Here's a wrap-up of the Chicago Bears' draft.
Best move: Emphasizing defense. Chicago spent five picks in the opening four rounds on defense. They addressed outside linebacker/pass-rusher (Leonard Floyd), defensive end (Jonathan Bullard), inside linebacker (Nick Kwiatkoski), safety (Deon Bush) and cornerback (Deiondre' Hall). Coordinator Vic Fangio and the coaches used smoke and mirrors on defense last year. Factually speaking, Chicago's defense was much more competitive than most expected. But the unit had terrible depth. This draft should help address that. Last year, the Bears found two starters via the draft -- Eddie Goldman and Adrian Amos. The hope is that history repeats itself in 2016. After Floyd (who has to play as the ninth overall pick), the Bears need one or two of the other rookies to step up and contribute.
Riskiest move: Floyd. The Bears drafted him to apply pressure. The problem is that Floyd sacked the quarterback only 17 times at Georgia. He had just 4.5 sacks in 2015. Look, Floyd is an incredible athlete with impressive length. The traits are there. And he seems to be a terrific kid with a great, upbeat attitude. But this requires a leap of faith. Floyd never dominated in college. How will he dominate in the NFL? Supporters argue that Floyd's numbers were a reflection of how Georgia used him on defense. I understand, but most great college players stay at one spot and destroy the competition. That didn't happen here. And remember, Floyd is the ninth overall pick. He has to be excellent. That's just how it goes. And the playing weight is an issue. Can he put on/keep on the necessary pounds to compete and get off the blocks at this level? Only time will tell.
Most surprising move: Cody Whitehair in the second round. And not because Whitehair isn't worthy of going that high. He's a solid pick who played left right, right tackle and left guard at Kansas State. The dilemma here is that the Bears spent money in free agency to create competition at left guard between Matt Slauson and Ted Larsen, and at center between Hroniss Grasu (2015 third-round pick) and Manny Ramirez. Whitehair, who is expected to play guard, further clouds the situation. At the time of the choice, it felt a tad redundant. But it probably means Slauson is in trouble, and by training camp, Whitehair and Larsen could be the ones battling for a starting job. It's only a matter of time until Whitehair is on the first team. You don't draft a guard in the second round and have him sit the bench.
File it away: Don't rule out fifth-round pick Jordan Howard. There is no reason that Howard, who rushed for 2,800 yards the last two years, cannot be part of Chicago's game-day rotation in the backfield. The Bears like the running back-by-committee approach, and Howard figures to receive a legitimate shot to wrestle playing time away from Ka'Deem Carey or Jacquizz Rodgers. Jeremy Langford went in the fourth round in 2015, and now he’s atop the depth chart. The one issue for Howard is special teams. He's never played them before. He better learn.
Thumbs-up: Top pick Floyd is a roll of the dice. That makes me nervous. In general, however, the Bears played it safe but still created competition at left guard, defensive end, safety and running back. Not a bad haul. Floyd has to play. That's a no-brainer. But there is a legitimate chance that Whitehair, Bullard, Howard and Bush will contribute in 2016. On top of that, defensive backs Hall and DeAndre Houston-Carson are athletic prospects who have the potential to one day help the secondary. I don't expect guys from Northern Iowa and William & Mary to make an immediate impact, but the secondary is fluid. Who knows? Hey, Western Michigan wideout Daniel Braverman (seventh round) has been compared to Julian Edelman and Wes Welker. And West Virginia linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski is a sturdy reserve behind Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman. Overall, Chicago prioritized athleticism, production and character. That's usually a good recipe for success.