The Chicago Bears are making it clear their goal is to build an elite defense. After some horrific years in 2013 and 2014, during which the unit hit all-time lows under Marc Trestman, priorities have changes. GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox are two men from defensive backgrounds. They understand how beneficial a great defense can be. Not to mention what it means to the city.
Often the central part of that process involves a pass rush. Teams that can put regular heat on the quarterback tend to do well. That's why the Bears moved up in the first round of last year's draft to select Leonard Floyd. They felt the outside linebacker had the exact sort of skill set required to become a sack artist at the NFL level.
He didn't disappoint, posting seven sacks in his rookie season. This despite missing four games with nagging injuries. His early success started drawing comparisons between him and another instant hit from a few years back in Aldon Smith. Time has proven that was a poor likeness, but when examining the 2017 draft class something did become clear.
There is a player in its midst that is the spitting image of the former All-Pro.
What made the Floyd comparison to Smith so erroneous at the time was people only did it because the Bears had Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator. Fangio of course coached and developed Smith in San Francisco. Yet the two players were drastically different in terms of body type. Floyd was much lighter than Smith coming out of college, by 30 lbs. Also he's much quicker and more athlete. Smith on the other hand is longer and more powerful. It was never a proper comparison and Fangio said as much.
This isn't a bad thing. They're just two different players. However, if Fangio is paying attention to the upcoming 2017 draft class he'll see a player who compared much more favorably with his former pupil. That being Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton. He didn't emerge on team radars until this past season when he broke out for 10 sacks in 11 games. How close does he compare to Smith? Check out their measurables and performances at the scouting combine.
Smith
- 6'4"
- 35 3/8-inch arms
- 263 lbs
- 4.78 in 40-yard dash
- 20 reps on bench press
- 34.0-inch vertical leap
- 118.0-inch broad jump
Charlton
- 6'6"
- 34 1/4-inch arms
- 277 lbs
- 4.92 in 40-yard dash
- 25 reps on bench press
- 33.0-inch vertical leap
- 116.0-inch broad jump
[video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Smiths-sack-o-rama-NFL-Videos.mp4"][/video] Like Smith did in 2011, Charlton has steadily climbed his way up draft boards over the past few months. His strong final year at Michigan combined with the size, length and athletic traits he possesses make him a dark horse to become a top pick in the NFL draft. To put the icing on the cake? Jim Harbaugh was his head coach his final two years in college. The same man who was in charge of the 49ers back when Smith was drafted. NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein seems to agree that Charlton has a bright future.
"Charlton is an ascending prospect with the size, length, athleticism and pass-rushing potential that NFL general managers dream of. What you see today might not be what you get. While his production coming out of college will be modest, he could become a substantially better player as a pro if he's committed to the weight room and willing to absorb coaching. High-impact defensive end with all-pro potential is his ceiling. His floor is solid starter."Floyd may not have been Smith, but try to imagine if the two were paired together on the same front. That's what could possibly happen were a Taco Charlton Bears pick made in the upcoming draft. The pass rush would be set up for the next several years. Never a bad thing in an NFL that is all about those quarterbacks.
