Bears Draft Target: Andrew Vorhees |
Ten weeks may seem like a long time, but it will come much faster than we want to think. That time frame is significant as that will roughly be the time when the Bears are on the clock with the NO. 1 overall pick. It will be at that moment when Ryan Poles has a decision to make that could alter the path of his franchise. Do they keep the selection or trade it away?
If I were a betting man, they trade the pick, and trading it to Houston makes the most sense. The Texans not only pick No.2 but also have an additional first-round selection just outside the top 10. It may be a long shot, but the Bears could grab both their first-round picks this year to put themselves in a great position while allowing the Texans to take Bryce Young at QB. Sticking with this scenario for a bit, the biggest shock would not necessarily be the Bears trading that pick, but instead, they don't draft Will Anderson or Jalen Carter with their pick. After that, it becomes all team needs, and this team has a ton of them. One of those areas of need continues to be the offensive line which has been a struggle for years. There has been marginal improvement over the past two seasons, but not enough to get excited about. That is where Andrew Vorhees comes into play, as he would be a tremendous first-round option should the Bears add an additional first-round pick. The 24-year-old and former USC product, Vorhees, is massive and stands at 6-6 while weighing 326 pounds. While his primary position is listed as interior lineman, that is a position the Bears need to address as he fits the mold of this team. Throughout his collegiate career, Vorhees has started 44 games, with 25 starts at right guard, eight at left guard, and four at left tackle. That is a theme with many of the offensive linemen in this year's draft, as they have proven to be versatile and durable. The 2022 season couldn't have gone better for Vorhees, as he allowed just 12 QB hurries and two sacks while being on the field for 720 snaps. That helped him win the Morris trophy (Pac-12 best OL), and he was a First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Pac-12. Regarding the perfect offensive lineman, Vorhees fits that mold to a T. He is tall, athletic, and has a sturdy physique that helps him withstand pass rushers. He is also extremely strong, as he is expected to bench 225 pounds close to 40 times. Unlike many linemen that block until the play is beyond them, Vorhees has an extremely high motor and always looks to finish the play until the whistle. That type of attitude is something the Bears offensive line has been lacking. For as good as he has been when it comes to blocking, there are some minor technical issues that he needs to iron out. Given his size, Vorhees often plays with a higher pad level than most would like, which sometimes gets him in trouble. Ironically, he has short arms for a guy his size, which puts his ideal position in question. The most significant area that he needs to work on is hand placement. Vorhees is very good at blocking, but the hand placement could be more consistent. Typically you want a blocker to attack their defenders at their chest, but he tends to get them around the shoulders, given his lack of hand placement inconsistencies. Although the Bears have made an effort to improve their interior line by moving Teven Jenkins to the inside, Chicago needs a lot more depth in those areas. Alex Leatherwood and Ja’Tyre Carter are both options, but both played sparingly last season and remain question marks. There’s also the chance that Cody Whitehair will be cut in the offseason, creating more uncertainty along the interior for the Bears. With Vorhees being a fifth-year senior with plenty of size and experience, the need is there, while the fit makes a ton of sense. Even with the questions surrounding his overall skill set, this is a late-first-round or early second-round player that the Bears should look into.
