to add some other pieces in there potentially."

They could have those different speeds already on the roster.

Getsy inherits David Montgomery, who shows similar traits in the receiving game to Jones. Khail Herbert didn't get a great number of receiving opportunities but seemed able to pick up that aspect of the game.

The team also has former Tennessee Titan Daryntton Evans, who definitely qualifies speed-wise for this work after running a 4.41-second time before the draft and producing a 37-inch vertical leap.

Evans, though, has all the experience of a practice squad player with only 16 rushes in two years for 61 yards and four catches for 38 yards. In college at Appalachian State, Evans was an explosive runner and did get a decent number of receiving reps with 39 catches for 319 yards in three years. He ran for 2,884 yards on 482 carries over three seasons (6.0 ypc).

The combine and ensuing pro days have resulted in more undersized backs with speed coming to light. Here are the best options in the draft for a Bears change-up back.

Tyler Badie, Missouri

The 5-8, 199-pounder ran 4.45 seconds in the combine 40 after a spectacular final year at Missouri when he ran for 1,604 yards and caught 54 passes for 330 yards. He has the ability to rotate in a back rotation in the NFL and might be the best smaller option in this class.

James Cook, Georgia

Dalvin Cook's brother is a 5-11, 190-pounder who ran 4.42 seconds and showed off his versatility in a rotation with 230 carries for 1,503 yards and 67 receptions for 730 yards. He got to the end zone 20 times total, six as a receiver.

Kyren Williams, Notre Dame

At 5-9, 195, he is undersized and he didn't show at the combine that he can make up for this with his speed as he ran a 4.65 in the 40. For the Fighting Irish he averaged 5.1 yards with 419 runs for 2,153 yards and had 27 catches for just 675 yards. He had a nose for the goal line with 27 rushing TDs and four receiving TDs even if he didn't time well. Makes up for any possible lack of speed with great pass blocking technique.

Pierre Strong, South Dakota St.

Playing the lower Division I level, he still has the potential to be explosive in the NFL because of 4.37-second speed in the 40 for the combine. He's a little bigger than average third-dow backs at 5-11, 207 and his 36-inch vertical serves him well in the passing game.

Ty Chandler, N. Carolina/Tennessee

A former Volunteer who had entered the transfer portal, he turned in a 4.38 40 and in college rushed for 26 touchdowns while catching four TD passes. He had 3,138 yards rushing on 603 carries with 73 receptions for 681 yards, so he's a proven commodity in the passing game.

Tyler Goodson, Iowa

At 5-9, 197, he is another back with blazing speed at 4.38 and is well tested in the passing game with 70 receptions for 565 yards and a TD. He ran for 2,551 yards on 533 carries with 18 TDs.

Jaylen Warren, Oklahoma State

At 5-8, 204, he's bordering on smaller back size-wise, and had decent speed at 4.55. He made 45 catches for 440 yards and ran 407 times for 2,037 yards with 19 TDs rushing.

Ronnie Rivers, Fresno State

At 5-8, 195 he didn't impress with a 4.6-second 40 tie. Still, he produced and played faster in college with 40 touchdown runs and 3,417 yards on 681 runs. He may have the most experience chasing down passes of any college receiver in the draft with 150 catches for 1,421 yards and 11 TDs.

Jerrion Ealy, Mississippi

At 5-8, 189, he put up a 4.52 time in the 40 and had a strong career catching passes in the SEC with 67 for 545 yards and four TDs, while also rushing 384 times for 2,235 yards.

T.J. Hammonds, Arkansas

A 5-9, 185-pounder, he made good on a pro day effort with a 4.49-second 40 after being limited in college to 80 rushes for 543 yards and 13 catches for 221 yards.

J.D. Woods, Baker U

An NAIA running back who is tiny but full of quicks. He ran 4.45 seconds in the 40, just off the 4.42 that Tarik Cohen ran. He's about a half-inch shorter than Cohen and maybe a bit heavier than Cohen as a rookie. He caught 86 passes for 909 yards at the Kansas school.

Mataeo Durant, Duke

At a recent pro day, Durant delivered to get scouts looking his way again as he ran 4.43 in the 40. The 5-11, 196-pound back ran for 18 TDs with 489 attempts and 2,562 yards, while catching 55 passes for 480 yards and four TDs.

Dejuan Lee, Delaware

A 4.4-second 40-yard dash in a pro day has put the spotlight on his attempt to get into the league. The 5-8, 188-pounder ran for 2,415 yards on 498 attempts and scored 15 rushing TDs, while catching 41 throws for 274 yards.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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