Why Larry Borom Could Be a Rookie Surprise

[Black Rainbow]

Yeah, this is a bad take. There's an in-between that also bodes well which is good to really good. Ya know, below special but better than average.

I'm saying if he's average to bad at RT...not good.

 

[MikeDitkaPolishSausage]

I'm saying if he's average to bad at RT...not good.

Ohh I get the game of football now. You want individual players to be great and not the whole team.

 

[SugarWalls]

I just don’t think it is wise to expect a late round pick should come in be a guy to rely upon. Of course I’d love for him to develop into a starting tackle, but this is how you end up with guys like Leno who, in all honesty, played great considering his draft position.

If you want pro bowl OT’s and an OL in the top half of the nfl, let alone the top 10, you need to draft these guys high and often.

 

[bears51/40]

I just don’t think it is wise to expect a late round pick should come in be a guy to rely upon. Of course I’d love for him to develop into a starting tackle, but this is how you end up with guys like Leno who, in all honesty, played great considering his draft position.

If you want pro bowl OT’s and an OL in the top half of the nfl, let alone the top 10, you need to draft these guys high and often.

i agree that the majority of starting OT's around the league have been taken in the first 3 rounds, but Borom should be looked at as a possible OG for the Bears at some point.

 

[SugarWalls]

i agree that the majority of starting OT's around the league have been taken in the first 3 rounds, but Borom should be looked at as a possible OG for the Bears at some point.

That’s great. I challenge you to look around the league and find the top 10 OL. Go team by team and list every starter by round they were drafted in.

then look at the bears.

 

[Canth]

That’s great. I challenge you to look around the league and find the top 10 OL. Go team by team and list every starter by round they were drafted in.

then look at the bears.

Well, assuming the following line-up for the Bears:

Jenkins - Whitehair-Mustipher-Daniels-Ifedi

By draft round you have:

2nd-2nd-UDFA-2nd-1st

So, Mustipher would the current find that would be the only outside the high pick status.

Generally speaking, it is easier to find interior and RT talent later in the draft. Although arguably, the RT is becoming more and more important and hence needing more investment earlier.

My impression of Borom is that he could use a year of NFL level weight room and nutrition work to get himself in the size, weight, strength that you would want for a RT in the NFL. I want to say that I read a quote from Castillo that he wants Borom to be around 330lbs. He appears to have a good base to work with, but he does need work. He was a 5th round pick for a reason. I like the pick, but it will take some time to develop him.

 

[mattb78]

Borom has elite power. I would not be shocked if he played well early in his career because of that while his technique and feet develop

I was a little baffled by the pick. He likely isn't a zone scheme player. He probably is a guard and not a tackle. Whitehair is locked up. Are they looking at a Daniels replacement? Not likely. Maybe its a guard depth pick but not in the 5th round.

So likely they do have plans for him at Right Tackle and think he can develop. But lack of lateral quickness is tough to overcome, and that would put us with essentially two tackles playing out of position and that both lack the requisite quickness for that position. Probably will be one hell of a running game though.

 

[Aquineas]

I kind of wish borom was getting a chance to compete at LT. I think he is going to be a better pass blocker than Jenkins

Not sure if this is true or not, but I will say I get the feeling he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder with regards to everyone assuming Jenkins will be a better LT than he.

 

[The Big Grabowski]

My impression of Borom is that he could use a year of NFL level weight room and nutrition work to get himself in the size, weight, strength that you would want for a RT in the NFL. I want to say that I read a quote from Castillo that he wants Borom to be around 330lbs. He appears to have a good base to work with, but he does need work. He was a 5th round pick for a reason. I like the pick, but it will take some time to develop him.

I agree. The Bears had him graded in the 3rd because of his physical traits and production. As much as we want to see the guy challenge Ifedi right away, it's more likely that he needs a year to work on all the things you said. He can be a good depth piece this year as he has experience on the OL at every position but C. Anything more than that is gravy.

 

[The Big Grabowski]

I was a little baffled by the pick. He likely isn't a zone scheme player. He probably is a guard and not a tackle. Whitehair is locked up. Are they looking at a Daniels replacement? Not likely. Maybe its a guard depth pick but not in the 5th round.

So likely they do have plans for him at Right Tackle and think he can develop. But lack of lateral quickness is tough to overcome, and that would put us with essentially two tackles playing out of position and that both lack the requisite quickness for that position. Probably will be one hell of a running game though.

What are you basing Borom's lack of lateral quickness on? The prevailing opinion that he's a guard doesn't make sense to me after watching his tape. Just look at him versus Alabama. That was the game the Bears area scout watched in person.

