



The Bears moved to fortify their defensive line by taking South Carolina defensive tackle Zacch Pickens with the first pick of the third round (No. 64) of the NFL Draft on Friday night.
The 6-4, 291-pound Pickens, a former five-star recruit out of Anderson, S.C. — rated ahead of future No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker — started three years at South Carolina, with 115 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. He was listed at 6-4, 305 at South Carolina.
Previously on Friday night, the Bears took Florida defensive tackle Gervon Dexter in the second round (No. 53) and traded up five spots — from No. 61 to No. 56 in the second round to take Miami cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
Pickens is the third player the Bears have drafted who played for offensive coordinator Luke Getsy in the Senior Bowl — along with first-round pick Darnell Wright and Stevenson.