REPORT: Bears Add Whitney Mercilus Clone In 5th Round
The Chicago Bears waited a long time to make their first picks of Day 3 but they’re busy now. A few selections after their first one in the 5th round, GM Ryan Poles struck again. This time he secured more juice for his team’s pass rush. Dominique Robinson of Miami (OH) converted from wide receiver to defensive end in college, so he’s still new to his position. That didn’t stop him from having a strong 2021 with 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. The strongest pro comparison for him is former Houston Texans sack specialist Whitney Mercilus.
Robinson does indeed have that same mix of size, athleticism, burst, and length. He’s not as polished though. He’ll need time to fully realize his potential. That is where Poles is leaning on the coaching ability of Matt Eberflus and his staff. The good news is the Bears head coach is no stranger to molding young pass rushers. He did in Dallas for years and again in Indianapolis. Robinson is in great hands.
The #Bears select Edge Dominique Robinson with No. 174 overall in the 2022 NFL draft.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) April 30, 2022
This is a guy that I think the Rams would truly fall in love with. Not many guys would make this kind of hustle play. Holding out for Dominique Robinson tonight. pic.twitter.com/x26yK03tb4
— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakDTR) April 29, 2022
Adding Robinson now makes loads of sense.
There is a strong possibility that 2022 will be Robert Quinn’s final season in Chicago. The smart thing to do if you’re Poles is add a development pass rusher behind him. With a little luck, Robinson could make big strides going into 2023 and be ready to take Quinn’s place in the lineup. If nothing else, this should give the Bears much-needed depth. Teams can never have a deep enough stable of pass rushers.
If he becomes anything like Whitney Mercilus, this will go down as one of the bigger steals of the past decade. Don’t forget Mark Anderson was a 5th round pick back in 2006. Such things have happened for the Bears before. It’s a matter of whether he takes to the teaching. There is no doubt he’ll get some of the best in the league from this staff.