The Chicago Bears 2018 draft class is already looking like one of the best they've had in a long time. Yes it's early and yes it's preseason but to see so many of their picks making impact plays this soon? It can be hard not to be at least a little bit excited about where things could possibly go in the near future.
It started out with Javon Wims, their seventh round receiver out of Georgia. He dominated the Hall of Fame game and has continued to make nice catches since. Fifth round defensive end Bilal Nichols went from deep reserve to taking snaps with the starters on Saturday and eventually delivered his second sack of the preseason later in the game.
Second rounders James Daniels and Anthony Miller weren't going to be outshined either. Daniels was a force in the preseason game against Cincinnati and continued to show his progress while helping Chase Daniel throw two touchdowns to beat Denver. Miller? He made one of the best catches of preseason that set up the Bears' first touchdown drive.
The crazy thing is the entire class still hasn't seen the field. First round pick Roquan Smith was held out of the game, having only practiced twice after his lengthy holdout. It was another pick who did make his debut though and he wasted no time standing out.
Joel Iyiegbuniwe adds to the intrigue of the 2018 Bears draft class
Probably the most controversial pick of the 2018 class was fourth round selection Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Several people had never heard of the young linebacker out of Western Kentucky. This led to criticism. Not only did the Bears not take a pass rusher as many had hoped, but they took another inside linebacker after already drafting Smith? The Bears did not back down. They liked the man known as "Iggy." Not only was he lauded for his exception athleticism and speed, but also his intelligence. With some development, he had a chance to become a rangy playmaker for that defense. Saturday night supported that line of thinking.It took Iyiegbuniwe a long time to be ready for his debut. He injured his shoulder early in training camp and didn't fully recover until a week ago when he returned to practice. Denver offered his first chance to see live action and he didn't waste it. He made three tackles on defense, had a nice pass deflection to force a three-and-out and also collected a tackle on special teams as well. Considering he didn't play the entire game, that's a solid impact for his first action of the year. It's also another sign that GM Ryan Pace may have delivered the best draft of his career. If Iyiegbuniwe continues to mature under the guidance of Vic Fangio, it may not be long before the Bears get him some real action this season. Wouldn't it be fun envisioning him and Smith lined up together for years to come?
