Chicago Bears: 5 strong NFL Draft prospects team has met with
By Ryan Heckman
Guard/Center Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
The first round likely won’t see a lot of interior offensive linemen get selected, but come the second round, we could see a flurry. If Cesar Ruiz is there around picks 43 or 50, the Bears should seriously consider snagging him.
Obviously, the chances of Ruiz landing in Chicago are already high if the team has met with him.
Cesar Ruiz, one of the top interior offensive lineman in this draft class, is receiving a ton of interest. He’s already met with 20 teams that include the #Dolphins and #Bears. He also has FaceTime meetings with the #Giants and #Jets in the coming days, per source.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 4, 2020
The Bears have already addressed the open position at guard by bringing in former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Germain Ifedi on a very team-friendly, 1-year contract. Chicago must create competition at this spot, though, because the offensive line is arguably the most pertinent area of need right now.
Michigan’s Ruiz would be a strong option to come in and not only compete with Ifedi, but he would end up starting, no question. Ruiz is tough as nails. He’s physical, and he can play both guard and center.
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Ruiz stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 307 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in a blistering 5.08 seconds. That’s impressive.
The Bears need someone who is quick off the line and can hang with faster defensive linemen, and Ruiz has the footwork to do that. If he landed with the Bears in the second round, I’d guarantee he wins the starting job in camp, and the Bears’ line would be upgraded significantly.