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Even with first round draft pick Kevin White missing the entire season, the Chicago Bears got a lot of mileage out of their 2015 rookie class. I'm not just talking the draft picks, I'm talking the undrafted free agents as well. First time general manager Ryan Pace had to restock an aging five win team that hasn't made the post season since 2010, and he had to transition his defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4.
Pace's drafting philosophy was to take the best player available, but we saw him target specific need positions in the undrafted market. Twelve rookies finished the season on Chicago's 53 man roster, with White on the PUP list and two more on injured reserve. That's a lot of young players making an impression on the new regime.
The two most impressive members of the rookie class both made the 2015 All Rookie Team from ESPN's Mel Kiper. Second round nose tackle Eddie Goldman made the cut at defensive tackle and Kiper says that he's "going to be a centerpiece for the Chicago defense for years to come."
Goldman was 2nd among Chicago defensive linemen with 523 snaps and the NFL had him down for 22 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 6 quarterback hits, and 1 blocked kick.
The other Bears rookie that made it to Kiper's All Rookie Team was fifth round safety Adrian Amos, who led the Bears' D with 1,046 snaps. "Amos played a very good free safety," according to Kiper. Amos had 67 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QBH and 2 passes defended.
For what it's worth, Kiper had Chicago 3rd rounder Hroniss Grasu as an honorable mention center. Grasu played 523 snaps on O for the Bears as a rookie.
Other rookies that got on the field for the Bears in 2015 were 4th round running back Jeremy Langford (391 offensive snaps, 88 special teams snaps), 6th round tackle Tayo Fabuluje (2 snaps on O, 18 on ST), UDFA wide out Cameron Meredith (136 on O, 30 on ST), UDFA (acquired for a 6th round pick) tight end Khari Lee (126 on O, 148 on ST), UDFA inside linebacker John Timu (159 snaps on defense, 60 snaps on special teams), UDFA ILB Jonathan Anderson (312 snaps on D, 145 snaps on ST), UDFA nickleback Bryce Callahan (321 snaps on D, 68 ST snaps), UDFA safety Harold Jones-Quartey (273 snaps on D, 114 snaps on ST), UDFA corner Jacoby Glenn (3 snaps on ST).
What were your thoughts on the 2 All Rookie Bears and on the rookie class in general?