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| Shea McClellin of the Bears. Photo Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images |
By: Gabe Salgado
Organized Team Activities are in full effect for the Chicago Bears. And while the workouts are taking place at Halas Hall, the rebuilding of the defense has taken center stage. A major part of that rebuilding is the big change involving third year defender Shea McClellin.
He’s switching to linebacker this year after two lackluster seasons at defensive end. McClellin played linebacker in high school, but once he arrived at Boise State he became more of a “hybrid” player. Some plays he’d have his hand on the ground on the line, some plays he’d stand straight up as an extra linebacker, and for other plays he’d get in a two-point stance as a pure pass rusher off the edge.
When the Bears took the Idaho native 19th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, general manager Phil Emery decided to make him a full-time defensive end for their 4-3 Cover-2 defense. In two years McClellin left much to be desired on the field.
He’s only accumulated 6 ½ career sacks and 44 career tackles. Measuring at 6-2 and 260 pounds, many felt that he was undersized and didn’t have the strength to play in the trenches at the pro level. Everyone was correct.
When I covered the Bears last season, I saw McClellin get pushed around by the offensive line during drills in training camp. The Bears tried to remedy the problem by having him set in a two-point stance and rushing off the edge. That also failed to materialize.
So in January, the Bears finally decided they needed to make a change and focus on McClellin’s athletic abilities. Moving him to linebacker seems like the perfect solution. To prepare for his new role, McClellin took on a strict diet and exercise program.
He trimmed 10-percent off of his body fat count (down to eight percent), lost 10 pounds (currently weighs 250) and improved his 40-yard dash time. Linebacker seems like a more natural position for the Boise State alum, but he will have a lot to prove in his transition.
We know that McClellin can rush the passer, hence the reason he was drafted. But now he’ll need to become more of a run stopper. As linebacker he’ll be matched up with running backs more often than not. So he will need to become a better defender against the run.
He will also need to learn the different coverage schemes. As a linebacker the techniques, terminology and alignments will change. His biggest challenge however will be pass coverage. With the NFL becoming more and more of a pass-happy league, linebackers covering wide receivers have become a regular sighting.
McClellin will have a lot to learn over the next couple of months. But he has the speed, athleticism, knowledge and raw talent to progress quickly in this transition. Now is the time for McClellin to live up to the hype and expectations from two years ago. It’s linebacker or bust from here on out. Follow me on Twitter @GabeSalgado82