Bear Digest

National Semifinals Watch: Potential Bears

The national semifinal games have a who's who of possible draft picks for 2022 and the Bears could find players at need positions.

Gene Chamberlain

USA Today
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The national semifinals on New Year's Eve offer great opportunities to see potential Bears draft picks, especially since one of the participants in the two games is Georgia.

Ryan Pace always has put great stock in Georgia players, for better or worse.

Then again, Pace might not be drafting players this year. It's an unknown at this point.

Alabama has nine players ranked in the initial top 100 by NFL Draft Bible and Georgia has eight, while there are nine Crimson Tide players in the initial top 10 by position published by Mel Kiper of ESPN. Kiper has 14 Georgia players in his top 10 by position.

Perhaps the greater impact on the Bears from this game would be at coach and not player.

Jim Harbaugh is often the point of demands as a new Bears head coach on social media, although why he would ever want to leave Ann Arbor now after finally getting past Ohio State is never really explained by those supporting such a move.

Then again, perhaps it's easy to see why he might want to do it when the number of potential NFL players from all four semifinalists is examined.

When Alabama, Georgia and even Cincinnati (8) have more players than Michigan (6) on the top 100 for NFL Draft Bible or Mel Kiper's top 10 by position, it's easy to see how difficult it is to get the best talent for his school. And this is his best team.

Harbaugh might be better off coaching in the NFL, where the only limitations are your general manager and owner.

Here are the national semifinals and key players to watch for the Bears:

Dec. 31

COTTON BOWL

Semifinals at Arlington, Tex., 2:30 p.m., ESPN

(1) Alabama (12-1) vs. (4) Cincinnati (13-0)

It's safe to say it will be difficult for the Bears to even consider either of the top two Alabama players, tackle Evan Neal and wide receiver Jameson Williams. When you don't have a first-round pick you're not getting into the top half of the first round unless there is a ridiculous trade made. Neal is regarded fourth overall and first at his position by Kiper, while Williams is Kiper's top receiver and the 16th overall player for NFLDB.

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However, the rest of the Bama crowd is within reach for the Bear and some at need positions. Wide receiver John Metchie does not impress NFLDB's Lorenz Leinweber as a possible X-receiver at 5-foot-11 1/2, 195 pounds.

"He does not have the prototypical size and is not a physically dominant wideout," Leinweber wrote. "Metchie projects as a starting receiver at Z or in the slot who will stress defenses at all three levels and catch almost everything."

Barring an unexpected signing of Allen Robinson by the Bears, they would be more in need of an X-receiver than a Z or slot because they have Darnell Mooney and several potential slots.

If the Bears are looking to complement Roquan Smith with a higher pick, Christian Harris is an inside linebacker ranked 44th by NFLDB and third at his position by Kiper.

The Bears are in need of a cornerback and Josh Jobe is graded 69th overall by NFLDB and 10th at this position by Kiper, but the Bears won't get to see him in this semifinal game due to a foot injury. NFLDB's Leinweber regards the long-armed, 5-11 1/2 Crimson Tide player as more of a safety because he's a bit too "grabby" in his man-to-man coverage.

"Jobe projects as a deep zone cornerback who is best in a deep third or quarter," Leinweber wrote. "A transition to safety makes sense. ... "

The Bears may not be interested in devoting so high a pick to this position when obvious needs exist at wide receiver and cornerback.

Outside linebacker Henry To'o is ranked 79th overall by NFLDB and strong safety Jordan Battle 91st by NFLDB to go with fifth by Kiper, but the Bears are not inclined to use an actual strong safety in this defense.

Another player who fits in the Bears scheme and is fourth at his position is Phidarian Mathis. Although said to be less explosive than teams would like, the 6-4, 320-pounder has good size for the Bears defensive end spot and possesses another suitable asset.

"Controlling gaps with his hand usage makes him a capable two-gapper," says NFLDB. "Mathis defends the run with very high effort, fighting to the whistle and even running to the sideline. As a pass rusher, he is active when taking on multiple blockers, breaking free late based on effort alone."

