Bears keeping close eye on top prospect at position of need
It is no secret that the Chicago Bears have plenty of holes to fill in the 2023 offseason. With boatloads of salary cap space and a healthy, and potentially increasing, allotment of draft picks, there are many ways through which the Bears can patch up some holes on its roster. The cheapest way, and perhaps […]
It is no secret that the Chicago Bears have plenty of holes to fill in the 2023 offseason. With boatloads of salary cap space and a healthy, and potentially increasing, allotment of draft picks, there are many ways through which the Bears can patch up some holes on its roster.
The cheapest way, and perhaps the most effective long-term method, is through the draft. Bears general manager Ryan Poles and his staff have been hard at work preparing for late April’s annual event.
The Bears have taken special interest in one of the draft’s most highly touted interior linemen, TCU’s Steve Avila, per The Draft Network's Ryan Fowler.
Avila played his senior season at left guard for the Horned Frogs, anchoring one of the nation’s top rushing offenses. While he had success on the left side, Avila prefers to play at the right guard position.
“There is some recency bias because I came off a whole year playing left guard and had success there, but hopping back into center, it’s like riding a bike, you never forget how to do that,” Avila told reporters at the Senior Bowl.
“Honestly, I probably feel more comfortable at right guard.”
He is the best inside zone blocker in the 2023 class, but his athleticism lends itself to versatility. Avila could erase some of Chicago’s issues in the run game at a fairly cheap price. Most draft experts project Avila as a late first-round or early second-round prospect.
Featured image via Vasha Hunt – USA TODAY Sports
