The real work of this draft for the Bears was making the franchise-shifting picks of quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze in the first round, and general manager Ryan Poles didn’t mind having just two remaining picks because “it’s gonna be hard to make this team now.”
But for all Poles has gotten right, he still went into this week needing to address holes at several premium positions and he had only two premium picks. Drafting Williams and Odunze meant he’d have to get creative — and fortunate — at other spots that need improvement like offensive tackle, defensive end and defensive tackle.
He took a shot at bolstering the offensive line Friday by drafting Yale tackle Kiran Amegadjie in the third round at No. 75 overall. He dominated at Hinsdale Central before heading to Yale, where he played right guard in 2021, then moved to left tackle for the last two seasons. He is the highest-drafted player from Yale since 1982.
It was a surreal moment for Amegadjie, who grew up loving the Bears and joins fellow local players tight end Cole Kmet and linebackers T.J. Edwards and Jack Sanborn.
“I can’t even put it into words,” Amegadjie said. “I grew up watching Devin Hester and playing Madden, running around with Devin Hester in kickoff mode. This is everything I’ve wanted since I was a little kid.”
His first contact with the team was in Terminal 1 at O’Hare. Amegadjie was trying to find his gate when he ran into Bears northeast area scout Tom Bradway. They talked for a while — almost too long, it turns out — and that was the start of the relationship.
“I was about to miss my flight,” Amegadjie said. “I had to run back to my other gate.
“It was a very random meetup. Obviously it led to this now. Crazy how the world works.”
Poles is a former offensive lineman and has shown expertise there, starting with his pick of left tackle Braxton Jones from Southern Utah in the fifth round in 2022. The Bears have been pleased with Jones’ progress and he has been a full-time starter the last two seasons, but they aren’t satisfied.
Amegadjie, 22, likely will get a chance to compete against Jones for the starting job, though Jones will be the obvious favorite. He fought off veteran Riley Reiff to hold his spot as a rookie, so he surely won’t be bothered by a challenge from a player with better draft pedigree in Amegadjie.
“Our goal is to acquire as much talent as we can and let the competition play out,” said Trey Koziol, the Bears’ co-director of player personnel. “He’s got starter potential.”
Whoever wins the competition at left tackle, Poles is looking for a stronger offensive line overall in which Darnell Wright starts at right tackle and the Bears have an excellent contingency at swing tackle.
The interior line is an ongoing project as well. Left guard Teven Jenkins has arguably been the best lineman on the team the last two seasons, but has injury concerns and is going into the last season of his contract. Nate Davis is a proven talent at right guard, but missed six games last season. The center spot is up for grabs among newcomers Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton and possibly others.
Amegadjie could currently compete for one of those jobs, too. Koziol mentioned his experience at guard, his physique fitting the position at 6-foot-5, 323 pounds and being “obviously a sharp kid” from an Ivy League school.
“The more those guys can do up front and the more position versatility these guys have, the better off we are as a team and the better off they are,” Koziol said.
The Bears’ lone pick left is a fourth-rounder at No. 122 on Saturday.
