Chicago Bears: Grading 2018 rookie class after Year 1

A look ahead

It’s clear that a solid 2018 draft is what completed the Bears rebuild. Building a successful team through the NFL Draft is one way for teams to stay competitive for multiple seasons. Additionally, it also allows for teams to get younger every year.

Going into 2019, it’s clear that Roquan Smith and Anthony Miller could become some of the best players from their draft class at their respective positions. For the next decade, Roquan Smith will be a force for the Bears on defense, eventually becoming a leader in what will be a locker room with strong chemistry.

The Bears also need to be excited about the potential of interior offensive lineman James Daniels, who at just 21 years old has a very bright future ahead of him. Over time, Daniels too will become a player who will be a leader for the Bears offensive line.

Then there’s the Bears day three picks, three of whom will need to prove in training camp that they belong on an NFL roster, while Bilal Nichols seems as if he guaranteed a roster spot for 2019.

The reason Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Javon Wims, and Kylie Fitts, are important to the Bears is because for a team that cannot spend much to bring in depth over the next two years, late-round draft picks will have to serve as the Bears depth.

Without a doubt, the Bears 2018 draft class should be ranked as one of Ryan Pace’s better draft classes. Not only does it form a key part of the Bears roster for the future, but it also gives the team long-term options at skill positions that are hard to address in through the NFL Draft.