Chicago Bears Draft: Three intriguing prospects for Center

When news came of Drew Dalman’s unexpected retirement, my first reaction was not appropriate for a general audience. However, as Chicago Bears fans grapple with the idea that the team needs to look for two starters on the offensive line instead of just one, here are a few of the prospects who might merit a closer look in the next few weeks.

Logan Jones, Iowa

Basics: 6’3”, 299lbs, 30.75” arms, 4.9sec 40-yard dash (fastest of all offensive linemen at this combine), 7.46sec 3-cone drill (second-fastest of all offensive linemen at this combine)

Ranks: Drafttek 116, MDDB 102

Why I shouldn’t like him: Jones lacks the size and horsepower to be a true difference-maker in most offensive schemes. He officially came in at 6’3” and 299lbs, and his arms are under 31in long. Oh, and he’ll be 25 by October.

Why I do anyway: Jones is a high-end athlete for the position, and he is NFL-ready in his ability to hit his first block in zone schemes, and he is disciplined enough to execute chained blocks upfield in the run game. His hand placement is good when his arms let him latch, and he is assignment-aware. Offensive line guru Brandon Thorn described him as “Diet Coke Tyler Linderbaum”, and that seems fair.

Summary: He’s a steal on Day 3 for a team like Chicago, but anything before that could be a reach, especially for a team that relies on power as the core of its blocking scheme. He’s probably worth thinking about at #89 given all givens.

Connor Lew, Auburn

Basics: 6’3.5”, 310lbs, 32.38” arms, 31 reps bench

Ranks: Drafttek 93, MDDB 64

Why I shouldn’t like him: Lew is coming off an ACL tear in October, and so he might not be ready to play until the end of the summer. Even before his injury,  his footwork was generously described as adequate and his leg drive was more about enthusiasm than high-end torque. To put it colloquially, he needs to play with more sand in his pants.

Why I do anyway: His football IQ is high, and he understands how to set protections and how to communicate with a line. His on-field leadership is tangible. Additionally, he makes up for some of the limitations in his footwork by an ability to connect and reconnect with his hands. They are “live” and even angry at times. He uses his hips to create leverage in ways that reveal his wrestler’s background, and there’s nothing wrong with his upper body power–as indicated by having the fourth-highest bench reps of any player who tested at the combine. 

Summary: Lew turns 21 in August but already has multiple seasons as a starter. Under most circumstances, he would likely have been an early Day 2 pick hoping a team reached in Round 1, but he might slide into the third round due to his injury. A pre-injured player might be more risk than Chicago is willing to take on at this point, though.

Spencer Fano, Utah

Basics: 6’5.5”, 311lbs, 32.13” arms, 4.91sec 40-yard dash (second-fastest of all offensive linemen at this combine), 7.34sec 3-cone (fastest of all offensive linemen at this combine)

Ranks: Drafttek 7, MDDB 6

Why I shouldn’t like him: Prior to the combine, he had played tackle (left and right) in college, and his experience at center is nonexistent. He overleans a little bit and loses leverage when his upper body strength fails him, and his pads get high at times.

Why I do anyway: Everything about why I shouldn’t like him? That’s when he’s compared to 1st-round tackles in this class. He was inside Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 15 at one point, and until his arms came in half an inch shorter than Will Campbell’s, he would consistently be in the top ten on major boards. His ability to match foot speed to mirroring is top-notch for someone still in college–he plays “loose” in the best way possible, which makes his hand speed and counter-punching even more dangerous.  

Summary: Fano has long been one of the top-rated tackles in this draft class, but with the reality of his arm length, he has expressed a willingness to do anything to get on the field, even playing center. As prospects like Monroe Freeling move up the board, there’s a chance that he will slip (Lance Zierlein has him falling to San Francisco at 27 in his latest mock draft). If he’s there at 25, Ryan Poles should consider taking him and figuring out his best use (center or left tackle) in camp.

Let us know if you’d like the Bears to draft one of these prospects, or if there is another center in the draft you like.