The NFL Draft is finally upon us. The Chicago Bears, armed with four picks in the first two days of the draft, are hoping to upgrade the roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Even though their most pressing needs are on defense, the Bears are expected to add a wide receiver in the later rounds of the draft.
Following the trade of DJ Moore and the departure of Olamide Zaccheaus, the Bears are not as deep in the position as they were last season. The arrival of Kalif Raymond will certainly help, but the Bears need to add more depth and quality to the wide receiver room.
Fortunately for them, an intriguing prospect may now be available to them on Day 3. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported this week that TCU wide receiver Eric McAlister suffered a broken foot in his Pro Day. This will presumably cause him to slip in the draft and potentially be available for the Bears.
Bears Should Consider Taking a Chance on Injured WR Eric McAlister
Chicago doesn't have a fifth or a sixth-round pick. Besides the fourth-round pick they are getting from the Rams, the Bears don't have a pick in Day 3 until the 239th overall pick and the 241st overall selections they own in the draft.
Since wide receiver isn't a top priority, the Bears will presumably wait until late in the draft to address the position.
Enter Eric McAlister.
As unfortunate as his foot injury is heading into the draft, he isn't expected to miss the start of the season. If teams hesitate to take a chance on him, he would be the ideal high-upside draft pick for the Bears.
McAlister doesn't have the elite speed that most NFL teams look for in WR prospects. But he was highly productive throughout his collegiate career, most notably last season when he led TCU with 1,190 yards. His 254-yard, three-touchdown game against SMU put him on the map for NFL teams earlier in the season.
Then, it was the combination of his 29.8% forced missed tackle rate, 12.6 ADOT, and 8.2 YAC per reception for the season that made him an intriguing prospect heading into the draft. No receiver outside of Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. even comes close to meeting these numbers. McAlister may not have the athleticism, but he certainly has the metrics on his side.
Chicago has more immediate needs in the draft, to be sure. Yet, their depth behind Rome Odunze and Luther Burden leaves plenty to be desired. Someone like McAlister isn't going to fill that need right away, but the Bears need to bring in as much talent as they can, at least to training camp, to get more production out of their WR room.
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