NFL Draft 2015 grades: Chicago Bears select Kevin White

With the seventh-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected West Virginia Mountaineers wide receiver Kevin White. White is the second receiver to come off the board, being taken after Amari Cooper was selected by the Oakland Raiders three spots earlier.

Grade: C

The Bears had a chance to take an impact defensive player at either outside linebacker or nose tackle, both premiere positions in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s 3-4 scheme. Instead, Chicago settled on a receiver in an offense that already features Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte. White will likely make an impact, but was not the right selection for this team in this spot.

White had a terrific 2014 campaign, catching 109 passed for 1,447 yards. He also looked terrific in the NFL Combine this February, running a 4.35 40-yard dash and benching 23 reps of 225 pounds, both the top numbers for receivers. However, White was only a really productive player for one season in college, helped out by a spread system at West Virginia. In fairness, White does have the body type to become a tough cover at 6’3 and 215 pounds.

Chicago could have taken Vic Beasley, Bud Dupree or Danny Shelton to fix its atrocious defense. It decided to wait on that project, something which could sink the Bears in 2015.