Ryan Poles is doing some great work right now. After final cuts went through yesterday, the Chicago Bears GM recognized an opportunity to land some players he might have his eye on. That was particularly true for the offensive line. His big swing came when the Bears claimed former 1st round pick Alex Leatherwood off waivers from Las Vegas. While that was distracting everybody, Poles quietly secured another promising youngster named Kellen Diesch.
A Texas native, Diesch emerged on the national stage at Arizona State. He earned a reputation as one of the most athletic tackles in the country during his run there. Draft evaluators loved his upside. The mobility, fundamentals, and core strength were there. Primary concerns centered around his shorter arms and lighter body weight, considering his 6’7 frame. That didn’t stop him from having an excellent week at the Senior Bowl and then showing out at the scouting combine. NFL.com had him rated as high as possible 4th round pick.
So it was a surprise when he went undrafted.
Arizona State rookie OT Kellen Diesch, who got $130,000 guaranteed from Dolphins and was a part of Miami's cuts yesterday, is joining Bears p-squad, per source.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 31, 2022
If the #Bears take a shot on a developmental OT on Day 3, Kellen Diesch from Arizona State is a name to watch.
Great athlete at LT with polished footwork in pass pro, and he had a 9.73 RAS. There’s obvious physical upside with him. pic.twitter.com/mIuPnlb9nE
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) April 2, 2022
So much talent along the @ShrineBowl OL. Per @PFF_College, the pass blocker with the highest grade from the week was @ASUFootball's Kellen Diesch
Near perfect grade in pass pro all week. Here he won on the arc, and then again protecting his inside. Plug and play NFL pass blocker pic.twitter.com/7AfLC1xmn9
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) February 23, 2022
Typically when players get cut by their original teams and don’t get claimed on waivers, they end up signing with the practice squad. Based on the latest information, that was the plan for the Dolphins. So it must’ve been a shock when the rookie took the exact same opportunity with the Bears instead. Money couldn’t have been a factor. Either he felt he had a better chance in Chicago or didn’t care for his experience with the Dolphins.
The small snippet Kellen Diesch gave in the preseason was a good one. He only played 20 total snaps for some reason despite no indications of a health issue. No pressures were allowed in six pass-blocking reps. He finished with an excellent 93.8 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Talent isn’t a question with Diesch. He has it. That leaves the unknown variable of what the Dolphins saw that resulted in his release.
Whatever was didn’t deter the Bears. Poles, a former offensive lineman himself, clearly sees potential in the rookie. This could end up being one of his most underrated signings of the season.
