Chicago Bears 2017 mock draft: Latest seven-round draft

Round 4, #115: Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh (6-foot-3, 225 pounds)

Peterman’s dream coming out of high school was to play in the SEC. The SEC is considered the best conference in college football. He signed at Tennessee, but things unraveled.

He broke his hand in his first start in 2013 and never got to regain his starting spot. The next season, he started, but lasted just two series before getting pulled. Again, he couldn’t regain his starting job.

Peterman graduated from Tennessee in three years (showing his maturity and work ethic), then played the rest of his eligibility at Pitt.

At PItt, Peterman shined. In two seasons with Pitt, he completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 5,142 yards, 47 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. Yes, that is an excellent 3-to-1 touchdown to interception rate.

Peterman is not flashy, but he can make any throw. He goes through his progressions well, and he is excellent at using his eyes to throw off defenders. His 10-inch hands help him make his throws. He has poise in the pocket, not panicking under pressure. He sets up quickly, slides to avoid pressure, then sets up again, rarely getting off-balanced.

Peterman’s accuracy is impressive. He leads open receivers away from defenders and in a position where they catch the ball in stride. His anticipation on receivers’ routes is excellent. He completed 46.2 percent of his deep balls.

While Peterman doesn’t possess the eye-opening traits that some of the other higher-rated quarterbacks, he is solid in every aspect of the position. He is cool under pressure, and his accuracy sets him apart. His experience running a pro-style offense also gives him an advantage over some of the other prospects.

If the Bears do go after a veteran quarterback before the draft, they can still pick Peterman. Having two good quarterbacks is never a bad thing, and if the top guy falters, having Peterman step in is still a pretty good option.