Chicago Bears can't coach speed, so they draft it in Leonard Floyd

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Something Chicago Bears coach John Fox says about talent acquisition resonated with general manager Ryan Pace.

"John always says this: 'We can get them stronger, we can get them bigger, but we can't get them faster and more athletic.'"

Given that, the Bears took a minor risk by trading up from 11th to ninth in the first round at the cost of a fourth-round pick, but possibly a bigger risk by selecting Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd.

Only nine teams had fewer sacks than the Bears (35) last season. Only three teams had a worse percentage on third downs than the Bears, who stopped offenses 44 percent of third downs. So the need for a pass rusher was critical.

The question is whether they got the right one.

In Floyd, the Bears have an immensely talented rush linebacker who they believe can contribute immediately. They anticipate using him in the base defense at outside linebacker and moving him around in passing situations.

They also have a player who weighed in between 230-235 pounds during the regular season and invites questions about whether he can stand up to large NFL blockers.

"There was a consensus on this player," Pace said. "All the scouts, all the coaches all had this guy graded very similar. So for me, that kind of makes it an easy decision.

"In addition to that, it fills a major need on our defense."

They anticipate Floyd being the counter to Pernell McPhee's power rush on the opposite side. He fits in with an outside linebacker crew that includes Willie Young, Lamarr Houston and Sam Acho.

"I don't think you can have enough pass rushers in today's game," Pace said. "I think if you look at the playoffs this past year it really showed that."

An immediate and obvious parallel is easy to draw between Floyd and former San Francisco 49ers rush linebacker Aldon Smith, who excelled immediately in the defense Bears coordinator Vic Fangio used to use on the West Coast.

"Aldon Smith is a rare player. That would be a great thing," Pace said.

Smith was also almost 20 pounds bigger. Pace isn't worried about Floyd getting bowled over by 300-pound linemen, though, because of his arm length. Floyd, who is 6 feet 6, has a 33-inch-plus reach and Bears scouts said they felt it helped him keep blockers at a distance.

"He plays with such great separation that it's hard for (blockers) to get into him," Pace said. "It helps him a lot."

In assessing Floyd's arm length, Pace revealed a quality in talent evaluation he believes is critical for all NFL players.

"It's important for every single position," Pace said. "We used to sit there and talk about it just for offensive linemen or just for defensive linemen.

"I think arm length is important for every single position."

Still, the Bears acknowledge they must get Floyd bigger, but do think this is overrated.

"He doesn't get wired to blocks because he separates," Pace said. "He's able to shed with his length and his hands."

In fact, Pace said he thinks it might not always be best to bulk a player like Floyd up a lot in the weight room to handle blockers.

"The last thing you want to do is bulk this guy up and all the sudden now you're taking away some of what he does best," Pace said. "You see some guys put on too much weight way too fast and they look stiff and they lose some of that (fast) twitch that makes them special players."

Floyd's production at Georgia in terms of sacks led to other concerns. He wasn't exactly a sack machine, recording 17 in his three seasons. Pace attributes this to the way Georgia used Floyd.

"He's playing inside linebacker one snap, then the next snap it's like he's playing nickel and he's running down the field with a slot receiver, and then when they rush him you see him in all these different positions," Pace said. "I think with him playing more of a pass rush position he'll have more production."

In selecting a risky, inexperienced junior who has a high upside with questionable weight, Pace showed for the second straight year he likes to gamble on athleticism. Last year, wide receiver Kevin White had outstanding numbers but not the greatest production or experience. An injury kept the Bears from finding out whether they were right on that pick.

With this pick, Pace hopes the production is more immediate.