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Graham opted out of the 2020 season, but it is still surprising to see him drop this far, given that he has three seasons of quality play as a starter on tape. He earned 80.0-plus PFF grades in each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons for Oregon and has a versatile, scheme-diverse skill set.

Pick Grade: Elite

IE wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 8:07 am I'm reading he could end up being the day one nickel. That would disappoint me, because I thought Duke impressed toward the end of last season. I had thought he was a bust, but changed my mind watching.

To me, it would be better if he ended up competing to start across from JJ. Not sure how realistic that is for a 6th rounder. Probably needs a year or two before that would happen. But maybe not. The description of him not being the most purely athletic guy but always around the ball is something I really like, in a Mike Brown kind of way. It's a better trait for a S though. Maybe for a nickel, and so that spot makes sense?

It seems to me like there is still a need for a decent FA CB. I'm assuming some are going to become available. It does seem like the Bears like their DBs, though. It really does.

TheWorldBreaker wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 8:37 am

IE wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 8:07 am I'm reading he could end up being the day one nickel. That would disappoint me, because I thought Duke impressed toward the end of last season. I had thought he was a bust, but changed my mind watching.

To me, it would be better if he ended up competing to start across from JJ. Not sure how realistic that is for a 6th rounder. Probably needs a year or two before that would happen. But maybe not. The description of him not being the most purely athletic guy but always around the ball is something I really like, in a Mike Brown kind of way. It's a better trait for a S though. Maybe for a nickel, and so that spot makes sense?

It seems to me like there is still a need for a decent FA CB. I'm assuming some are going to become available. It does seem like the Bears like their DBs, though. It really does.

If he starts it means he beat out Shelly which is good for the Bears since an even better player will be on the field and they’ll have depth at the position.

IE wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 8:07 am It seems to me like there is still a need for a decent FA CB. I'm assuming some are going to become available. It does seem like the Bears like their DBs, though. It really does.

EricTighe wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 8:00 pm He is from Rancho Cuccamonga,

Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus believes that the Bears unearthed two hidden gems on the third and final day of last week's NFL Draft.

In an article on ESPN.com in which he identifies 10 late-round steals, Renner includes Bears sixth-round picks Khalil Herbert, a running back from Virginia Tech, and Thomas Graham Jr., a cornerback from Oregon.

...

The Bears later chose Graham with the last pick in the sixth round at No. 228. Before opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, he appeared in 40 games over three seasons at Oregon, registering 183 tackles, eight interceptions, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 32 pass breakups.

Graham was known for his play-making ability and ball skills with the Ducks. Before opting out, he would have entered his senior season as the FBS leader in pass breakups and was tied for seventh among active FBS players in interceptions.

"Graham was lights out in coverage over his final two seasons, earning a PFF coverage grade of 79.8 in 2018 and 82.9 in 2019," Renner wrote. "He ranked in the top 10 among FBS cornerbacks in both passing stops (23) and plays made on the ball (29) in those two years combined. The 5-foot-10, 192-pounder is a patient corner with balanced and nimble feet who also attacks the catch point incredibly well. And his flat-footed breaks are superb.

"We saw Graham as a third-round prospect, but the Bears -- who were already in the running for having the best draft of all 32 franchises -- swooped in and got him with the final pick of the sixth round. He should be a fantastic fit in a Chicago defense that will be bursting with [Vic] Fangio's influence under new defensive coordinator Sean Desai."

https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears ... mas-graham

wab wrote: ↑Tue Dec 21, 2021 11:15 am he was pretty bad in the preseason, but IMO he has adjusted to the speed to the NFL

UOK wrote: ↑Tue Dec 21, 2021 1:28 pm I was kind of pissed off about how people were raging last night about WHY HASN'T DIS KID BIN ELEVATED UNTIL NOWW?!?

He was *dogshit* in the preseason, like incomprehensibly bad. "Lucky he wasn't outright cut" bad.

There's an argument for why he wasn't elevated over the last couple weeks, sure, but to act like this kid was a pro bowler that got stashed on the PS or whatever is angry folks creating narratives to get somehow angrier.

UOK wrote: ↑Tue Dec 21, 2021 1:28 pm I was kind of pissed off about how people were raging last night about WHY HASN'T DIS KID BIN ELEVATED UNTIL NOWW?!?

He was *dogshit* in the preseason, like incomprehensibly bad. "Lucky he wasn't outright cut" bad.

There's an argument for why he wasn't elevated over the last couple weeks, sure, but to act like this kid was a pro bowler that got stashed on the PS or whatever is angry folks creating narratives to get somehow angrier.