Chicago Bears Draft: Top options at safety for each round

Round 5 Favorite: Mike Bell, Fresno State

One of the guys who didn’t do himself a whole lot of favors at the Combine, yet plays much more athletic and quicker on tape, is Mike Bell out of Fresno State. Sure, the Combine tells us who is an athletic freak, but for some guys who rely more on the little things, it might hurt them a bit.

Bell stands 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and obviously, his size stands out quite a bit. The Seattle Seahawks’ “Legion of Boom” featured some taller, bigger defensive backs and Bell certainly reminds you of that type of player.

He ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.83 seconds, though, while his vertical jump was only 30.0 inches. Of course, his height is already an advantage, but that’s not as strong of a vertical as you’d hope from the position.

Last year with the Bulldogs, Bell totaled eight passes defended and three interceptions. He plays with a head of steam, committing fully to his initial reactions at times. Some of those times, he either over commits or misreads the play. The mental side of his game needs some work.

However, his mentality as a playmaker and somebody who looks to make game-changing plays cannot be denied. He could end up being used as a slot corner as well as a safety in the NFL, which could give the Bears some versatility in their secondary.