Ryan Poles is a scout at heart. While he understands his primary job is running the Chicago Bears organization, that won't stop him from getting out on the road attending college pro days. He is intent on gathering as much information as possible. Even if it's from schools that might not be hotbeds of talent during a particular year. In 2021, Northwestern had multiple 1st round picks ready to go. This year, there is a strong possibility nobody from the program gets drafted.
That said, it doesn't mean there aren't any players that might have value. Undrafted free agents find success in the NFL all the time. It's just a matter of determining whether they have talent and fit what your team likes to do. In this case, it appears Poles may see somebody like that on the Wildcats roster. He was even spotted watching that player during drills courtesy of a photograph by Kaitlin Sharkey of Fox32.
The big #54 is Jeremy Meiser.
Most draft experts believe he is the best prospect coming out of Northwestern this year. After spending three seasons at Old Dominion, the pandemic ruined his senior year. So he transferred to Northwestern, where he became a starter in the middle. He finished the season with three sacks and six tackles for a loss. Though undersized at 6'3 and 290 lbs, Meiser showcased promising quickness and instincts for his position. He also demonstrated during his workout that power isn't a problem either.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epK3ZFrxZg0&ab_channel=AudreyKMGSports Don't get it twisted. Ryan Poles likely doesn't view Meiser as any sort of diamond in the rough. It is more plausible he sees the young defensive tackle as possible depth for the Bears defensive line. Depth they don't have. Remember, Akiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols are both free agents. That leaves Eddie Goldman, Khyiris Tonga, and Mario Edwards Jr. their only options. Goldman and Tonga were drafted as 3-4 nose tackles. So the Bears don't have many players that fit the new scheme under Matt Eberflus. Meiser would. It comes down to whether he meets the athletic threshold they're looking for. His pro day workout numbers will be telling.
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