Chicago Bears 2021 Mock Draft: A big trade up saves Ryan Pace
By Ryan Heckman
57. S. Pittsburgh. Paris Ford. 2. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player
In the second round, the Chicago Bears select safety Paris Ford out of Pittsburgh at no. 52 overall.
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This pick is going to be a game-changer for the Bears’ defense. Some might argue that the team needs to go offensive line in the second round after taking a quarterback, and that is a fair argument. But, getting a kid like Paris Ford is going to change this defense, especially when the Bears hire the right replacement for Chuck Pagano.
The Bears have been missing aggression on defense, and hopefully the next coordinator allows them to play with that style. Paris Ford will fit in perfectly in that type of scheme, too. First and foremost, he will allow Eddie Jackson to truly roam free back in the secondary: something he’s missed being able to do at full capacity.
Ford is a physical, tough safety who can play either high or low, but he’s best suited to play more in the box than anywhere else. At times, he has been a bit over-aggressive, but with the right coaching that can be fixed.
Aggression is good, especially considering the Bears lacked it in 2020. Ford has great ball skills if asked to play deeper, as evidenced by his nine passes defensed in 2019. In just seven games this last season, he finished with three interceptions while also totaling 3.0 tackles for loss.
Ford would become the starter next to Eddie Jackson, and both their strengths would compliment each other very well. Chicago will have finally rounded out their secondary for the future.