SB Nation predicts Adam Shaheen could start for the Bears

Later today, our own Sam Householder will give his take on the impact we can expect from the Chicago Bears’ 2017 rookie class. But yesterday, SB Nation gave their picks for 7 small school stars who could be rookie NFL starters in 2017. Of the Bears’ five draft picks, three of them were small school stars, so I wan’t surprised to see Chicago’s second round draft pick, Adam Shaheen, mentioned in their article.

We’ll get our first look at Shaheen this weekend (May 12-14) when the Bears hold their rookie minicamp at Halas Hall. We’ll also hopefully get a few new pictures of Shaheen made available to us in the process.

The tight end from tiny Ashland University has a long way to go in making the jump to the NFL, but he has the physical traits and athleticism to stand out in camp. He also showed good hands and body control in college, so I’d imagine the Bears find a way to get him involved as a rookie.

Here’s what SB Nation had to say about Shaheen.

Shaheen is a project after spending his college career at Division II Ashland University, but the Bears offense is so devoid of receiving talent, he could be thrown into the fire immediately. The massive tight end (6’6, 278 pounds) should be a matchup nightmare in the end zone for Chicago, providing a valuable target for either Mike Glennon or Mitchell Trubisky this fall.

He’ll have more to prove than anyone on this list after using his physical gifts to overwhelm defenders from schools like Lake Erie, Michigan Tech, and Mercyhurst. Shaheen needs plenty of polish before he can get an edge on NFL linebackers and safeties. However, a Bears lineup devoid of standout receivers after Alshon Jeffery’s departure means he’ll have several chances to prove himself as a rookie.

Even though he’s the size of a bruising inline blocker, I’d imagine the Bears would use him as a move tight end until he gets a handle on his blocking.