By The Athletic NFL Staff
Apr 30, 2022
The Athletic has around-the-clock coverage of theNFL Draft. Follow our NFL Draft Round 4-7 live blogandround 2-3 winners and losers, round 2 grades and best available players.
The Chicago Bears entered the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28 with six picks over the three-day draft.
The Bears made Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon their first pick at No. 39 on Friday night. Ryan Poles filled what may have been the team’s biggest need with his first pick as Bears general manager. Pairing Gordon, Dane Brugler’s 51st-ranked prospect, with the talented Jaylon Johnson is a good first step toward shoring up the secondary.
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Soon after, the Bears took a second step to improve the secondary, picking Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker at No. 48. Brisker was Brugler’s 42nd-ranked prospect in this draft.
In the third round, with pick 71, the Bears finally selected an offensive player: Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., ranked 182nd in Brugler’s top 300. Wideout was arguably the Bears’ biggest need entering the draft with Darnell Mooney the leader of a less-than-stellar group for quarterback Justin Fields.
With plenty of holes to fill, Poles and coach Matt Eberflus kept trading back on Saturday in order to add picks. They entered Day 3 with three picks and wound up with eight.
In the fifth round, they selected Southern Utah State offensive tackle Braxton Jones, Brugler’s 127th-ranked prospect, and edge rusher Dominique Robinson from Miami of Ohio. Robinson was 78th in Brugler’s rankings.
In the sixth round, they added offensive line depth with San Diego State’s Zachary Thomas and Illinois’ Doug Kramer, plus a running back with Baylor’s Trestan Ebner. In the seventh round, they drafted Southern guard Ja’Tyre Carter, California safety Elijah Hicks and NC State punter Trenton Gill.
Meet their draft selections:
Round 2
No. 39: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
How he fits: I’m not surprised that Matt Eberflus is a fan of Kyler Gordon after all the work and development that went into Kenny Moore and the Colts’ defensive backfield in Eberflus’ time as defensive coordinator. Gordon is a late bloomer — he didn’t become a full-time starter until 2021 — but he’s a versatile player who’ll fit right into the zone-coverage shells Eberflus loves to use. Whether it’s Cover 2, Cover 3 or Quarters, Gordon has the recognition skills and quick-twitch ability to break on routes and make plays on the football, and his willingness to tackle makes it possible for the Bears to move him inside when needed. — Diante Lee
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Dane Brugler’s analysis: Gordon needs to continue maturing his technique and cover awareness, but his fluidity and toughness are ideal for the next level. As he continues to develop the mental side of the position, he has the skills to become a full-time NFL starter.
Kevin Fishbain’s analysis: Washington cornerback fills need as Ryan Poles’ first pick
Christian Caple’s analysis: What Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon brings to the Chicago Bears
Sheil Kapadia’s grade: B
No. 48: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
How he fits: A big safety with speed, Brisker has enough length and coverage IQ to function in either a two-high defense or as a down, in-the-box player in a one-high situation. Very good lateral quickness, which helps him in the run game as he’s hard to block. No penalties, team captain and a dependable player for Penn State.
Now, all that said: No wide receiver? No offensive line? Perhaps in time. Chicago gets a good one, but at some point, Justin Fields would like some assistance. — Nick Baumgardner
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Brisker lacks ideal explosiveness and size on paper, but his innate toughness and timing fuel his playmaking skills. He projects as a starting strong safety in the NFL.
Adam Jahns’ analysis: The Bears may have drafted a culture-changer in Brisker
Audrey Snyder’s analysis: What Penn State S Jaquan Brisker brings to the Chicago Bears
Sheil Kapadia’s grade: B-plus
Round 3
No. 71: Velus Jones Jr., WR, Tennessee
How he fits: Jones is a pure speed merchant — which is always a valuable commodity — but I don’t believe he’s ready to contribute as a true wide receiver as a rookie, and he may not be ready in Year 2 either. In Tennessee’s extremely spread-out offense, Jones and the receiving corps spent a majority of the time taking the top off the defense in a manner that won’t directly translate to the NFL. As a return man at USC and Tennessee, Jones was a player opponents were cautious about kicking the football to, and he’ll likely bring a few back for touchdowns — but, not enough to justify a Day 2 draft pick.
