Chicago Bears 2020 Draft: Hawaii QB Cole McDonald

Do the Chicago Bears 2020 draft plans include a quarterback? GM Ryan Pace would say the position is always on their minds. One would imagine this is especially true after a disappointing 2019 from Mitch Trubisky. That said, the team doesn't have the luxury of lots of picks this year. They have no 1st or 3rd rounders at their disposal. So can they afford to use one on a player who probably won't be much help to them next season?

As with anything, it depends on how much they like any of the quarterbacks in this draft class. Thus far Pace has only drafted one quarterback in his tenure and that was Trubisky. Nobody outside of the 1st round. The law of averages says that streak has to end at some point, right? Could Hawaii standout Cole McDonald be the one to do it? Let's find out with a scouting report.

Chicago Bears 2020 draft look at Cole McDonald

Strengths:

• Good size. Listed as 6'4 and looks like it. Not a skinny type either. Seems well enough built from top to bottom.
• Zero fear. If he feels a guy is open enough, he's going to turn it loose. Bit of a gunslinger mentality in that he thinks he can hit any throw.
• Above-average arm. Not a cannon by any stretch but the ball comes off his hand with considerable zip.

These are the types of throws that not a lot of guys can make. His feets aren't set. He's on the move and then decides to cut it loose when he finds his guy open. The ball travels about 50-55 yards down the field and hits the receiver in stride for a touchdown. That is what people will categorize as a "special" throw.

• Seems to have good mobility. Not a guy who will live or die in the pocket. He can get on the move to buy time or pick up yards on his own.
• Accuracy is fairly consistent, especially when his footwork is right. Can drive the ball into some tight windows.
• Deep ball is pretty impressive. Consistently puts the pass in a spot where his receiver has a chance to get it.
• More comfortable in the pocket than you'd think. Handles pressure well and keeps his eyes down the field.

Weaknesses:

• A bit too hesitant to throw the ball away when plays aren't there. This leads to a number of unnecessary interceptions.
• Field vision is questionable at best. Often fooled by complex coverage and throws it into areas no QB ever should.
• Bit of a windup delivery. The arm has to go through a longer motion. This could lead to strip-sack problems.
• Decision-making needs a lot of work. Sometimes sends the ball into areas his receivers are either well-covered or not even present.
• Footwork and mechanics need work. Can get sloppy at times and leads to throws not going where he wants them.
• Worked exclusively in shotgun. He'll need a complete education on how to operate from under center.

Pro comparison: Blaine Gabbert

Gabbert came from a more mainstream program at Missouri which likely helped elevate his profile. In truth, he probably should've be a late Day 2 pick. He had plenty of talent including an arm and mobility. What he didn't have was any sort of polish. No consistent mechanics and an inability to process coverages or read defenses in general. He never fully overcame this despite his natural ability and became a journeyman backup.

Projection: 4th round

McDonald looks like the classic Day 3 quarterback a team will take a flier on because of his obvious upside. The clay is there from the good arm to the size and mobility. It will need considerable molding though. He hasn't learned to process defenses at a high level, living off of lesser competition for the most part. Can he absorb and execute a full NFL playbook? That is a question every quarterback must answer.