Grading the Bears Pick: Luke Newman

Photo courtesy: MSU

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 4 hours ago

After addressing the offensive line in round two, the Bears doubled down on that in the later rounds and went back to the offensive line to add even more depth. This time, it came through former Holy Cross and now Michigan State offensive lineman Luke Newman, as the Bears made him their sixth-round selection and pick 195 overall.

Although not considered a plug-and-play guy from day one, there is a ton to like about Newman, and it makes you wonder if there was more of a long-term vision that Ryan Poles saw in him that led to this selection. For starters, Newman has a ton of size and at 6-3 and 312 pounds, he possesses NFL size and has room to add even more to his frame.

After spending his first four years at Holy Cross, Newman transferred to Michigan State this past season and started all 12 games at the guard position. During his time with Michigan State, Newman allowed just one sack in more than 250 pass attempts. Going further than that Newman allowed just four sacks in his career, which covered nearly 800 career pass attempts.

Regardless of the competition level, that is an impressive stat, and you have to wonder if Poles took that into consideration, as the Bears know they have to protect Caleb Williams much better next season. Newman is a competitive zone-scheme guard with below-average power by NFL standards. The power can be addressed by adding more size this offseason, but the Zone-Scheme guard plays into what Ben Johnson and his staff want to do on the offensive end.

Newman was projected to play along the interior of the offensive line in the NFL, and that is still the plan in Chicago, as this could be a project for veteran offensive line coach Dan Roushar. Project or not, there aren't many coaches out there who are better than Roushar when it comes to developing projects, so look for this to be a hands-on experience from day one.

Heading into the draft, many felt that Newman would go undrafted, so to see him go in round six gives you the feeling that Poles believes in his upside. He plays with adequate foot quickness to mirror his gaps, but his lunging and wide hands need to be corrected. The footwork alone will ultimately help him see playing time, as that footwork will help him against some of the quicker pass rushers in today's game.

Given what the Bears invested in their offensive line this offseason, combined with their round two selection, seeing Newman see time on the field this season would be surprising. If that happens, the Bears' offensive line will be in a bad position, as Newman is at least two seasons away from making an impact.

Grade: C-:

Of all the picks the Bears made on draft weekend, this may be the lowest grade, as taking Newman in round six was a reach. Sure, the guy has the size and potential to become something, but he is nowhere near ready to contribute now, as he is seen as a project rather than a plug-and-play guy.

Still, until we see him on the field, there is no telling what type of player he can or can't become. Chicago is hoping for the best with this one as he isn't expected to see much, if any, playing time this season.