Building a Monster Front: Combine Stars Like Fisk & Verse Who Can Bring the Heat for Bears

Here’s the Quick -n- Dirrty..

• Defensive tackle Braden Fisk looked great at the NFL Combine, running an incredible 4.78s 40-yard dash. Has likely moved up into 2nd round consideration.
• Defensive end Chazz Surratt had a blazing 4.48s 40-yard dash at 254 lbs. One of the best times ever for a defensive end. Incredible athleticism.
• Jared Verse remains a top target at defensive end for his blend of speed and power. At 6’4″ 254 lbs, he has traits to be an elite rusher opposite Trevis Gipson.
• Gabe Hall, another defensive tackle, impressed with his measurements (6’6″ 291 lbs). Could be mid-late round developmental option behind Dexter Lawrence.
• With players like Fisk, Surratt, and Verse, the Bears will have defensive line options in the draft to boost their pass rush towards being an elite unit next season.

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As the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine kicked off in Indianapolis, several defensive line prospects delivered eye-opening workouts that surely caught the attention of Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles and his staff. After struggling to pressure opposing quarterbacks consistently last season, boosting the front four remains a major team need this offseason. This draft class offers ample talent in the trenches for the Bears to replenish their pass rush.

No defensive tackle improved his stock more than Braden Fisk out of Florida State. Entering the week, Fisk carried a mid-round grade for most evaluators after a productive senior season of 42 tackles and four sacks. But his outstanding showing at the Combine suddenly puts him firmly into Day 2 discussion.

The 6-foot-3, 313-pound Fisk delivered the most impressive 40-yard dash ever for a defensive tackle over 300 pounds, clocking an absurd 4.78 seconds. That mark ranks fifth all-time among DTs historically. Fisk complemented that athleticism with fluid change-of-direction in position drills, showcasing impressive mobility for a 300-plus pounder.

His blend of size, quickness and high motor fits the mold of what coach Matt Eberflus desires out of three-technique linemen perfectly. Fisk consistently disrupted plays with penetration at Florida State when given opportunities. He projects well translating that skill set into a pass rushing interior role at the next level for Chicago.

Beyond Fisk, small-school edge rusher Chazz Surratt also enjoyed a breakout performance that vastly improved his draft stock. Hailing from North Carolina and standing at 6-foot-2, 254 pounds, Surratt tore up the track with a blistering unofficial 40 time of 4.48 seconds. That mark rivals the foot speed of Chicago’s own quarterback Justin Fields at the position.

While Surratt lacks the prototypical length and size as an edge defender, his lightning first step and flexibility bending around the corner makes him a intriguing situational rusher. Few offensive tackles will be able to match his get-off. Surratt also showed solid power and loose hips during on-field drills.

Realistically at just 254 pounds, Surratt projects as more of a rotational 3-4 outside linebacker early on rather than full-time 4-3 end. But creative defensive coordinators will covet his explosiveness off the edge as a sub-package weapon. Surratt likely solidified himself as a top 100 pick with his athletic display. For a Bears defense seeking more disruption, he warrants a long look on Day 2.

Of course, Chicago’s greatest area of investment along the defensive front needs to be securing a running mate opposite breakout outside linebacker Trevis Gipson. While Surratt fits the athletic profile, he lacks the bulk to consistently set the edge as a 4-3 defensive end. The Bears need a more well-rounded prospect capable of being a three-down force.

Enter Duke edge rusher Jared Verse, who remains a strong candidate to be that guy after his own solid Combine showing. While unable to match Surratt’s pure speed, Verse carries ideal size at 6-foot-4, 252 pounds to play end in Eberflus’ scheme. The transfer from Albany won matchups with power and leverage during the practice week.

Verse offers pass rushing upside as well, which he showcased at Duke last fall by tallying 11.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in a standout first ACC season. His hands and technique still require refinement, but Verse combines a quick first step with the play strength and length to develop into a high-level starter opposite Gipson.

Landing Verse in the late first round would give the Bears two formidable young bookends to disrupt plays off the edge. It also allows the team flexibility with veteran Robert Quinn, who remains a potential cap casualty entering his age 33 season. Between his glowing scouting reports exiting Mobile and solid testing numbers in Indy, Verse to Chicago feels like an ideal target.

Of course, Poles and the Bears cannot entirely ignore interior defensive line depth either, even after retaining quality starters in Justin Jones and Angelo Blackson. That is part of what made Gabe Hall from Houston’s noteworthy Combine performance encouraging.

Despite hailing from a smaller program, Hall looked the part at 6-foot-6 and 291 pounds in Indy with remarkable 34 3/8-inch arms. He carries impressive length that could translate well at multiple front seven positions. While Hall needs significant technical development – rarely facing elite opponents with Houston – his traits make him an intriguing project.

With the Bears already rostering mountainous tackle Dexter Lawrence at about 6-foot-4, 330 pounds, pairing him with Hall down the line to collapse pockets with their size and limbs would be a scary proposition. Hall performed admirably in position drills as well, exhibiting light feet and fluid hips for being so big. He warrants late-round or priority free agent consideration.

Of course, pass rushing potential remains paramount for the Bears after their unit registered the fifth-fewest sacks league-wide last season. But the early returns from high-upside athletes like Verse and Surratt, coupled with ascending interior talents like Fisk and Hall, provide GM Ryan Poles plenty of draft options to elevate that pressure rate.

Whether it means investing premium capital in an edge defender like Verse, targeting a high-motor quick rusher like Fisk on Day 2, or gambling on developmental physically gifted projects like Surratt and Hall, Chicago needs an influx of young talent to take their front four to another level. The 2023 NFL Draft offers no shortage of prospects who could assist in achieving that goal.

For a Bears regime looking to prioritize attacker on defense and playmaker on offense this offseason around franchise quarterback Justin Fields, emergent talents from this year’s Combine like Chazz Surratt and Braden Fisk are obvious fits. Even small school standouts such Jared Verse appear poised to rise into potential targets for Chicago on draft weekend.

Of course, evaluations cannot stop simply with these early athletic testing numbers alone. The interview and medical assessment portions of the Combine remain critical as well before prospects make their case one final time at college Pro Days. But based on athletic potential, this defensive line group looks stocked with options for the Bears.

If Poles can properly identify his top targets for the trenches through this ongoing draft process, adding a combination of immediate impact and high-ceiling depth would greatly benefit the foundation Eberflus is installing. The first wave of freakish athletes took center stage at the Combine. Now it is up to Poles and his staff to determine which sensations can become cornerstones in Chicago.

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