Chicago Bears 2017 mock draft: Latest seven-round draft

Round 2, #36: Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson (6-foot-1, 200 pounds)

The Chicago Bears need help at secondary. They struggled through injuries throughout the season. They did find some talent to help depth-wise, but they need a starter who fits the “Monsters of the Midway” persona.

Kyle Fuller is a talented player, but he hasn’t put it all together yet. Also, his stunt of last season did not endear himself to his coaches. He had what they thought was an injury that wouldn’t have him miss much time, but it turned into him missing the entire season. He had a chance to come back, but preferred to sit out. Now we need to see if he comes back to play in a Bears uniform.

Tankersley is a good fit for the Bears. He has the height and size to be productive. He doesn’t possess elite speed, but his athletic ability and length help him make up for that.

In 2015, in his first season as starter, Tankersley impressed. He had 48 tackles, 19 passes defended, and 5 interceptions. He considered going pro after that season, but decided to come back. That was a great decision, as he improved his play and left as a champion.

Tankersley sticks to receivers well, and plays a variety of coverages. As I said, he made a smart decision to stay in school. He had trouble with his hand placement and struggled with some receivers who ran different route trees effectively, and he improved on all of that. His 9 interceptions as a two-year starter show his ball hawk ability. This is something the Bears sorely need, as they ranked dead last in turnovers caused in 2016.

Tankersley also provides good run support. He won’t shy away from tackles, and he gets into the backfield when needed. He is a good fit for the Chicago Bears and would improve the secondary.