Windy City Gridiron
Despite evidence both historically and within this specific draft class pointing to the opposite, Ashton Jeanty should be Chicago’s choice if he is available when they pick.
Due to the smokescreens and hoopla surrounding us this week, I feel the need to preface this article with a bit of a disclaimer. I am NOT a fan of trading up in this draft and would still prefer a trade down. Additionally, if Will Campbell or Mason Graham are available when the Bears pick at 1.10, those are the only two players I would consider over Ashton Jeanty, assuming Abdul Carter is off the board. However, those two are expected to be long gone by then, so that brings me to this piece...
If I may start with a brief anecdote.
In my high school senior season, we made the 3A playoffs for the first time in my career in what officially became the most important game of my life. On the road against Baker County, who had multiple D1 players on defense, including on the defensive line and at Safety, I was finally being leaned on to carry the offense and helped turn our season around, winning five straight and clinching a playoff birth. The atmosphere was tense that Friday night in north Florida, and I was dialed in.
Then I fumbled in the first quarter (on the opening drive, no less) and gave the ball back to the home team in front of a raucous crowd. Hashtag facepalm.
I couldn’t help but think of that moment when I watched Ashton Jeanty play against Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl after he fumbled in the first quarter, already down 14-0, giving the ball back to the surging Nittany Lions.
Ashton Jeanty had led his team to a College Football Playoff bid as the 3rd ranked team, the first such bid in Boise States history and the entire football world was watching how he would handle one of the top-ranked defenses in the country on a national stage. He proceeded to earn a hard-fought 104 yards on 30 carries for a season low 3.5 yard average, zero TDs and 2 fumbles, losing only the early fumble in the first half. Penn State won 31-14 in dominating fashion, and for the first time all season, the skeptics seemed to sour on the Junior from Jacksonville, FL.
But let’s take a closer look at that performance for a moment.
For those of us who watched that game, two things were clear throughout. 1) Penn State was focusing all their attention, and rightfully so, on slowing down the Heisman runner-up. And 2) Ashton Jeanty played his heart out and absolutely made that defense earn it. Estimates vary on the total number, but multiple reports have Jeanty forcing anywhere from 16 to 33 missed tackles against Penn State.
In one game.
Here is just one run. How many missed/broken tackles to you count on this play?
I count five.
This is against a top 10 defense...
