Chicago Bears vs. Denver Broncos Preseason Week 1: 5 players to watch

2. Adam Shaheen, TE

At 6-foot-6, 278 pounds, Adam Shaheen looks more like a slender offensive tackle than a tight end. However, he is an impressive athlete for the tight end position who could be a massive matchup nightmare at the next level.

Shaheen was a Division II college basketball player at Pittsburgh-Johnstown, but decided to transfer to Ashland University as a walk on football player in 2014. He appears to have made the right decision.

After piling up an impressive 127 receptions for 1,670 yards and 26 touchdowns in two years as the starting tight end at Ashland, Shaheen left college a year early to pursue his NFL dream. The Chicago Bears selected him in the second round (45th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Shaheen has a lot of work to do to become a full-time player for the Bears. The jump from the Division II level to the NFL is a huge one. However, with his impressive combination of size, speed and athleticism, Shaheen has exciting upside going forward.

He dominated in college and has been impressive in training camp. Shaheen has some work to do as a blocker, but his skill set as a receiver is incredibly encouraging. He is a true weapon in the middle of the field and is particularly impressive in red zone situations.

The Chicago Bears are likely going to give Shaheen a lot of work in the preseason. He needs as much on-field time as possible to adapt to the speed of the NFL game. If he performs well in the preseason, I think Shaheen will have a legitimate opportunity to play a major role for the Bears as a rookie. It all depends on how quickly he can adapt to the NFL game.

Keep an eye on Adam a Shaheen on Thursday night. He is an exciting player who is an important part of the future of the Chicago Bears offense.