NFL Draft 2017: Chicago Bears first-round grade
By John Buhler
The Chicago Bears moved up a spot to draft North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2. Here is the first-round grade for the Bears.
It took a matter of minutes, but we have the first big shocker of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears could not wait until the No. 3 overall pick to get their guy. They traded up a slot with the San Francisco 49ers to take North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2.
Moving up cost the Bears the four picks: the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Chicago’s third and fourth round pick this year, and a mid-round pick next year. Trubisky started one year at North Carolina, going 8-5 as the Tar Heels starting quarterback.
He was an insanely accurate passer in college, has the build to be a successful NFL quarterback in a northern climate and rarely throws interceptions. Trubisky was going to be a top-10 pick no matter what this draft, but it’s odd to see him off the board before No. 6 to the New York Jets.
This is because the Bears opted to give former Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Mike Glennon a massive, multi-year contract to be their starter going forward. Now it looks like Glennon will get paid a ton of cash to backup Trubisky, possibly as early as 2017.
Trubisky has obvious NFL talent, but the Bears probably needed to go with a defensive player at No. 2. Head coach John Fox is on the hot seat more than anybody else in the league. He is a defensive minded coach and needs playmakers than can make an immediate impact from the jump.
Next: 2017 NFL Draft: Instant grades
In the long run, taking Trubisky is a good move, as when was the last time the Bears felt great about their starting quarterback? Sid Luckman? However, this is not a great pick in the short-term. Don’t expect Fox to be Trubisky’s head coach for the long haul. This was a Ryan Pace selection if there ever was one.
Grade: B-