Another round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and another trade up from general manager Ryan Pace. The Chicago Bears were slated to go on the clock with the 52nd overall pick, but they moved up to the 39th spot in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.
And with that pick they selected Oklahoma State offensive tackle Teven Jenkins. After drafting Justin Fields in the first round, the Bears wasted no time getting him some protection.
To move up, the Bears sent Carolina the No. 52, 83 and 204 picks for Nos. 39 and 151.
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Strengths: Big, wide, physical right tackle who plays with an edge. True mauler in the run game. Quick feet at his size are very impressive. There’s one play on tape where Jenkins blocks his man completely off the field and into the bench on the sideline. Experienced with 35 starts across four seasons and has played on the left side too. Can also kick inside to guard if tackle doesn’t work out.
Weaknesses: Doesn’t have ideal length at the tackle position. Can struggle with elite speed on the edge. Might not be able to play left tackle at the next level. Opted out of the 2020 season in November while dealing with a hip injury and skipped the Senior Bowl.
Ryan Pace's take: "A powerful tackle, you know he can bend, he can play with leverage, he consistently moves guys out in the run game, which is awesome to see. Beyond that, he’s got the athletic ability to get to the second level and block in space. In pass pro, a really good anchor so he handles power really well. And then of course he plays with a lot of toughness and finish. We went into this draft looking for that trait and he definitely has that trait, that toughness, that nasty style of play."
What it means: The Bears moved up to get their quarterback Thursday night and now they move up to protect him. The Bears had a first-round grade on Jenkins and felt like they had to move up to get him. Jenkins should have a chance to immediately compete for the starting right tackle job and perhaps can even push Charles Leno Jr. on the left side.
NFL
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