Bears selected San Diego State OG Zachary Thomas with the No. 186 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Thomas (6'5/300) was a four-year starter for San Diego State, playing all across the line at guard and tackle. He excelled in SDSU’s run-heavy attack, so it makes sense that he’s most polished in that area. He moves well, a must in the Aztec’s zone scheme, and shows good lateral quickness to get to his spots. He’s great at sticking to defenders once the block is initiated and plays with low pad level, letting him get good leverage. Where Thomas struggles is in pass protection. He doesn’t have the best technique or hand placement which makes him susceptible to bull rushes, made even worse by his lack of play strength. Still, Thomas has positional flexibility and a clear strength in his movement abilities and 9.00 relative athletic score. In Chicago’s scheme, he will absolutely do his job in the run game, and he has room to learn the finer points of pass protection as well as the frame to add much-needed muscle.
