Mayock: Chicago Bears should run to podium to draft ‘special’ Timmy Jernigan
The Chicago Bears struggled mightily at stopping the run in 2013 as they allowed a league-worst 161.4 rush yards per game and could see a total makeover on the front four with Julius Pepper a potential cap casualty and Henry Melton a free agent.
With the No. 14 pick in the 2014 NFL draft, the Bears have been pegged as a fit for former Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan who NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock thinks the Bears should jump at the chance to draft the 6-2, 300-pound defensive tackle.
Mayock: @ChicagoBears should sprint to podium if Jernigan available at No. 14.
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) February 18, 2014
Mayock: Timmy Jernigan can step in and be special early.
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) February 18, 2014
Jernigan is the No. 6 prospect according to Scouts Inc and Mel Kiper while Mayock ranks him as the No. 2 defensive tackle in this year’s draft behind former Notre Dame Fighting Irish run-stuffer Louis Nix III.
Jernigan had 4.5 sacks and 53 tackles last season as a junior and is viewed as a classic 3-technique, the position Melton occupied the last couple seasons prior to tearing his ACL early in the 2013 season. If the Bears pass on resigning Melton, the drafting of Jernigan would be more than ideal replacement.