Chicago Bears may have drafted Akiem Hicks clone in Bilal Nichols

Ryan Pace took a small school chance on defensive lineman Bilal Nichols out of Delaware. The scouting report looks eerily similar to a certain current Bear.

In the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected defensive lineman Bilal Nichols out of Delaware. While many fans are wondering just who this guy is, the answer may not be far off from a current fan favorite.

Akiem Hicks is certainly the leader of the defense, and his personality, drive and skillset certainly set the tone game-in and game-out for the Bears. In Nichols, Chicago could end up getting a Hicks-like playmaker.

It might sound crazy right now, but let’s dive in a little further.

Coming out of Regina, here are some notable tidbits on Hicks back in 2012:

• Height: 6-foot-4 1/2
• Weight: 318 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 5.23
• Bench press: 26 reps
• “Needs time to develop”
• Per NFL.com: “It remains to be seen how readily adaptable his skills are to the pros given that level of competition.”
• Per NFL.com: “plays too upright at times”
• Per NFL.com: “He is a decent run defender.”

Let’s compare that to the scouting report on Nichols:

• Height: 6-foot-4
• Weight: 306 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.95 seconds
• Bench press: 29 reps
• Per Bleacher Report: “He’s a solid developmental option.”
• Per NFL.com: “there isn’t much on tape to suggest he will be an effective NFL pass rusher.”
• Per NFL.com: “Tends to pop upright after the snap”
• Per NFL.com: “He does have some anchor against the run.”

So, what we have here is a guy who, coming out of college, looked eerily similar to Hicks in stature but is much faster. Even more intriguing are the few bits and pieces of scouting reports that mirror each other.

Hicks was looked at as a late-round project, just like Nichols is. Hicks’ big knock was his upright posture after the snap, just like Nichols. Hicks was looked at as a solid run defender, but not as good of a pass rusher, just like Nichols. Hicks played against lesser competition in college, suggesting he may not translate well to the pros — are you getting the theme, here?

Fans love Hicks for the intensity he brings to the table. He’s relentless and always plays with a nasty, gritty attitude. Nichols, on the other hand? Well, see for yourself:

It looks like the Bears may have found themselves a diamond in the rough, if Hicks can take Nichols under his wing. Nichols is in a great situation, learning from a veteran leader like Hicks and being under the coaching of an elite defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio.

Pace may get criticized for taking a guy from a smaller school — shocker — but Nichols could pan out to be the real deal with the system and personnel in place on the Bears.