Bear Digest

Tide Matt Eberflus Could Roll With

Matt Eberflus likes players who know what it's like to work hard, as they would for Nick Saban, and here are some Crimson Tide players the Bears could consider or would like to consider in the draft.

Gene Chamberlain

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It was a good sign for Eddie Jackson, if not several possible players the Bears could consider in the draft.

Asked by Peter King in a podcast about his plans for preparing his first team, Bears coach Matt Eberflus painted the kind of difficult practices for players he also had at his introductory press conference.

Except this time he added a twist with an exmple of types of players who adapt well to his demanding style.

"What we're going to do is ask them to play extremely hard, harder than they've ever played before in practice," Eberflus told King on the podcast. "Have them focus in the meetings and in the games, it's going to be unlike a lot of them have ever done.

"I mean, there's a couple guys who have played for a couple of different ... you know, if you played for (Nick) Saban you might know that. If you played for certain guys you might understand kind of what we're talking about."

The obvious player with the Bears who played for Saban was safety Eddie Jackson, who had a mediocre 2021 season.

There had been great speculation about Jackson's future following a couple of down seasons but his contract and this emphasis on players of his background tends to cement what seems like a likely return. 

Besides, the Bears only have one other safety and that's DeAndre Houston-Carson.

Jackson is the only Bears player on the roster from Alabama, and it's not like Eberflus has had former Saban players all over his defense in the past. The Colts didn't draft any during his time with the team.

If the Bears are to find any real Tide types who fit this mold, there are plenty of options in this draft.

Some of the best and most realistic options they could face would be on offense and not defense. Because both Alabama receivers John Metchie III and Jameson Williams suffered ACL tears in the postseason, the Bears might need to decide in Round 2 whether it's worth taking a chance on a receiver who wouldn't play a big role until their second season.

There's never certainty how a player will respond after ACL rehab.

Considering how Ryan Poles has treated free agency, with an eye on building a war chest for 2023 free agency, the 2022 season seems like a wash so taking a player who could be a key contributor in a year might not be a bad idea.

Here are Tide players for the Bears to consider for their coach who likes the Nick Saban types (Note: Videos will play here).

LB Christopher Allen

There are Bears-style linebacker fits from Alabama in this draft but Allen is not one of them. At 6-foot-3 1/2, 241 pounds, he is too light to be a 4-3 defensive end and doesn't possess the pass coverage skills to be off the ball. A second-team all-SEC pick in 2020, people may have forgotten about him because he missed all of 2021 with a foot injury but NFL teams haven't forgotten. He's one of the better edge rushers for a 3-4 defense in this draft, but a better fit in the old Bears defense. NFL Draft Bible calls him the ninth-best edge for a 3-4 in this draft.

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CB Jalyn Armour-Davis

Possibly a Day 3 cornerback according to NFL Draft Bible, but he could be a late-draft steal for someone considering he is 6-1, 197, and ran 4.39 seconds in the 40. However, his strong suit is press-man coverage and there won't be much of that with the Bears now in the Eberflus cover-2.

LB Christian Harris

He'd be an ideal Bears fit except they'll be unlikely to ever have a chance to select him. Harris doesn't mind comparing himself to Fred Warner. Having a Harris in the middle and Roquan Smith as the weak side would be an excellent combination for the Bears. Harris had 12 tackles for loss and 5 1/2 sacks last year and at 6-2 1/2, 226 pounds was the fastest linebacker at the combine (4.44).

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DT Phidarian Mathis

It's been speculated by several analysts that Mathis' best fit is at end in a 3-4 and not playing three technique in a 4-3 but the way he attacks in game film seems to indicate otherwise. Last year the 6-4, 313-pound Mathis made 12 tackles for loss and nine sacks to go with 53 takles. With 10 3/8-inch hands and 34 5/8-inch arms, he seems physically able to handle anything up front, whether attacking in a gap or holding up blockers in a two-gap style.

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DL LaBryan Ray

He isn't the ideal end for a 3-4 at just 295 pounds when at his heaviest, but at 6-5, he has a reach for swatting dow passes. Ray is considered player who could fit multiple roles on a defense including three technique as a pass rusher. He had 6 1/2 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in five years as he fought through injuries throughout that time. A late-draft tweener who could surprise with his production in any style of game if he's healthy.

WR Slade Bolden

No one is going to be overwhelmed by his physical skills. The 5-11, 191-pound slot ran 4.66 at the combine and is compared to a Julian Edelman type. He made 42 catches for 408 yards. This would be an effort guy and a role player as a third-down receiver over the middle to extend sticks. He's got a long way to go to make anyone forget Edelman.

CB Josh Jobe

A 5-11 1/2, 182-pound zone style cornerback who would be a fit for the Bears, he made nine interceptions with 19 pass breakups. NFLDB rates him the 13th best cornerback available in the draft, which could be third round. The Bears have one third-round pick available. Despite being 182 pounds, he is considered a good tackler and for that reason and his zone coverage ability it is possible some consider him a safety. But the size says cornerback.

WR John Metchie III

At 5-11 1/2, 187, he is regarded as a receiver who could play X or Z or even slot and do it well. The problem is a team will need patience and be willing to take a chance on someone coming off an ACL tear suffered in the SEC title game. Reports are he will be ready to begin practicing in June, but the Bears have heard this about ACL injury victims before. He really blossomed in his final year with 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns. Because of the injury, there is no accurate 40 time. What the Bears and many others might like of Metchie is what he said at the combine. "I think I'm the best blocker, too, in this class," Metchie said, meaning among wide receivers. "But no, I think it's the pride we all have at Alabama. Not just me when I was there, but if you watch all the guys, even Smitty (Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith) was going out there and getting some nice blocks. It's something we take pride in and something we talk about in the room a lot. It's all about pride and not only playing with the ball, but also playing just as well without the ball and having a big impact without the ball as well."

WR Jameson Williams

Just like with Metchie he tore an ACL, but his came in the national title game. More of a classic X-receiver size at 6-1 1/2, he'll also need recovery time. Like Metchie, he blossomed in his final season. His rise in production was even more dramatic, going from a high of nine catches to 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 TDs. Whatever teams can get from him as a rookie will be a bonus because of the ACL tear in January.

T Evan Neal

Probably not a Bears concern because 6-7 1/2, 337-pound tackles who can move a bit and have 83-inch wingspans don't last until the middle of round 1 let alone Round 2. Guys like this aren't just Matt Eberflus types. They are everyone's type. If they got anywhere near where Neal goes in the draft, they would have had to sacrifice all of this year's picks to trade up if not some of next year's.

RB Brian Robinson Jr.

It's interesting that during the interview Eberflus did with King, he seemed to indicate a need for another running back. "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."

Robinson is a different type than the Bears have. A big back who cuts and accelerates well. He is 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and ran a 4.53 40. NFLDB rates Robinson the 77th best prospect in the draft but in that same range the Bears have so many other needs that they couldn't seriously consider another running back. Or could they?

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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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