Grading the Bears Pick: RB Kyle Monangai |
Dustin Riese
-
- 5 hours ago
It took long enough, but the Chicago Bears finally addressed their need at the running back position. After watching guys like Kaleb Johnson, Trevion Henderson, and several others go off the board in rounds two through four, the Bears entered the final round of the NFL draft needing a running back, as D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson are the only two backs on their roster.
Although this was later than anyone wanted a running back, the Bears managed to accomplish their mission as Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai was the final Bears selection and was taken at pick 233. The 5-9, 200-pound bruising back is the prototypical size for a running back and was one of the more productive backs in the Big 10 the past few seasons. This is arguably the Bears' most fun pick of day three, and it could be one of the more intriguing picks of their entire draft class. Monangai is coming off back-to-back 1,200-plus yard seasons after registering just over 800 yards in his first two years with Rutgers. After picking up 1262 yards and eight scores in 2023, Monangai upped the ante in 2024 and rushed for a career-best 1279 yards and 13 scores this season. That alone is an impressive feat, but seeing that he also averaged better than five yards per carry in each of those seasons has to get Ben Johnson and the front office excited, as Rutgers isn't known for their offensive lines. His 256 carries and 270 touches were the most among Big Ten players last season, which is hard to believe when you had Johnson and the Ohio State running backs shouldering the load for their teams most of the season. A lot of Bears Nation is thrilled with this pick as they hope this will be one of those better late than never picks. However, his lack of top-end speed is the biggest concern, as he was clocked at 4.6 for his 40 time. Considering the yards he racked up with the low-end speed, that goes to show the physical nature that Monangai brings to the table. The Bears will have a lot of physicality this season, and Ben Johnson knows a few things about having a physical offense. Depending on what mock draft you looked at, Monangai was seen as either a seventh-rounder or an undrafted free agent, but was listed as a priority free agent if he went undrafted. Seeing him go in round seven isn't a shock, and the Bears are happy to have him as part of their organization for the next few seasons. A two-time team captain for the Scarlet Knights, Monangai is built like a bowling ball and uses his small, muscular frame to inflict contact on his opposition. Monangai is quicker than fast and lacks breakaway speed, but can change the track of the run at a moment’s notice with unpredictable cuts at sharp angles. What he lacks in top-end speed, he makes up for with his vision. he tends to find the holes no matter where they are and is patient enough to wait for his blocks to develop. Given his small size and physical nature, Monangai is known for creating yards out of nothing and will fight for every inch on the field. Grade B: Regarding late-round selections, this is about as good as it gets for the Chicago Bears. Not only does this pick come with plenty of value, but it's one of those picks where the Bears could see Monangai perform well enough to dethrone Johnson as Running Back number two on this roster. The exact opposite of what Swift is for this team, Monangai has the potential to be the Thunder to the Lightning of Swift. Johnson loved to use a two-running back set in Detroit, and you have to wonder if this pick will lead to future dual-back threats in Chicago.
