Chicago Bears 2017 draft position profiles: Cornerbacks

Gareon  Conley, Ohio State (6-foot-0, 195 pounds)

Ohio State had an incredible secondary in 2016, and Conley was every bit as good as Lattimore. In the last two seasons, he recorded 75 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 13 passes defended.

Conley has the size, speed and foot quickness to succeed at the higher level. His instincts are great. He can stay hip-to-hip with any receiver, and has a good feel for when the ball is coming.

Conley has the fight in him to battle for the ball. He places himself in a good position to get the ball. He played a lot of man-to-man at Ohio State, but he is a good fit in zone as well.

Where Conley gets in trouble sometimes is against the run. He sometimes doesn’t fight as much then. There are times when you see him dragged a few yards when trying to tackle a running back.

The question with Conley is how he can play without the elite talent around him. At college, he had one of the top defenses in the nation. The defensive line put great pressure on the quarterback so he did not need to stay in coverage for very long. One of the difficulties for the Bears this past season was their pass rush. They ranked 12th in sacks, but there were too many times when the quarterback sat in the pocket until the coverage broke down and someone got open.

Conley is a solid player who isn’t flashy. He just goes out and does his job, and he does it well.