Same thing is true of assumptions that Jenkins is purely a RT. Too many people latch onto quick takes from the draft. There's plenty of tape and metrics out there to reassess those opinions now.

Jenkins' RAS was elite and it shows up all over his tape. Traits that complement technique. Yes, he's more of strong, explosive athlete but his shuttle (4.66) and 3 cone (7.72) were good. The only reason to believe he can't play LT is because some talking head said he probably couldn't.

 

[gallagher]

Even if he turned out to be an average LT but did his job to protect Fields then whatever. I don’t care what the Bears give up as long as they show they can play.

I'm happy if he's a starter on the line anywhere and does his job. I feel like there is an over-valuation of draft picks. Draft choices are scratch off tickets, and if it takes moving up to have a better chance at getting an OL, then that's just what it takes.

 

[SugarWalls]

Well, assuming the following line-up for the Bears:

Jenkins - Whitehair-Mustipher-Daniels-Ifedi

By draft round you have:

2nd-2nd-UDFA-2nd-1st

So, Mustipher would the current find that would be the only outside the high pick status.

Generally speaking, it is easier to find interior and RT talent later in the draft. Although arguably, the RT is becoming more and more important and hence needing more investment earlier.

My impression of Borom is that he could use a year of NFL level weight room and nutrition work to get himself in the size, weight, strength that you would want for a RT in the NFL. I want to say that I read a quote from Castillo that he wants Borom to be around 330lbs. He appears to have a good base to work with, but he does need work. He was a 5th round pick for a reason. I like the pick, but it will take some time to develop him.

ifedi is a failed tackle though on a vet min deal

 

[Discus fish salesman]

ifedi is a failed tackle though on a vet min deal

Ifedi was fine last year. If he's our weak link and plays that well, we'll be alright. He isn't close to the vet minimum either

 

[SugarWalls]

Ifedi was fine last year. If he's our weak link and plays that well, we'll be alright. He isn't close to the vet minimum either

So if we were to describe the time he spent at seattle as a tackle, was it good or bad? Why did ifedi sign a vet minimum deal last year to play guard for the Chicago bears? Why didn’t seattle re-sign him?

 

[Discus fish salesman]

So if we were to describe the time he spent at seattle as a tackle, was it good or bad? Why did ifedi sign a vet minimum deal last year to play guard for the Chicago bears? Why didn’t seattle re-sign him?

Why did Seattle start him as long as they did and why does he have another starting job? He clearly isn't great, but is a serviceable OL option that will likely end up a solid reserve in the future.

 

[bears51/40]

So if we were to describe the time he spent at seattle as a tackle, was it good or bad? Why did ifedi sign a vet minimum deal last year to play guard for the Chicago bears? Why didn’t seattle re-sign him?

For lack of a better term Ifedi sucked with the Seahawks. I don't see how that relates to his play with the Bears though. He was fairly solid in 2020. He is not a long term answer, and I don't expect any Bears fan thinks he is.

 

[CaliBearFan]

So if we were to describe the time he spent at seattle as a tackle, was it good or bad? Why did ifedi sign a vet minimum deal last year to play guard for the Chicago bears? Why didn’t seattle re-sign him?

He played better last year including at RT and the OL coach is high on him
Why not ask yourself why the Bears paid him 5 million to play RT this year?

 

[CaliBearFan]

What are you basing Borom's lack of lateral quickness on? The prevailing opinion that he's a guard doesn't make sense to me after watching his tape. Just look at him versus Alabama. That was the game the Bears area scout watched in person.

Same thing is true of assumptions that Jenkins is purely a RT. Too many people latch onto quick takes from the draft. There's plenty of tape and metrics out there to reassess those opinions now.

Jenkins' RAS was elite and it shows up all over his tape. Traits that complement technique. Yes, he's more of strong, explosive athlete but his shuttle (4.66) and 3 cone (7.72) were good. The only reason to believe he can't play LT is because some talking head said he probably couldn't.

I believe arm length was the or one of the biggest reasons given for why he was not a fit at LT.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

He played better last year including at RT and the OL coach is high on him
Why not ask yourself why the Bears paid him 5 million to play RT this year?

The same reason they paid Andy Dalton 10m to play quarterback, Pace is a moron

 

[Bearly]

So if we were to describe the time he spent at seattle as a tackle, was it good or bad? Why did ifedi sign a vet minimum deal last year to play guard for the Chicago bears? Why didn’t seattle re-sign him?

Mostly due to taking too many penalties and being meh. He's a rental for one more year.