Chicago Bears: Pro comparisons for Day 3 draft picks

#5: Bilal Nichols, Defensive Tackle, Delaware

Round 5, Pick 145

Pro Comparison: Akiem Hicks

Did the Bears just get one of the biggest steals of the draft?

They very well might have. With the 145th pick in the fifth round, the Bears selected Bilal Nichols, a defensive tackle from Delaware. At 6-foot-4, 306 pounds, Nichols is a classic run-stopping lineman.

Coming from a small school, it’s tough to pinpoint who or what Nichols could amount to be in the NFL. However, there is one name who compares almost perfectly to Nichols.

Akiem Hicks, who was drafted from Regina (Canada) University in 2012, was a similarly-sized (6’4″, 318) run-stopping lineman from a small school.

Low-and-behold, Hicks has blossomed into a Pro Bowl type of leader on the Bears defense. Hicks took a few years to develop, but now in his prime, he has become one of the better defensive players in the league.

Nichols will definitely need time to develop coming from a small school. As shown with Hicks, a player with the same skill set and measurables, a little development can go a long way when it comes to small school talent. That development could come quicker than anticipated as well, seeing as Vic Fangio is quite good at what he does.