Want More Bears Mid-Round Draft Gems? Watch These Guys

The Chicago Bears 2018 draft plan does not begin and end with the #8 overall pick. This is something that most enthusiasts sometimes forget. To truly "win" a draft, a GM and his coaching staff have to secure multiple good players. That often requires getting one or two hits in the later rounds. This was a constant problem for the Bears towards the end of the Jerry Angelo era and throughout the Phil Emery run. Thankfully that appears to have changed. GM Ryan Pace has proven himself to be quite the treasure hunter when it comes to finding talent after the big rounds are over. His sweet spot this point has been the middle area between the fourth and fifth rounds. In this zone to date he's acquired the following names:

• Adrian Amos (5th, 2015)
• Nick Kwiatkoski (4th, 2016)
• Jordan Howard (5th, 2016)
• Eddie Jackson (4th, 2017)
• Tarik Cohen (4th, 2017)

That's a Pro Bowler, two solid starters, a versatile offensive weapon and a decent backup for literal pennies in draft terms. It should make Bears fans excited about what may be to come this April. Chicago has three picks in those two rounds and may end up with more depending on if they make any trades. Were that to happen, here are some names worth watching that could end up being available when that zone comes up.

Keke Coutee (WR, Texas Tech)

Matt Nagy proved in Kansas City he's a big fan of the new NFL movement that prioritizes speed and quickness over size and strength at wide receiver. Tyreek Hill was the shining example for that. The Bears already signed Taylor Gabriel in free agency to fill that role, but this doesn't mean they won't try for more. Keke Coutee is the epitome of that style of receiver.

There is no shortage of ways to get him the football. Texas Tech used him on bubble screens, quick slants, short crossers, ran him on end arounds or just threw the bomb to him down the field. He's a constant danger when the ball is in his hands but is also a presence that makes defenses nervous even when he doesn't.

Skyler Phillips (OG, Idaho State)

Having Harry Hiestand as offensive line coach is a blessing for the Bears. Suddenly players taken later in the draft have a greater chance of panning out because Hiestand is one of the best in the business at developing them. One of the sayings in the NFL is if you're big and strong, you can play in this league. Skyler Phillips certainly checks those boxes.

The Idaho State guard is a man. Quite literally. He's 6'3", 324 lbs and packing a metric ton of power into his frame. When he gets his hands on a defender, it's over. That and his light feet are a big reason why he's already a solid pass protector. What he hasn't learned yet is how to utilize his gifts to open running lanes. Hiestand would solve that problem.

Breeland Speaks (DE, Mississippi)

Defensive coaches love a guy who can play with some attitude. It's kind of a necessity these days with the offensive-slanted rules in the NFL. It won't be hard for teams to love Breeland Speaks. He's a big dude with long arms, strength and plays with some serious energy on the field. Some might say he's too emotional at times, but that's part of his game.

Though he hasn't nailed down how to stop the run yet he's surprisingly good at getting after the quarterback for a big man. His awareness and ability to shed blocks makes him a great fit as a 3-4 end, drawing comparisons to Ricky Jean-Francois. If he solves his technical problems, he may have an even better career.

Trevon Young (EDGE, Louisville)

The Bears need more help at the edge rusher position. The problem is this draft class is light on proven commodities. This means Pace may have to hope he gets lucky on a mid-round flier. One name that should be on his radar is Trevon Young. Take careful note here. Under normal circumstances, Young would be a first round pick. Easily.

So why will he fall? Namely, he's had to battle back from a devastating hip injury he suffered in 2015. It forced him to miss all of 2016 and it was clear he wasn't 100% at the start of 2017. However, he began to turn it up big time late in the year. In his final six games, he had three sacks and six tackles for loss. His explosion and bend were there.

Quenton Meeks (CB, Stanford)

The Bears tend to value players of intelligence and high character. So a Stanford prospect is likely to be high on their board by default, but Quenton Meeks is a good player beyond that. He's already a master of film study who understands how to make adjustments during a game in order to counter what receivers might be trying to do.

He's also a fluid athlete who understands how to use quickness and technique to his advantage. To this point, the biggest gripe about him has been a lack of true deep speed but Meeks eased those fears with a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day. The Bears would be getting a pro-ready player if they got him on Day 3.