There were a lot of rumors before the NFL Draft that the Bears were going to target a running back high.
However, the class’s No. 1 running back, Ashton Jeanthy, went No. 5 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, five picks before the Bears.
Chicago would take Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with its first-round pick and wouldn’t target running back until the seventh round, when the team took Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai.
Damian Parson from Bleacher Report thinks Monangai could be a Day 3 pick who becomes a playmaker in year one.
“The Chicago Bears bypassed adding another running back for six full rounds. They drafted Kyle Monangai in the seventh round, and the opportunity is there for him to earn his way on the field,” Parson wrote. “Monangai joins a running back room with good competition and depth. That said, local Bears’ reporter Brad Biggs states this is an open competition and there are opportunities for touches. D’Andre Swift is expected to handle the first-team reps, but Monangai has an opportunity to make some noise and climb the depth chart. He is a stout, compact back with excellent vision and patience. He’s a natural runner who consistently makes defenders miss in one-on-one situations. While he lacks top-end speed and explosiveness, he compensates with sharp instincts and quick decision-making. Monangai has the opportunity to walk out of summer workouts and camps as the RB2 behind Swift. He could unseat the veteran on rushing downs and relegate Swift to the pass-catching, third-down role. Despite being selected in the seventh round, his college tape does not show a late-Day 3 prospect. Monangai may have the most complete skill set of any running back on the Bears’ roster. Once practices become more physical, his natural running instincts should stand out and give him a real shot at earning a key role as a rookie.”
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Monangai spent five seasons at Rutgers, rushing for 3,222 yards and 27 scores in 52 games.
Monangai should see a handful of running back reps this offseason, and maybe he will be the team’s No. 1 running back at season’s end.
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