The Bears got Julius Peppers some pass rush help with the 19th pick of the first round on Thursday night.
Chicago selected Boise State defensive end/outside linebacker Shea McClellin with the pick, passing up offensive line help and local product Whitney Mercilus of Illinois. He had 20.5 career sacks at Boise State and he speed should make him able to come off the edge across from Peppers.
The bonus to McClellin is that he has also shown the ability to drop into coverage and stop the run while playing at various spots in the front seven. He could be a three-down player for them, perhaps as the starting strongside linebacker who switches to a pass rushing role on third down. That kind of versatility is a nice addition to a Bears defense that has some miles on it.
McClellin grew up on Chicken Dinner Road. He figures to upgrade the address a little bit now that he’s in Chicago.