Chicago Bears Mailbag: Free agency, running backs, and the NFL draft

2. Running backs in the 2019 NFL Draft

I won’t lie, it’s difficult to tell who the Bears are going to target, but there are three main names that come to mind. Up first is Penn State’s, Miles Sanders. After backing up Saquon Barkley for two years, Sanders exploded in 2018 with 1274 rushing yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He’s a patient running back who thrives in space. After a strong combine, Sanders has seen his name shoot up every team’s draft board. At this point, he’s likely played himself into round three conversation which means there’s a chance that he’s available when the Bears pick at 87th overall.

The other two running backs that I see the Bears targeting are Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singletary and Washington State’s James Williams.  As of right now, I expect both to available in the third round, which is a major advantage for the Bears as they’ll have a variety of options to pick from. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but would make for interesting fits within Matt Nagy’s offense. Considering Nagy’s offense is one that needs a running back who can pass catches consistently, both Williams and Singletary should be high on the Bears draft board.

At Florida Atlantic, Singletary averaged 7.8 yards per reception over a three-year period. While the number of targets he got each year declined, he still has tons of potential to be an effective receiver in a system that requires running backs to catch the ball on a consistent basis.

On the other hand, James Williams is all about catching the football. Over a three-year period, Williams caught 202 receptions, averaging 7.1 yards per reception. To be an effective dual-threat weapon in the NFL, Williams will need to further develop his route tree. All throughout his career at Washington State, Williams was mainly a guy who caught screen passes. If he can learn to master arrow routes, slants, and wheel routes, he could end up being a major steal for the Bears.