Chicago Bears Mock Draft 3.0: Trade brings Round 2 steal
By Ryan Heckman
Round 7, Pick 222
MLB. 7. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Wisconsin. T.J. Edwards. 57
It is pretty funny that I have T.J. Edwards going right after Smith, considering they are identical in size (6-feet, 230 pounds). Edwards, though, is a true middle linebacker. Although a bit on the shorter side, he’s proven he can do it all.
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In his four years at Wisconsin, Edwards compiled 37.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, 10 interceptions, 15 passes defensed, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a defensive score.
Looking at the current roster, Edwards would be a prime candidate to come in and ultimately take the place of Nick Kwiatkoski, who will most likely end up on another team next year after his contract is up. He’s not the most flashy player, but Edwards has always been a guy who does his job and does it with passion — and he does it well.
Edwards is a physical backer who loves to step up onto the line of scrimmage and cause havoc. He’s heavily involved in stopping the run and will look to pack a punch. On top of being a fairly strong player, Edwards actually dropped some weight this offseason to increase his speed. He may be graded as a later-round prospect, but he’s ready to make it onto an NFL roster.
For starters, he could end up being a staple on special teams and, as I said, earn his way to a future backup role in 2020.