Chicago Bears 2017 mock draft: Latest seven-round look

Lorenzo Jerome, S, St. Francis (PA) (5-foot-10, 204 pounds)

The Chicago Bears defense is in serious need of producing turnovers. They ranked dead last in causing turnovers in 2016. Turnovers help give the offense a shorter field to work with. It also helps get the defense off the field and get some rest. Without them, the defense eventually wears down with all the extended drives.

The trio of Adrian Amos, Harold Jones-Quartey, and Deon Bush recorded just one interception combined in 2016. In four years at St. Francis, Jerome recorded 18 interceptions. Say what you want about the competition, but that number is nothing to sneeze at. Additionally, he had two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and two defensive touchdowns. He just has a knack for finding the ball.

When going after the ball carrier, he doesn’t waste any motion. He takes a direct path to the ball then lowers the boom. In high school, he used to be a quarterback so he has good instincts. He can also help on special teams, having three career kick returns for touchdowns and a 27.2 yards per return average.

Jerome may be undersized, but he plays bigger than his actual size. The competition is also a knock on him. However, he flashed his abilities in the Senior Bowl, where he went up against top-notch competition and recorded two interceptions.

Jerome has a connection with the Chicago Bears. The St Francis coach is Chris Villarial, who played in Chicago for eight years and 114 games.

While Jerome may be undersized and come from a small school, he possesses the two skills teams covet in a safety — great instincts and the ability to take the ball away. He’d be a good pickup for the Bears.