Chicago Bears 2021 Draft: Must-target small school prospects

Since general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy became a duo a few years back, the Chicago Bears have won some and lost some in the draft.

When specifically looking at Pace, Bears fans know to expect the unexpected. Sometimes that’s a good thing, while other times it leaves us fall with our heads in our hands.

Pace is unequivocally himself — a definition that’s hard to sum up with few words. He’s not shy about making a big move if he’s convinced it’s worthwhile, even if that move doesn’t necessarily work out. Look at his track record with moves for guys like Khalil Mack and Mitchell Trubisky.

He also loves taking chances on guys from smaller schools in the draft. Pace has had some success in the past, finding Tarik Cohen coming out of North Carolina A&T a few years back. Then again, Pace is also the guy who drafted Adam Shaheen in the second round coming out of Ashland.

All of these are reasons why it is so difficult to summarize who Pace is as a general manager. He’s mostly been frustrating, if you had to use one single word. But, Pace is still here, and the Bears will win or lose with him at the helm in 2021.

In the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears could yet again look at small school prospects.

There are some positions the Bears simply won’t have enough draft capital to address early on. Without a fourth-round pick, Pace is going to have to work some magic in the later rounds.

Hopefully, the Bears use the first and second round for an important position like quarterback, even if it means trading up. But, beyond those two rounds, they still have several needs to look at filling.

If Pace wants to find some potential gems coming out of smaller programs, he and the Bears should look at some of the following prospects. Most of them can be found later than Round 2, as well.