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Film study: New Bears DL Zacch Pickens a moldable physical freak

WCG’s lead draft analyst takes a look at what Zacch Pickens brings to the Bears.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 13 South Carolina at Missouri Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With the No. 64 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears selected South Carolina defensive tackle Zacch Pickens.

Pickens was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school and a three-year starter at the collegiate level. He was an explosive interior defender who played up and down the defensive line for the Gamecocks, and his versatility makes him a good fit for a Bears defensive line that features plenty of talents who can play in several alignments.

The Bears’ defensive tackle group now consists of rookies Pickens and Gervon Dexter, as well as the likes of Justin Jones and Andrew Billings. The way they rotate the interior defenders remains to be seen, and the group still seems to be a work in progress. However, the interior defensive line does seem better than it was in 2022, when it was arguably the biggest need on their roster.

Once Chicago made the pick, I headed to Twitter to put together a thread with a mini scouting report and notable clips regarding Pickens.