Grading the 2019 Bears draft class after 3 years

The 2022 NFL draft is quickly approaching for the Chicago Bears, where another group of playmakers will be selected with hopes of being productive contributors.

But as soon as the draft ends, the grades and analysis begins for the players who were just selected. It’s a tough exercise since no one has any idea how each player will perform at the next level, which is why it’s best to wait to assign final grades until three years later.

Being able to grade picks and players after three years in the league provides a much clearer picture on how each pick has or hasn’t panned out. And that brings us back to 2019 where former general manager Ryan Pace made five total selections in the draft that would hopefully help a Bears team coming off of a division title and heartbreaking playoff loss.

The Bears have yet to reach those heights, but what about the players themselves? Here are the grades for each player selected by the Bears in the 2019 NFL draft.

RB David Montgomery: B

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Third round, No. 73 overall pick

With no first or second-round pick thanks to the Khalil Mack trade in 2018, the Bears didn’t select until the third round. They still needed to trade up to nab their guy however, moving up 14 spots to select running back David Montgomery with their first pick in the draft at No. 73 overall. The bruising back from Iowa State was the heir apparent to Jordan Howard, who was traded earlier in the offseason. But Montgomery struggled to see snaps out of the gate, not getting consistent playing time until later in the season. It wasn’t until 2020, however, that Montgomery broke out.

During his sophomore season, he rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored 10 total touchdowns, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. He went on a tear his final six games of the season, eclipsing 90 yards on the ground in four of them. Montgomery established himself as the team’s workhorse and became a leader on the offense. His third season was a letdown after suffering a knee injury, but he still showed he can be an effective running back when healthy.

Though he may not be a top-10 running back in the league, Montgomery is easily the best pick of this class and a top-three player on the Bears offense right now. It’s unfortunate Pace surrendered more draft capital to select a running back, but at least the pick panned out. It will be interesting to see if he’s around after the 2022 season with his contract expiring and sophomore Khalil Herbert waiting in the wings.

WR Riley Ridley: F

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Fourth round, No. 126 pick overall

When wide receiver Riley Ridley was selected in the fourth round, it appeared the Bears got a huge steal. Ridley was projected as a late Day 2 pick but wound up falling into the fourth round. He was billed as an excellent route runner coming out of Georgia who could eventually become a solid WR2, albeit with limited burst and explosiveness. Those issues surfaced at the pro level as Ridley never wowed coaches and spent much of his Bears career as a healthy scratch.

Ridley failed to surpass players like Javon Wims and Ted Ginn Jr. during his two seasons in Chicago. He played in just 10 total games in 2019 and 2020, catching 10 passes for 108 yards. He never stood out and only saw playing time when other receivers went down with injuries. Ridley was one of the final cuts heading into the 2021 season as has yet to latch on with another team.

Pace was particularly fired up about drafting Ridley three years ago, believing he was the steal of the draft. But he was a costly miss and one of the worst picks under the old regime.

CB Duke Shelley: C-

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Sixth round, No. 205 pick overall

Aside from Montgomery, Duke Shelley is the only other player in this draft class to play more than 10 games. A smaller corner out of Kansas State, Shelley saw minimal playing time his rookie season, playing in just nine games and not seeing a snap on defense until late in the year. That changed in 2020 as Shelley took over for an injured Buster Skrine, showing some promise as a solid tackler in the secondary. He was primed to be the team’s starting nickel corner heading into 2021.

But after a shaky preseason, Shelley was in and out of the lineup and continued to have uneven performances before he dealt with injuries and COVID-19 issues. In a depleted secondary, he couldn’t stand out when he was healthy.

Shelley was a late sixth-round pick and has stuck around heading into his fourth NFL season. He can contribute on special teams, but can’t be relied on when it comes to defense. He’s a below-average selection at best.

RB Kerrith Whyte: D

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Seventh round, No. 222 pick overall

The Bears took a shot on an electric running back in the seventh round when they selected Kerrith Whyte Jr. out of Florida Atlantic. Whyte entered the draft as a back with blazing speed who had the potential of becoming a dynamic return specialist. That ability was on display almost immediately in the 2019 preseason when he returned a kickoff 103 yards for a score.

Unfortunately for Whyte, that wasn’t enough to earn him a spot on the 53-man roster and he wound up on the practice squad. He was eventually signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers and had some flashes in a few games his rookie year, totaling 122 yards on the ground and returning 14 kickoffs for 264 yards. Since then, he’s bounced around on various practice squads around the league.

For a seventh-round pick, Whyte at least has had a cup of coffee in the league and can fill a role on special teams. It just wasn’t with the Bears, who didn’t need him since they already had All-Pro returner Cordarrelle Patterson.

CB Stephen Denmark: F

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Seventh round, No. 238 pick overall

The team’s final pick in the 2019 NFL draft, cornerback Stephen Denmark, was the true definition of the word “project.” Denmark spent three years at college playing wide receiver before converting to cornerback during his final season. He never played a snap for the Bears during his rookie year, spending the season on the practice squad, and was released during final cuts entering the 2020 season.

After bouncing around with different teams, Denmark signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) earlier this year in hopes of restarting his career.

Denmark was always going to be a longshot, but it’s disappointing he couldn’t develop during his rookie season while with the Bears. Perhaps he finds success in the CFL.

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