Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears: Overrated/Underrated Draft Targets

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:55 p.m. ET

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Oct 8, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive end Derek Barnett (9) and Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Avery Gennesy (65) in action during the game at Kyle Field. The Aggies defeat the Volunteers 45-38 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears are going to be sifting from the 2017 NFL draft pool of prospects for months to come. The hard part is identifying flash and substance.

A lot of players being mentioned lately will be proven victims of way too much hypes by next season. Others who just haven’t had the good fortune of lots of cameras around will soon show they can mix it up with the big boys. Here is a rundown of key players slated for the draft in April and why they are overrated or underrated.

Overrated: Jabrill Peppers (S, Michigan)

This is going to be an unpopular statement with a lot of people. The country is infatuated with Jabrill Peppers and athletic wonder he’s become. He can return punts, run the ball, tackles like a linebacker and plays safety. Already comparisons are lining him up with Landon Collins. So how in the world can he be overrated? From a pure position evaluation standpoint, Peppers is solid but hardly what one would call elite as a safety. He’s a good tackler and can blitz. The problem is his coverage is just okay. Peppers is still more great athlete than he is football player.

Underrated: Derek Barnett (DE, Tennessee)

When you’re mentioned in the same breath as Reggie White, you’re doing something right. Derek Barnett has 32 sacks in his college career, tying the Pro Football Hall of Famer for the most in Tennessee history. He’s never had fewer than nine in a season. The kid just knows how to get the quarterback on the ground. Size, strength and bend aren’t issues with him. He’s got some explosiveness and uses his hands well. This is just one of those rock solid players who will start for any team immediately.

Overrated: Cam Robinson (OT, Alabama)

To most he’s still the highest rated offensive tackle on the board. The Bears need offensive tackle help. So it makes sense to prioritize him right? Cam Robinson is a big guy with plenty of strength. He plays for the best team in the country and is the anchor of their offensive line. Even so that’s not enough to save him. He has a number of off-the-field concerns that continue to haunt him. On top of that he’s not a premier athlete for the position, viewed more as functional in that key area.

Underrated: Jamal Adams (S, LSU)

Peppers gets the hype but Jamal Adams could very well end up being the best safety in the 2017 class. LSU is known for producing good defensive backs after all. Ask Tyrann Mathieu. In fact some are saying Adams is just a bigger version of the Arizona Cardinals All-Pro. He’s a tone-setter who can tackle and hit with ferocity. He’s got the size and range enough to play coverage but is even better sniffing out plays around the line of scrimmage. A good defensive coordinator will find a myriad of ways to use him.

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Overrated: Leonard Fournette (RB, LSU)

Another surprise on the list. For size, power, speed and vision combination it’s hard to argue against Leonard Fournette. He’s a physical phenomenon that doesn’t come around too often in college or the NFL. The problem is that gifted body just may not have the toughness factor to it. Fournette has dealt with a number of nagging injuries already and he hasn’t even gotten to the pros yet. A number of the problems are with his lower extremities. That is a bad thing for running backs.

Underrated: Patrick Mahomes (QB, Texas Tech)

If he chooses to declare, the quarterback pool will become interesting as the draft draws closer. Patrick Mahomes isn’t on many radars of late. Not surprising since he played for a 5-7 Texas Tech team this year. That belies how good he is. He’s got size, a powerful right arm, throws passes with touch and accuracy, can run and plays with competitiveness and intelligence. He’s far from a polished prospect but given time and adequate coaching he has the look of a future Pro Bowler.

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