3 Senior Bowl standouts on the offensive line who could immediately help fix the Chicago Bears' biggest area of need
The Chicago Bears had a strong brass in attendance for the week of practice at the Senior Bowl this week, including general manager Ryan Poles.The bulk of the scouting party reportedly spent the majority of the time focusing on the battles in the trenches and for good reason. The team's top two biggest needs this […]
The Chicago Bears had a strong brass in attendance for the week of practice at the Senior Bowl this week, including general manager Ryan Poles.
The bulk of the scouting party reportedly spent the majority of the time focusing on the battles in the trenches and for good reason. The team's top two biggest needs this offseason are on the offensive and defensive lines.
Poles and his team were able to get their eyes on multiple top prospects in the trenches and when it comes to rebuilding the offensive front to protect quarterback Caleb Williams, here are three attendees who turned some heads so far this week.
Grey Zabel – North Dakota State
North Dakota State continues to produce some solid offensive talent and the Senior Bowl is always a shining event for former Bison. For example, Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Cody Mauch found his way into the second-round of the 2023 NFL Draft after a strong showing down in Mobile.
This year, Grey Zabel might have just done the same thing this week. Based on the early reports, a lot of people seemed to be impressed with Zabel's consistency. Our own Destin Adams listed Zabel as a top standout after all three days of practice. Here's what he said to say about the former Bison after the first day:
"Zabel put on a show during one-on-ones, playing both guard spots and center. He finished defenders with authority and showed off his next-level strength. If he can continue this level of dominance, he could very well end the week as the biggest draft riser in Mobile." – Destin Adams
Jackson Slater – Sacramento State
Another FCS standout, but another program one that's produced some recent NFL talent. Jackson Slater turned some heads this week in a good way by showing off his leverage and athleticism.
Unlike Zabel, scouts seem to think Slater is more suited for one position at center, even though he primarily played left guard during the 2024 season. Slater did line up at both positions during the week to show off his versatility in front of scouts and executives in attendance.
Seeing Slater matched up against some of the top FBS pass rushers such as Walter Nolen and still perform at a consistent level bodes well for his draft stock to continue rising as we get closer to April's draft.
Caleb Rogers – Texas Tech
Someone else who showed off some versatility this week was Texas Tech's Caleb Rogers. Rogers lined up at both guard spots during the week and also had some snaps at right tackle during the 2024 season for the Red Raiders. He even practiced during the season as the backup center and played left tackle back in 2022, giving him experience at all five positions up-front.
In terms of finding a late round value, Rogers would be one to keep an eye on, and it seems like the Bears are already aware of that, even if he had some highs and lows this week in practice.
“I love them," Rogers said about the Bears, via Jordan Sigler. "It seems like they love me, or at least I hope they do."
