Rd 6, P228: Thomas Graham Jr., CB - Oregon

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UOK
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EricTighe
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Love this pick. Was one of the stars at the senior bowl.
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dplank
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Yogi? He's a Duck, I assume you have a full dossier?
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He is from Rancho Cuccamonga,

Think he wins the slot CB job in year 1.
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thunderspirit
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Graham has three good years in the Pac 10. Good ball skills (8 of Oregon's 51 interceptions from 2017-2019, 15.7%) and exceptional solo tackle production (over 8.5% of Oregon's solo tackles from 2017-2019, which is terrific for a defensive back). I'm a fan.

Here's what Dane Brugler, National Draft Bible, and Ourlads have to say about Thomas Graham Jr.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
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I like this pick. Hopefully, he turns out to be one of the steals of the draft.
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I watched him shut down in Pac 12..down here in Tucson,
Speed..attitude and skills..
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PFF's assessment of the Thomas Graham Jr selection:
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
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
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dplank
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I’m really hopeful with this one. The explanation for his drop makes sense and it seems he’d have been picked much higher if not for Covid.
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mmmc_35
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I really like this pick too. High upside guy.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Oh, I totally get that & agree. It would just be disappointing because like I said I had thought it looked like Shelly was a bust being relatively un-used for 2 years and sitting behind a guy who was playing very poorly (e.g. If Buster is this bad and playing, how bad must Shelly be?). But then when he got the playing time later I thought he acquitted himself very well. My point was it would be disappointing to have Shelly not work out after all - not that I'd ever want a lesser player playing for the Beloved. Ideally for us, they both would work out, and if one was good enough to beat out Burns or Trufant and play next to JJ that would be terrific.
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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.
Pace seems to actually follow his saying that "you can never have enough defensive backs" (as compared to his "draft a QB every year" saying).
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
:shocked:
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So some people consider him elite and others think he's rated below guys that didn't get drafted. Such strange inconsistency in the evaluation of prospects.

https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/prosp ... &year=2021
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EricTighe
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I know one thing. He ate up the WR's at the senior bowl. Other than that there is a reason a guy drops to the 6th round. Since I wanted him in round 3 it would be poetic justice (ok a chest pumping moment with my buddies) if he turns out to be a starter.
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EricTighe wrote: Sat May 01, 2021 8:00 pm He is from Rancho Cuccamonga,
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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
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So literally everyone was happy with this pick. 1 game of action he looked really fucking good. I wont annoint him, but Vikings game has to make us question why they rolled with Shelly, Christian, etc
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he was pretty bad in the preseason, but IMO he has adjusted to the speed to the NFL
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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
He had work to do, and by all accounts Jaylon Johnson has been helping him after practice (pretty sweet!).
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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.
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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.
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mmmc_35
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To be fair.....

The bears CB minus JJ have been dog shit.

I'm also unwilling to say he is the answer at CB. Until more proof.

However that was one of the most promising single game rookie starts I can think of off the top of my head. I hope he continues that way.
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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.
Yeah, as much as I've been hammering Nagy & co for years for not trying to evaluate their roster enough (or well), this isn't the greatest example.
Graham isn't a case like Horsted, for example, where he showed something in preseason, then got buried with no opportunities.
Graham earned his way to the back of the line with his preseason performance.
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