Chicago Bears: Sixth round pick Kylie Fitts could be a steal

The Chicago Bears selected defensive end Kylie Fitts in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Though he was a late pick, could he end up being a steal?

The Chicago Bears came into this offseason with an obvious need at edge rush. The Bears saw some promise in Leonard Floyd last season but saw his season come to an end with a knee injury. Pernell McPhee was Ryan Pace’s first big free agency splash, but he did not work out as planned.

Willie Young was also let go this offseason, because of durability issues and age. The Bears made an effort in free agency to address the hole at outside linebacker, reuniting Aaron Lynch with his former defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers in Vic Fangio. Lynch is coming off back-to-back down seasons, as the Bears are taking a leap of faith that he can regain success.

Bears fans watched as each round went by without the team addressing this pressing need up until the sixth round. That’s where Pace picked a high-risk, high-reward talent in Kylie Fitts. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds, Fitts’ explosion off the edge stands out immediately when you cut on the highlight tape.

At the combine, Fitts showed off that explosion in the three-cone drills, posting a 6.88. To put it in perspective, he outperformed more notable prospects Bradley Chubb (7.37), Marcus Davenport (7.20) and was only bested by Ohio State’s Sam Hubbard (6.84).

Fitts has the tools to be a productive pass rusher at the next level. He can beat you off the edge with pure speed and quickness or he can use a power bull rush and rip away from opposing blockers. The reason why he slipped was due to durability issues.

Must Read: Pro comparisons for first three draft picks

If the new Bears strength and conditioning coaches can work with him and help him avoid those nagging foot injuries, the Bears might have found their ideal compliment to Floyd.