Durkin's Prospect Watch: DE/OLB Dante Fowler Jr.
By Dan Durkin—
(CBS) With NFL free agency at a lull and the draft just more than six weeks away, activity is buzzing in the personnel department at Halas Hall. The team is constructing its hot list of draft prospects to guide them throughout the draft process.
Given the state of the roster, a case could be made for the Bears having needs at virtually every position, which makes their first-round selection essentially a can't-miss proposition. The 2015 draft class is deepest at two positions near the top of the Bears' needs list – edge rusher and wide receiver.
Today we take a look at one of the draft's most intriguing edge rusher prospects: Dante Fowler Jr. from the University of Florida.
DE/OLB Dante Fowler Jr. (6-foot-3, 261 pounds, 20, Florida)
40-yard dash: 4.6
Three-cone: 7.4
Bench: 19
Vertical: 32 1/2"
Arm: 33 3/4"
Bio: Fowler arrived in Gainesville as a five-star, 280-pound defensive end recruit, which is the position he played during his freshman season. As a sophomore, he split time between defensive end and outside linebacker, earning second-team All-SEC honors. This past season, Fowler was named a team captain and thrived as the team's "buck" outside linebacker. It was a decorated year for Fowler, as he earned defensive MVP honors and was named to the first-team All-SEC and second-team Walter Camp teams. Fowler bypassed his senior season and enters the 2015 NFL draft as arguably the top edge rusher prospect.
Fowler played in a multiple-front defense under Will Muschamp at Florida that will allow him to transcend scheme (3-4 or 4-3) at the NFL level. He's demonstrated the ability to be productive both inside and out from both a three- and two-point stance. In all, Fowler made 25 starts at Florida, finishing with 34 tackles for loss, 25 quarterback hurries, 14 sacks and five forced fumbles. In 2014, he had a tackle for loss in all but one game. That total could've been even higher as he missed on some opportunities, but he's a constant disruptor in opponents' backfields.
How he fits the Bears' scheme: As shown by the signing of outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, the Bears are looking for versatile, explosive and relentless athletes who can be utilized in multiple techniques and alignments to pressure the quarterback.
Fowler wins matchups with a combination of length, strength and active hands at the point of attack. He flashes first-step quickness off the stance to accelerate a blocker's kick slide. Fowler's a flexible rusher capable of dipping his shoulder to get a lower pad level and win with arm-under moves. He's a responsible contain player on the backside who shows suddenness and a fluid change-of-direction abilities.
Both Bears coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio subscribe to the theory that you can never have too many edge rushers, evidenced by their recent rosters in Denver (Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware) and San Francisco (Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks).
Even after signing McPhee – whom Fox and general manager Ryan Pace mentioned may slide inside when the team goes to their frequently used sub packages – and 2014 free agent Lamarr Houston, the Bears still need another young, ascending edge rushing prospect to build around.
Fowler won't turn 21 until later this season, so he's an intriguing prospect. He has an NFL-ready physique, is highly productive on tape and has the athletic grade to match, making him an "A-level" prospect.
Draft projection: Fowler should be a top-10 selection.
Dan Durkin covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @djdurkin.
