Jordan van den Berg didn't feel like the average sixth-round selection. That was partially due to the fact that fans were yearning for a defensive line addition, but it was also due to his rare athletic profile for an interior defensive lineman.

The Bears' brass were so enamored with that athletic profile that they decided to trade away their remaining two selections to select him with the 213th overall selection. The coaching staff clearly saw something they could work with, and that intrigue definitely starts with his athleticism.

With that said, the coaching staff aren't going to hand him a starring role based on his potential alone. He's going to have to earn his keep, and that starts with earning their trust. How quickly he will be able to do that will be the biggest factor in the type of impact he has in his rookie season,

The Georgia Tech product is still in a unique position to contribute early

While this might not be a Braxton Jones rookie year (when he came in as a fifth-round pick and started right away due to stepping into an absolute dumpster fire) situation, the Bears' most glaring weakness is clearly on the interior of their defensive line. Grady Jarrett used to be a game-wrecker, but he looked more like a replacement-level starter for long stretches last season. His veteran presence is still welcome on a young defensive line (and defense that saw a few other leaders walk out the door in free agency), though.

Gervon Dexter is slated to start alongside Jarrett, and he'll definitely play a major role on the interior. However, he was the subject of trade conversations at the NFL Scouting Combine and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He's firmly above the Georgia Tech product right now, but is far from comfortably locked into a starting job. They also signed Neville Gallimore this offseason to break into the rotation and eat away at his playing time.

After the big three, JVDB will also be competing with Jordan Lynch and Kentavius Street, who both signed near veteran minimum contracts via free agency, and undrafted free agent Jayden Loving for playing time. Call me a cynic, but I'm not sure any of them will be active on gameday, let alone eat into their snap count. I'm not sure most sixth-round picks would open their rookie year as the DT4 for most defenses, but the 24-year-old should be in line to do just that.

Jordan van den Berg won't be grabbing a starting spot anytime soon, but he could carve out a role in the rotation as the season progresses. Especially at a position where the best approach for maximum efficiency is via waves of pass rush.

Will he be ready right away, though?

Honestly, not yet. That much is clear from the reports out of minicamp, where he was reportedly struggling with his get-off. With that said, it would've been naive to expect the 213th pick of the draft to fire out of the gates.

Yes, he has a higher ceiling than most defensive tackles. More room for growth doesn't mean he's going to reach that potential quicker than others in his position, though. It also doesn't mean that he's got a better chance of reaching his potential than his peers.

He could very well be a healthy scratch for the first few weeks, and it wouldn't be the end of the world if that's the case. The team took things slow with their rookie class last year, and there's reason to believe they're going to go that route again.

However, I'm still a believer in the talent, and think he should make an impact as a rotational pass rusher down the stretch. I would be shocked if he cracks the rotation before midseason, though. He's not going to blow up the stat sheets in year one, and fans should set their expectations accordingly.

Projection: 20 tackles (3 for loss), 2.5 sacks