NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears wrapped up NFL Draft weekend by making 5 picks. They didn’t check every box on their to-do list, but General Manager Ryan Poles looks to have solidified a busy offseason with immediate impact starters and depth. We’ll meet the Bears’ draft picks, get to know a bit about their past, and where they project to go moving forward.
Previous: QB Caleb Williams, WR Rome Odunze
KIRAN AMEGADJIE (ROUND 3, PICK 75)
The Bears have used Day 3 picks to trade for Dan Feeney and Ryan Bates. So when I heard Charles “Peanut” Tillman read Kiran Amegadjie’s name on Night 2 of the NFL Draft, I had an “a-ha!” moment. At a minimum, the Bears drafting Amegadjie (and, in the future, players with a similar profile) should keep them from trading future draft assets for reserve offensive linemen. It is a small thing, but it isn’t inconsequential.
So, please keep drafting offensive linemen.
HIGHLIGHTS
CHECK IT OUT: How Kiran Amegadjie and Tory Taylor Manifested Going to the Bears
THREE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS
One strength that isn’t listed in the Kiran Amegadjie profile is his relatability. Some old Amegadjie tweets popped up after the Bears made him their pick. And they are exactly what you would expect them to look like for a suburban Hinsdale native who is a die-hard Bears fan. Agonizing over losses. Despair when an offensive lineman gives up a sack. Complaints about play calling. Amegadjie is one of us. I dig it!
As for the stuff that is listed, I’m into that, too. So much of Kiran Amegadjie’s profile is about his size, athleticism, length, and how he turns that into production as an offensive lineman. Bears coaches have something to work with here. Amegadjie isn’t a finished product. But if some pro-level coaching can take his game to another level, then GM Ryan Poles will have unearthed a steal.
WEAKNESSES
Bears offensive line coaches will have their work cut out for them while working with this prospect. But if they can get a quality offensive lineman out of it, then we’ll look back at this pick (and their coaching efforts) fondly.
RELATIVE ATHLETIC SCORE
Relative Athletic Score grades player measurements on a 0-10 scale and compares them to their contemporaries. It is a unique way to give some of these prospects some more depth and perspective.
Unfortunately, there is not enough info on Kiran Amegadjie to cook up a Relative Athletic Score. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
WHERE HE FITS
A bit of a developmental prospect, but someone who projects to be a starting offensive lineman by Year 2 or Year 3 as a pro.
“This reminds me of the Braxton Jones pick” was the first thing that came to mind after the selection became officially official.
But “Is this a Braxton Jones replacement?” is the second thought that came to mind after seeing Kiran Amegadjie was the Bears pick at No. 75.
To be clear, I’m not trying to push Jones out the door. Quality offensive linemen are hard to find. They don’t grow on trees. And it’s not as if Day 3 picks who are starting-caliber left tackles in Week 1 as rookies are made on an assembly line. So let’s not take Braxton Jones for granted. However, with pre-draft chatter buzzing around the Bears possibly drafting someone like Joe Alt or Olu Fashanu preceding the team’s selection of a projectable Day 2 offensive lineman has me on alert.
For what it is worth, Bears General Manager Ryan Poles envisions a bright future for Kiran Amegadjie. And that future could include growing into a potential starter down the line:
Jones has two years left on his rookie contract. If he keeps up his play, Jones will be in line for an extension that could come with a significant pay raise. Maybe this is an example of me tuning into my galaxy-brain, but perhaps the Bears are safe-guarding themselves in case Jones leaves for greener pastures by drafting a developmental left tackle option who could be a plug-and-play guy two years from now. Don’t mind me. I’m just thinking out loud.
While you chew on that, check out some analysis of Kiran Amegadjie’s game from NFL Network draft guru Lance Zierlein:
With a rare blend of athletic traits and eye-popping length, it might be a mistake to bet against the high number of boxes Amegadjie checks. His hand usage is a work in progress, and he hasn’t learned to consistently get into blocks with proper footwork and body control, but both issues are coachable and likely to be corrected. Provided he improves his punch-timing and placement, his ability to keep rushers at the end of his length could become a big advantage. Amegadjie already possesses impressive explosiveness as a drive blocker and could become a quality NFL starter once his tutelage is complete.
In the end, my takeaway from reading Zierlein’s overview is that Offensive Line Coach Chris Morgan will have his hands full as he attempts to squeeze what he can out of Amegadjie’s raw skills. But the juice could be worth the squeeze if at quality NFL starting-caliber offensive lineman is the result of the development process.
Could the Bears have used the No. 75 overall pick differently? Sure. Could they have targeted someone who projects to be more than a swing tackle in Year 1? Yeah, I could’ve seen things playing out in that way. But the way I see it, there is never a bad time to draft an offensive lineman. And if your team can draft one with Kiran Amegadjie’s size, length, and athleticism, then it should be applauded when they do.
