Last April, Pace used the No. 173 pick on Tulane sensation Darnell Mooney. Although he wasn’t even an 1,000-yard receiver, Mooney’s numbers were enough to make him a diamond in the rough Year 1.
Pace followed a similar format this time around the addition of Newsome, a speedy slot target from the Tar Heels. Should he hit, there’s three weapons at Halas Hall that are going to have the chance to be Pro Bowlers each season.
Newsome excelled as the No. 2 opposite Dyami Brown. Playing over 300 snaps in the slot, his role for Mack Brown’s offense was to move the chains and make defenders miss across the middle. That’s a role he was pretty effective at, forcing at least 14-missed tackles in the final two seasons at Chapel Hill.
Newsome has to develop into a better route-runner, but there’s so much to like with him. He can be electric in the open field and has a sure-fire hands were not asked to make body catches. The Anthony Miller experiment is on its final rope, so if Newsome can come in right away and compete for the starting role, this might be exactly what the Bears’ passing attack has been missing.
He won’t be a starter Week 1, but much like Mooney, don’t be shocked to see another Day 3 pick with over 600 yards on the year.