Other potential Bama players of Bears interest include tight end Jaheel Billingsley (62nd, NFLDB), running back Brian Robinson (8th by Kiper) and defensive tackle Dustin Oboigbe (87th), who might be a situational rusher in the Bears' scheme.

Cincinnati's defensive back Ahmad Gardner is judged 22nd overall by NFLDB and out of range for the Bears but all the other Bearcats possibilities are out there, including pass rusher Myjai Sanders, who is 61st overall for NFLDB and eight according to Kiper.

The best fit might be Alec Pierce, the Bearcats' X-style wide receiver who eventually might be a rapid riser after the combine. His combination of size (6-3, 213) with speed in the 4.4s is going to attract attention.

Jack Borowsky of NFL Draft Bible wrote: "This season, Pierce has put together film that rivals (Jahan) Dotson and (Chris) Olave's." That's elite company, indeed.

Another Cincinnati player from Day 2 or 3 of potential interest is cornerback Coby Bryant. Kiper has him No. 10 at his position. At 6-1, 198, he has ideal size.

"Fluid CB with great size, length and has ball skills like a WR," wrote NFLDB in its assessment. 

Tight end Josh Whyle, ranked 10th at his position by Kiper, is another Bearcat who could be of interest to the Bears based on position need.

ORANGE BOWL

Semifinals at Miami Gardens, Fla., 6:30 p.m., ESPN

(2) Michigan (12-1) vs. (3) Georgia (12-1)

The Wolverines' dynamic outside pass-rush duo of Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo would be long gone, both as possible top-10 picks, before the Bears ever select for the first time in Round 2.

Safety Daxton Hill is the second best at his position and ranked 30th by NFLDB but the Bears rarely attach enough importance to safety to take someone in Round 2 at this position.

One player who could pique interest later is tackle Andrew Stueber, ranked 10th at his position by Kiper. For sheer size, Stueber could rate better as a tackle than Bears right tackle of the future Larry Borom. If the Bears selected the 6-foot-7, 338-pound Stueber, it might be with an eye on moving Borom to guard, which is where many draft analysts anticipated he would play.

NFLDB's assessment sees enough problems so Borom might be a better tackle choice, though: " ... he must drop his pad level, improve his weight distribution and clean up his hands," NFLDB said of Stueber.

Pace drafted Roquan Smith, Leonard Floyd and Riley Ridley out of Georgia and this year would probably not get a crack at Bulldogs defensive lineman Jordan Davis, ranked eighth overall by NFLDB. The same is true of inside linebacker Nakobe Dean, who is ranked 25th by NFLDB, and second at his position by Kiper. Even defensive end Travon Walker appears a bit too rich for the Bears with a 27th ranking and No. 5 among edge rushers.

However, right in the Bears wheelhouse at a need position is cornerback Derion Kendrick, 39th ranked by NFLDB and ninth at his position by Kiper. It's a drastic need position

"Kendrick is a versatile corner but finds his best success in man coverage," NFLDB wrote in its assessment. "He even has some experience at post safety, but likely projects as an outside corner who can play in any scheme."

Another possible Day 2 pick by the Bears at a need position would be Bulldogs wide receiver George Pickens. If they can shed their disappointment with how Ridley and former Georgia receiver Javon Wims didn't work out, they could find a versatile deep threat here.

"He does his best work as a deep threat, using fancy footwork to free himself," wrote regional scout Kellyn Gerenstein for NFLDB. "At the intermediate level, Pickens can turn DBs around with forceful breaks at the top of his route."

The Bears have needed a second young safety starter to go with Eddie Jackson for a few years and Lewis Cine of Georgia might be a good fit. The 85th player overall for NFLDB and fourth-best at his position according to Kiper, Cine is a player who "... can be the on-field cultural leader of a secondary as he plays with a fire that will motivate teammates," says Jordan Pun for NFLDB.

The Bears could use a hitter and all-around type in their secondary.

"He can be a Day 1 starter for teams who primarily run 2-high shells and can be a potential multi-year Pro-Bowler if played to his strengths and not asked to be a center fielder," Pun wrote.

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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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