Ryan Pace has proven himself to be one of the more competent GMs in Chicago Bears history. He took a team that was the oldest and weakest in the NFL and in a span of just four offseasons turned it into a playoff contender. Over that time it's been difficult to get a handle on how he operates because he manages to throw curveballs from time to time.
Nowhere more so than the NFL draft. Unpredictability is a big asset when running a football team and Pace tries to maintain his as much as possible. Still, after five drafts in charge, the man has at least established a series of trends. Ones that make clear what his style of team-building is and likely will be moving forward.
Here are some notes to take stock of as the 2020 draft begins to come into view towards the end of this year.
Ryan Pace likes to be aggressive early
Of all the things about Pace that is undeniable? He always has a small cache of names whenever a draft begins that he thinks will be within reach of where he sits. If he feels that cache will be empty before the Bears pick, he'll do what it takes to move up for one of his guys. Stockpiling more selections or letting things fall as they will is not his style.
Thus far in five drafts, the first pick Pace made involved a trade up the board for three of them. First was Leonard Floyd in 2016, then Mitch Trubisky a year later, and finally David Montgomery this year. It may be possible that the disaster of Kevin White back in 2015 taught him a key lesson. Teams picking ahead of you rarely do what you hope they will.
He heavily favors the SEC and the Big 12
A smart GM typically spreads his net wide across the country trying to find talented players. Pace is no different. He has selected at least one from every corner of the country, from Division I to Division III. However, like any other executive, he has preferences. Schools or conferences that he feels is more reliable at producing quality players than others.
In Pace's case, he's stuck close to the SEC and Big 12 regions. The SEC is no surprise. It is regularly considered the most competitive and loaded conference in college football. The Big 12 is a bit of a surprise though, having not produced a national champion in almost two decades. Yet the facts speak for themselves.
Of the 32 total picks the Bears have made since 2015, a total of 12 have come from one of those two areas. That includes three of the five from the 2019 class in Montgomery (Big 12), Riley Ridley (SEC), and Duke Shelley (Big 12).
High character drives his focus more than ever
Like any rookie GM, Pace had lessons to learn four years ago and he got a big one right away. Taking risks on questionable character rarely works out. He made two that year. The first and most memorable was the signing of defensive end Ray McDonald. A man with a history of domestic violence issues. Barely after the ink was dry on the contract, the man was arrested for the same problem.
Then a couple of months later defensive tackle Jay Ratliff had a meltdown at Halas Hall. One where the police got involved and Pace had to step in personally. After that, the Bears seemed to have a fundamental shift in how they evaluated and acquired talent. Players of high character were a priority.
Ones with near-flawless backgrounds and great reputations. Former team captains and the like. Floyd, Trubisky, Smith, and Anthony Miller are all examples of that.
Potential over experience is a big motto
GMs in general tend to fall into one of two categories. They favor players who were either highly productive and experienced in college or they seek out players who are the best athletes. Of course one prefers when it's both, but if given a choice it is one or the other. For Pace, time has shown he will almost always land on the latter side.
Some of his most notable picks during his run have come with standout athleticism but limited experience along with it. Kevin White only started one year at West Virginia. The same for Trubisky at North Carolina. Cody Whitehair had never played interior offensive line at Kansas State. Adam Shaheen was on a basketball scholarship before changing college to play football. Ridley only started one season at Georgia.
Pace places a lot of trust in his coaching staff to get the most out of the players he drafts.
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