Shock! Shock! The Bears earned (or fell into, backslid or fortunately acquired) The primary general decide Inside the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
Typical information advocates Chicago will commerce down So as To accumulate further draft capital and pretty probably proceed buying and promoting down For further decides. It’s important thOn the Bears acquire a quantity of decides Contained in the very biggest 100 decisions, as a Outcome of The Sort of expertise deficiency dealing with them presently Will not be solved by solely taking The primary participant Inside the draft.
Economized decisions of gamers with place versatility and various expertise Can furtherly play An monumental half in rebuilding this structure franchise. Drew Sanders is The Type of multifaceted athlete Chicago might Want To imagine about drafting for a reconstruction of its protection.
Identify: Drew Sanders
Position: Linebacker/Defensive Finish
School (Yr): Arkansas (Jr.)
Measurables: 6’5”, 240 lbs / 4.53 40-Time / 34.9” Vertical Leap
Profession Notes: [2022] First-Group All-American (AP); [2022] Second-Group All-American (AFAC, FWAA, Sporting Information, Walter Camp); [2022] First-Group All-SEC (AP, Coaches); [2022] Butkus Award Finalist
Best Recreation: Sanders’ biggest game occurred By way of the early An factor of the previous season in a September showdown with South Carolina. Sanders helped lead his team to a strong victory 44-30 over the Recreationcocks. The Razorbacks protection took over The rivals, forcing three turnovers and limiting the Recreationcocks To solely 40 dashing yards on 29 carries. Sanders’ play that day was instrumental in dictating The Outcome, however individually, it spearheaded his emergence as a defensive game changer on draft boards.
Sanders ended The rivals with 11 complete tackles (8 solo), 3 tackles for loss And A pair of sacks with 2 pressured fumbles and 1 move defended.
Associated: 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Bears meet Alabama’s Will Anderson at No. 1 general
What he says about himself: “To me, The one Method to get greater at soccer is having fun with soccer. I’ve by no means doubted my expertise. Arkansas has given me An alternative for me To level out my expertise and get greater by having fun with and offering The prospect to be versatile.” – Drew Sanders
Talent Set: Sanders is A very athletic and diversely expert participant Which will line up and be efficient at a quantity of defensive places. He possesses The measurement (6-foot-5, 240 kilos) And adaptableness to play Collectively with his hand on The underside as a defensive end, or survey the offense as a center linebacker.
Never undeterred, Sander’s tenacity and aggression layer a skill set That is equal parts move rusher and run defender. As a move rusher, he effortlessly transitions velocity to power when pressuring the moveer. Conversely, when placeed On the “Mike” (center linebacker) place he assesses the opposing offense decisively, demonstrating NFL caliber sideline-to sideline pursuit capability. What makes Sanders particular and A potential day one selection is his competent safety expertise, one factor needed for A 3-down linebacker. Sanders’ elite athleticism Is apparent when overlaying tight ends and working backs or zoning off areas with deep drops In the midst of The sector.
Why Chicago? Sure, the Bears need To deal with their offensive and defensive strains with dogged conviction, wright hereas conpresently discovering a primary receiving goal for embattled signal caller, Justin Fields. However, after buying and promoting Professional-Bowl linebacker Roquan Smith to Baltimore, Chicago is devoid of an impactful game changer for its second unit. Initially, Sanders was an edge dashing 5-star recruit for Alabama, however after transferring to Arkansas for the 2022 season, he transitioned into the Razorbacks’ starting center linebacker and led the team in tackles (103), sacks (9.5), and tackles for loss (13.5), wright hereas serving to Arkansas lead the SEC convention in quarterback takedowns (39).
By season’s end, Sanders turned simply the second FBS defender since Khalil Mack (Buffalo, 2013) to register A minimal of 100 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three pressured fumbles. Even in SEC video games rife with NFL expertise, he appeared at occasions to be Definitely one of the biggest participant on The sector. Sanders’ versatility at being An environment nice edge dashing down lineman, or an instinctive off-ball, defending linebacker ought to peak Chicago’s entrance office And teaching staff. Simply A 3-down defender whose skill set appropriately matches Chicago’s 4-3 defensive schemes, one might advocate Sanders is a poor man’s Brian Urlacher, who might immediately enhance Chicago’s fortunes and Prolonged time period successes.
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