Bears Draft Target: Jaquelin Roy |
After finishing the 2022 season with a 3-14 record, the Chicago Bears have the No.1 pick in the NFL draft, in addition to seven other selections. Also, Chicago will likely take advantage of the opportunity to trade back, accumulating more picks in this year’s draft.
When you look at the overall big board, and what to look for in this draft, defense is one area that stands out especially the Defensive line products. Make no mistake about it. Chicago's defense was Putrid last season, and that is putting it lightly. A big reason for that was their inability to stop the run or pressure the QB. That is something that needs to change, and it needs to change in a hurry for the Bears to get back to playoff contenders. While Jalen Carter may be the best DL product in this year's draft, let's give credit where credit is due, as several other players are capable of being first-round targets for the Bears. One of those guys is Jaquelin Roy, as his time at LSU has come to an end. Like Gervon Dexter, who we discussed the other day, Roy has excellent size for an interior defense player and comes in at 6-4 and 312 pounds. He uses that size to his advantage, even if the production doesn't always show up on tape. For his career, Roy collected 97 career tackles, four sacks, and one forced fumble. That career was capped off this past season when he registered a career-high 49 tackles, but only .5 sacks. That is a concern, but you must look at his entire body of work to see where the teams are coming from. While he may not make every play on the field, Roy is a space-eater, and offenses need to take that into account. Given his ability to explode off the snap, Roy has the ability to control the line of scrimmage, which can alter an offense's plan. Not only does he get his hands on his defender quickly, but his great technique helps him make plays in the running game, as he is better at stopping the run compared to the pass. Roy is also one of those players that plays with a high motor, but has tremendous stamina for a guy his size. Given all the things he does well, you would think his overall production would be better. Look no further than his pass-rushing skills as the reason for his stats. Ray is great at stuffing the run, but his pass-rushing skills are a work in progress. Sure, he can overpower his defenders to get in the backfield, but when forced to make a move to get to the QB, he has struggled to do that. Ray also plays with inconsistent pad level, which is a topic for a lot of these college-level prospects. That alone leaves him susceptible to double teams, which can neutralize his ability to make plays on the field. While the Bears defense does need pass-rushing help, adding to their defensive line is a must, as they allowed nearly 5.0 YPC against the run last season. Not only did that rank 27th in the league, but the 31 rushing touchdowns allowed was dead last. For the Bears to be competitive next season, that is the first item that Ryan Poles needs to fix on the defensive side of the ball. Roy has played many positions, but his best production came while playing three-technique at LSU. Roy is not a first-round talent by any means, and there are many better options than him in the early rounds. However, as day two winds down and teams are looking for depth options, Roy is a guy that would fit any team and could come into camp as a player with starting potential in the right scheme.
