Chicago Bears address major needs in this mock draft
By Todd Welter
The Chicago Bears went with defensive players with the two fifth-round picks they already had.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Maryland. 5. player. 824. Safety. Nick Cross
Pitre is slated to be a nickel-cornerback in this mock draft so the Bears still need safety help.
Cross still being around in the fifth round would be a steal. Profootballnetwork.com has Cross in their top-75 players available. Pro Football Focus rates him in their top 100. Other scouting services do give him a fifth-round grade.
He had six career interceptions in his three-year career at Maryland so he fits Eberflus’ preference for takeaway focused players in the secondary.
If you are going safety later in the draft, make sure you are picking a Big 10 safety. I call it the Adrian Amos effect. His highlight reel shows he can make plays.
Cross needs to get better in his tackling but he definitely can do it all in the secondary.
Maryland’s Nick Cross is a safety that can do it all, and he’s a hot commodity leading up to the #NFLDraft.
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) February 21, 2022
Thanks to @Nick_Cross26 for taking the time to talk with me at Draft Wire: https://t.co/75mUwmXtlK
Cornerback. Tariq Woolen. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. UTSA. 5. player. 2410
Woolen is a big corner with big-time potential. He is tall and long with the ability to line up on the outside. Profootballnetwork.com describes him as an athletic freak.
"Woolen is a rare physical specimen in that regard. But that’s not even the most exciting element of his scouting report. From that frame, he has a reported 4.34 laser-timed 40-yard dash and an 11’5″ broad jump. Those are eye-watering testing numbers for a player of his size. The word “freak” shouldn’t be bandied around freely when describing athletes, but that is exactly what Woolen is."
NFL.com feels he fits the developmental prospect model. That is fair considering he has just two years of experience at cornerback after being converted over from wide receiver.
His speed and measurables are worth taking a chance on later in the draft. Since this is an extra pick in the fifth round, Poles can afford to take at least one risk.