Mark Potash: Analyzing the Bears' draft class

Mark Potash: Analyzing the Bears’ draft class

North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) has the ability to tuck it and run as he showed in a victory over Illinois last September in Champaign, when he had a 39-yard run and rushed for two touchdowns in a 48-23 victory at Memorial Stadium. (Bradley Leeb/AP)

Bears general manager Ryan Pace said he drafted the best available players from Thursday to Saturday — and they were a potential franchise quarterback in Mitch Trubisky, one FCS running back, two Division II players and a safety with a rod in his leg.

He believes in them wholeheartedly.

Should Bears fans?

Sun-Times Bears beat reporter Mark Potash breaks down the Bears’ draft:

OK with the Mitch Trubisky pick?

It’s hard to see right now how Trubisky is that much better than Deshaun Watson, but Pace’s willingness to go all-in on his conviction is admirable.

If it doesn’t work out, there will be plenty of time to tell him how wrong he was.

Do the Bears have a quarterback controversy?

Within Halas Hall, no. But outside of Halas Hall, absolutely, unless Mike Glennon quickly establishes himself as a quarterback the Bears can win with. In the current environment, there’s only one quarterback that Bears fans will be in the mood to lose with, and that’s Trubisky. If Glennon falters, it was a bad read by Pace. If Trubisky falters, it’s growing pains. Huge difference.

My favorite pick …

Ashland tight end Adam Shaheen in the second round (45th overall). Love his potential as a dynamic, matchup-nightmare downfield threat. And it’s another test of Pace’s conviction in a player he rated higher than others and his evaluation that a player who dominates at a small-school level can be a difference-maker in the NFL.

The Bears will regret …

Having only five picks in this draft. It looks like this will end up being a pretty deep draft. Unless Trubisky ends up becoming Aaron Rodgers, the Bears could’ve traded down and filled more holes.

The Bears filled this need …

Hope. By drafting Trubisky, the Bears have a player fans can look to for the next one or two seasons as a reason for optimism. In that regard, it was a masterstroke by Pace. Let Glennon get the Bears from Point A to Point B, then let the No. 2 overall pick take over when the Bears are ready to win big. Even if that scenario turns out to be balderdash, with Trubisky, it at least could happen — and Bears fans will cling to it like a new-born child.

The Bears missed this need …

A defensive end. The Bears had a chance to get a player — Jonathan Allen or Solomon Thomas — who would’ve provided a dynamic upgrade from workmanlike Mitch Unrein. That could’ve had a chain-reaction impact. Now they’re counting on 2016 third-round pick Jonathan Bullard to make a quantum leap in 2017.

The Bears draft was ….

A big roll of the dice for Pace. He could’ve played it safe and traded down for more picks to address the myriad issues on his roster. Instead, he took boom-or-bust shots with his first two picks. The Bears will not be uninteresting the next couple of seasons.