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Dane Brugler’s analysis: Jones has a limited route tree and is still developing his rhythm as a receiver, but he has a smooth accelerator with solid ball skills. He offers value as a return man, special-teamer and back-end-of-the-roster receiver (similar to Pharoh Cooper).
Adam Jahns’ analysis: Bears’ need for speed is met with receiver/returner
Sheil Kapadia’s grade: D
Round 5
No. 168: Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah State
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Jones needs improved timing, technique and anchor before he is ready for NFL reps, but his movement skills and length are outstanding foundational traits. Although he’ll require an adjustment period, he has the tools to be a starter down the road.
Kevin Fishbain’s analysis: The Bears finally drafted an offensive lineman. Jones is a small-school prospect, but he was a first-team All-American in 2020 and 2021. Jones has some good speed traits — he had a 1.69-second 10-yard split on his 4.97 40, which ranks well among offensive linemen. He’s more of a developmental prospect, but he’s got something you can’t teach: length — 35 3/8-inch arms.
No. 174: Dominique Robinson, edge, Miami (Ohio)
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Robinson needs to improve vs. the run and develop his countermeasures, but he has exciting pass rush potential, thanks to his athletic traits. He may require time on the practice squad before earning a sub-package role in the NFL.
Kevin Fishbain’s analysis: Robinson is one of the more intriguing athletes in the draft. He played wide receiver until 2020. He’s 6-foot-5, 252 pounds and had 4 1/2 sacks last season. The traits cannot be ignored, and edge rusher is a position where the Bears can afford to add a developmental prospect behind Robert Quinn, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Trevis Gipson.
Round 6
No. 186: Zachary Thomas, OT, San Diego State
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Thomas is a nimble mover with drive blocking skills, but he is a non-explosive player who lacks the recovery skills to salvage the play after a misstep. He is a potential reserve in a zone-based scheme.
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Kevin Fishbain’s analysis: Poles said he wanted his offensive linemen to be lighter and quicker, and he drafted another one with impressive athletic traits in Thomas, who had the 11th-best 40 at the combine and fifth-best three-cone time. Thomas played left tackle, right tackle and right guard at SDSU and is projected best in a zone scheme, like the Bears plan to run. More depth up front.
No. 203: Trestan Ebner, RB, Baylor
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Ebner probably doesn’t make an NFL roster as a running back alone, but his pass-catching versatility and special teams experience will give him an advantage in an NFL camp.
Kevin Fishbain’s analysis: Ebner’s rushing stats won’t “wow,” but he was the Big 12’s special teams player of the year in 2022 and had three career kickoff-return touchdowns, which is an area where the Bears could use more depth. Ebner is a quality receiving back and he’ll compete to be the team’s No. 3 back.
No. 207: Doug Kramer, C, Illinois
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Kramer is undersized and doesn’t offer position flex, but he is quick, smart and the type of grinder capable of carving out a multi-contract NFL career.
Adam Jahns’ analysis: Kramer is a local for the Bears, having attended Hinsdale Central High School, the alma mater of new Bears co-director of player personnel Trey Koziol.
Round 7
No. 226: Ja’Tyre Carter, OL, Southern
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Carter might have a tough time matching up against outside speed in the NFL, but he uses his core strength and length to execute as both a pass and run blocker. He was a four-year starter at left tackle in college but is a candidate to move inside to guard in the NFL, similar to the Bears’ Dakota Dozier when he was coming out of Furman.
No. 254: Elijah Hicks, S, California
Hicks moved to safety after playing cornerback his first three seasons at Cal. That versatility should help him as he competes for a roster spot in the Bears’ thin secondary.
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No. 255: Trenton Gill, P, NC State
Gill was first-team All-ACC as a senior, averaging 45.1 yards per punt. He also was a kickoff specialist. With Pat O’Donnell off to Green Bay, Hicks will compete with Ryan Winslow in training camp.
Additional Reading
- NFL Draft live updates: Round pick tracker, Mock drafts, picks order, grades and trades
- 2023 NFL Draft player rankings: Dane Brugler breaks down the top 300 prospects
- A beginner’s guide to NFL Draft 2023: No. 1 pick, draft order, questions and sleepers
- Why the 2023 NFL Draft only has 31 picks in Round 1
- 2023 NFL Draft Odds: How sports books see the first round playing out according to betting odds
(Photo of Kyler Gordon: Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
