Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
At this point in the 2013 NFL Draft, one has to wonder whether or not there is even a purpose in trying to figure out what Phil Emery and the Chicago Bears are going to do with each of their picks. Since taking over prior to last year’s draft, Emery’s picks have largely been surprises, for better or for worse.
That is a trend that has continued into this season. The Bears shocked everyone when they took guard Kyle Long in the first round, despite nearly all of their believed targets still present on the board. They then made another reach in the second round when they selected linebacker Jonathan Bostic in the second round, despite many experts having him going in the third or fourth.
While trying to project what Emery is going to do seems futile at this point, it’s hard to ignore one player that is still available heading into the last day of the draft. Believed to be in the market for at least one receiver, the Bears have a chance to grab a potential steal with Texas A&M receiver Ryan Swope.
Swope visited the Bears during all of the pre-draft festivities and put together an outstanding performance at the combine. He ran a 4.34 40, which was the highlight of his pre-draft workouts. Many have projected him primarily as a slot receiver, but there are some that believe he could play on the outside as well.
With the Aggies, Swope put together some excellent numbers in the last three years. He finished his college career with over 3,000 yards receiving and 24 receiving touchdowns. This is absolutely a guy that the Chicago Bears need to be targeting. They need some receiving depth, and Swope would give them a tremendous threat out of the slot that they currently lack.
But of course, it is Phil Emery. Who really knows what to expect at this point?
