Bradley Sowell made his 2018 draft predictions on a text chain to his fellow Bears offensive linemen.
One by one, his picks came true: inside linebacker Roquan Smith eighth overall, then center James Daniels in the second round. The Bears traded up in the second round to get another player Sowell liked, wide receiver Anthony Miller.
Sowell, the Bears’ offensive tackle-turned-tight end, had studied the draft himself. He analyzes free agency, too, and is starting to learn the intricacies of the salary cap.
“Whenever we’re trying to sign a guy or how much we can sign him for —what we can afford — a lot of [teammates] ask me,” Sowell said this week.