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Chicago Bears: 9 players to watch at the Reese’s Senior Bowl

By Tom Kavanaugh

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 30: A general view of a flag with the Reese's Senior Bowl Logo on it before the start of the 2021 Resse's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 30: A general view of a flag with the Reese's Senior Bowl Logo on it before the start of the 2021 Resse's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on January 30, 2021 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 27-24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bears, Rashee Rice
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Rashee Rice, WR, SMU

What can he prove?: Separation ability

SMU’s Rashee Rice is one of the most polarizing players in this class. The people who love him will point to his excellent contested-catch skills and YAC ability.

There is no doubt he is great at both of those aspects of WR but he has not shown enough in maybe the most important aspect and that is separation.

We have to ask ourselves, does Rice find himself in contested catch situations so often because he wants to win that way or he has to win that way?

There just aren’t many reps on his film in which he cleanly separates. He must show that ability to be valued like the late first-rounder many people are mocking him as.

Rice will have plenty of opportunities to showcase that he can get away from tight coverage in the 1 on 1 drills. He may have the most to gain of all of the pass catchers if he can dominate in this area.

There are a lot of players for the Chicago Bears to consider in this department.

Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State

What can he prove?: Win against NFL competition

Xavier Hutchinson was PFF’s 10th-highest-graded receiver in college football and there is such little buzz about him heading into the Senior Bowl.

He has one of the most complete skill sets in the draft class. He is a good route runner, crafty after the catch, and has shown that he can dominate at the catch point.

However, well-roundedness is his blessing and curse. Hutchinson is a jack of all trades master of none type of receiver. There isn’t a trump card to point to in his skillset.

He doesn’t seem like an overly dynamic athlete either. So, while I do believe that he will have more to prove at the combine, a good Senior Bowl week couldn’t hurt.

For being billed as this polished player who can hit the ground running, this is an event he should excel at. Even more questions about his projection could be raised if he doesn’t.

Luke Musgrave, Tight End, Oregon State

What can he prove?: Receiving Prowess

It was hard to narrow down all that Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave could prove considering he only played in two games this past season.

In those two games, he caught 11/15 targets for 169 yards. He displayed more receiver skills than the average tight end in a very small sample.

After taking a closer look at those two games, much of that production came from being a better athlete than his competition.

He wasn’t put in many situations in which he had to win 1 on1 with his routes. It was much more of him streaking into open spaces and making the most of it.

Athleticism can take tight ends a long way but if Musgrave is going to live up to the “move” tight end label, he will have to show that he can win like a WR.

He won’t have any cleaner opportunities to do that than in the 1 on 1 drills in Mobile.

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