Chicago Bears Draft Profile: Wide receiver Christian Kirk

The wide receiver position is still a top priority for the Chicago Bears.  Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk could solidify the position in 2018.

With the release of Cameron Meredith, the Chicago Bears will need to address the wide receiver position in the 2018 NFL Draft. Christian Kirk, the standout wide receiver from Texas A&M would go a long way in solidifying the position.

Ryan Pace has done his due diligence and met with a number of wide receivers leading up to the draft. However, as secretive as Pace is, you may want to pay attention to the receivers he hasn’t met with.

As far as we know, the Chicago Bears have not met with Kirk. However, everything about his game suggests he is someone Pace and head coach Matt Nagy would target. We take a look at why he’d be a good fit below.

Strengths

I know I’ve mentioned this countless times in other draft profiles, but it bears repeating (no pun intended). In order to play in Matt Nagy’s offense as a wide receiver, you need to be an above average route runner. And Christian Kirk absolutely checks that box. Not only has he been known as a great route runner since his freshman year at TAMU, but he has tremendous body control as well. Watching his film, you see how easily he is able to adjust to the football, especially on poorly thrown balls.

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Kirk is not only a technically sound runner, but he’s a very fluid one as well. In other words, he wastes very little movement getting in and out of his breaks. Every movement appears to be with a purpose.  Some receivers will hit a defensive back with a lot of gyrations, but end up in the same spot. Those receivers are easy to defend. Kirk, on the other hand, will plant his foot and go, leaving the defensive back in the dust.

So we have established that Kirk is very good at those “pre-catch” wide receiver skills.  But what about after he gets the football in his hands?  Well, he’s equally good once he catches the football.  He is extremely dangerous in space and has the ability to make defenders miss.

At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, so he has the straightaway speed to avoid being tracked down from behind. But he also has the shiftiness to take that inside slant, make the first tackler miss, and get to the second level in the blink of an eye. When he gets the ball with defenders in front of him, he has the look of a running back. You can almost see him surveying the whole field, thinking three moves ahead.

His ability to envision the hole before it opens segues into his next strength. In his college career, Kirk was known as an exceptional return man. In fact, he finished his collegiate career with seven kick returns for touchdowns. The Chicago Bears haven’t had a dynamic returner since the legendary Devin Hester. Now, I’m not suggesting Kirk is the next Hester, but he would be a substantial upgrade over anyone the Bears have run out at that position since.

Finally, Kirk fills a position of need. I’m not simply talking about the wide receiver position, but more specifically, the slot receiver position. The Bears made a number of moves to strengthen their receiving corps this offseason. However, neither Allen Robinson nor Taylor Gabriel are a slot receiver. Kirk would give Nagy and the Bears’ offense another dimension, particularly underneath. This would really be the final piece needed to complete the wide receiver corps Nagy covets.

Weaknesses

The biggest knock on Christian Kirk is his size. He is only 5-foot-11 and weighs 200 pounds. At that size, he has a tendency to get outmuscled by larger defensive backs. This is particularly true on jump balls. Therefore, don’t expect him to win many 50/50 balls downfield. Additionally, while he has fairly good speed, it is not considered “elite” speed for a player his size. Therefore, he is not the kind of player that will get behind coverages.

Realistically though, that is not how the Bears would likely use him. They already have their “big” in Allen Robinson who is capable of winning those one-on-one battles and making big plays down the field. They also have their downfield “burner” in Taylor Gabriel, who will take the top off the defense. As a result, the Bears’ offense will sufficiently mask Kirk’s weaknesses.

Next: 7 WR Bears have met with

Bottom Line

Christian Kirk may not have met with the Chicago Bears as of yet. However, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be a terrific fit in Matt Nagy’s offense. If the Bears find themselves in a position where Kirk is available in the second or even third round, expect Ryan Pace to take a long, hard look.