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CHICAGO BEARS
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Football Weekly
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2009
draft 2008
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draft 2004
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draft
2009
DRAFT PICKS
links go to
NFL.com website
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
School |
Jay's ranking |
Jay's draft value |
| 3 |
68 |
Jarron
Gilbert |
DE/DT |
San
Jose State |
#10
DE |
Round
3 |
| 3 |
99 |
Juaquin
Iglesias |
WR |
Oklahoma |
#11
WR |
Round
3 |
|
Senior
Bowl practice comment |
A
mixed bag. Iglesias made some very nice catches and was
getting open in the 11 on 11's. However, he had his share
of drops and at times in the one-on-ones put together too many
moves in one route which won't work in NFL. |
|
Senior
Bowl Game |
Iglesias
had a great game. He showed reliable hands making some
very good catches. He also got open deep, came back for
underthrown balls and had good YAC. He had an even better
day than his impressive stat line since I saw him get open with
a nice double move but the pass was off, and he made a nice
catch but couldn't stay inbounds. |
| 4 |
105 |
Henry
Melton |
DE |
Texas |
#18
DE |
Round
5 |
|
Player
who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher
than him. |
Melton
is an intriguing prospect. A converted running back,
Melton is fairly new to defensive end. Melton is a good
athlete with good size who will be a special teams standout
while he continues to develop at defensive end. |
| 4 |
119 |
D.J.
Moore |
CB |
Vanderbilt |
#8
CB |
Round
2 |
| 5 |
140 |
Johnny
Knox |
WR |
Abilene
Christian |
#14
WR |
Round
4 |
|
Player
who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher
than him. |
Knox
could be a steal in the draft. He was very productive at
Abilene Christian, displaying good hands and route adjustments.
Then he showed top speed during workouts. Knox has the
tools to be a good starting wide receiver in the NFL. |
| 5 |
154 |
Marcus
Freeman |
LB |
Ohio
State |
#5
OLB |
Round
2 |
|
Player
who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher
than him. |
Freeman
is an overlooked linebacker in this draft. He could end up
being the best sideline-to-sideline WILL in the draft.
Freeman is fast, quick and has excellent change-of-direction
skills. Interestingly, one knock some draft analysts have
on Freeman is that he lacks the strength to take on blockers.
However, he lifted the bar 30 times. Freeman will be
a star in the NFL. |
|
Senior
Bowl practice comment |
Freeman
had very limited face time, but looked good in pass coverage in
the one-on-one drills. |
| 6 |
190 |
Al
Afalava |
S |
Oregon
State |
#8
SS |
Round
5 |
| 7 |
246 |
Lance
Louis |
OG |
San
Diego State |
NR |
Late
Round Value |
| 7 |
251 |
Derek
Kinder |
WR |
Pittsburgh |
NR |
7th/FA |
| FA |
---- |
Eric
Peterman |
WR |
Northwestern |
NR |
Late
Round Value |
| FA |
---- |
Mike
Rivera |
LB |
Kansas |
NR |
Late
Round Value |
| FA |
---- |
Woodny
Turenne |
CB |
Louisville |
NR |
7th/FA |
|
B+
|
2009
COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD
|
by
Jay Goldberg
|
|
Wow!
A B+ with no pick until the third round. Of course
getting Jay Cutler helps their grade as well, although I'm not
as high on Cutler as most. Cutler is a bit too much of a
gunslinger who is turnover-prone for my taste. He'll win
you games, but he'll also lose you some. And the game he
loses just could be a playoff game his team expects to
win.
The Bears did an excellent job of drafting for both
need and value. I particularly liked Knox and Freeman in
round five. Both were on my list of players who will
have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than
them. So was Melton, who was drafted higher than I had
him graded, but only because he'll need a year or so before he
can contribute. He has terrific upside. The
only minor comment I could make is that I had some receivers
with higher grades than Kinder for round seven.
As
of this write-up, the Bears added three undrafted college
street free agents Bear fans should monitor in camp, including
Peterman, a player I had a higher grade on than Kinder.
DRAFT
PICKS
Gilbert
was a terrific grab at the top of round three. His workout
numbers below were solid for defensive ends, but exceptional
for defensive tackles, the position he is slated to play for
the Bears. Gilbert is strong, athletic, and fast for a
kid his size. He will be better penetrating against the
pass than stuffing the run. However, he will be a
effective pursuing and chasing down ballcarriers.
The
Bears were lucky that Butler and Turner were drafted ahead of
Iglesias. Iglesias will be a better NFL player than both
of them. Iglesias plays better than he works out, and
plays better than he practices. The kid is a gamer and
will be a solid number two wideout.
While
the Bears drafted Melton a round higher than where I had him
graded, I completely understand the selection. Melton
started his college career as a running back so is fairly new
to defensive end. In only his second year at defensive
end he showed potential getting 4 sacks and 10 tackles for
losses. Melton has excellent speed and good athleticism
for the position. However, don't expect much in year
one. In fact, I thought he was an excellent candidate to
redshirt for a year on the practice squad and that was why I
had him as a fifth round value. Now he'll have to be a
core special teams player while perfecting his craft.
Moore
slid in the draft because he is a short corner without top end
speed or quickness. However, he has a nose for the ball,
good football instincts and quick reactions. He was
excellent value in round four, although Macho Harris was also
on the board and he is a player a like a bit more than Moore.
Knox
is the second player (Melton) the Bears drafted who was on my
list of players who will have a better NFL career than many
drafted higher than them. Knox can fly and has good quickness
and good hands. I also had Knox rated higher than Butler
and Turner (receivers drafted higher than him). Long term, Knox could be better than
Iglesias. He also gives the Bears another dynamic return
man.
Marcus
Freeman in round five will be looked at down the road as one
of the major steals of the 2009 NFL draft. He is the
third player on my underrated list drafted by Chicago, and a
player for whom I had a high second round grade. In
fact, Freeman was the best pure WILL in the draft. The
kid ran faster than many corners (including D.J Moore) and
many receivers (was 0.01 behind Iglesias), has terrific
quickness and change-of direction skills (see his short
shuttle and three-cone numbers), and is very strong.
Freeman battled injuries his senior year which accounts for
him being available for the Bears in round five, but proved in
his junior year (and supported by his workout numbers) that he
was a sideline-to-sideline tackle hound with the strength to
get off blocks and pack a wallop when he hits someone.
Afalava
was one of the best athletes available in the draft.
Initially, he will be a terror on special teams. Down
the line he could be a good starting strong safety.
Louis
proved to be one of the better workout warriors in the
draft. At 30 pounds, he ran 4.76 forty. He also
lifted the bar 30 times. One concern is his lack of
change-of-direction agility, but hey, as a developmental sixth
round pick he has potential.
Kinder
will have a hard time sticking with Iglesias and Knox also
added during the draft. Kinder is more quick than fast
and not an extremely explosive athlete. I had receivers
like Underwood of Rutgers, Riley of Duke, and Means of Indiana
and small school prospects Guice and Chery more highly rated
than Kinder.
COLLEGE
STREET FREE AGENTS
Peterman
is a very similar player to Kinder. I had him rated
slightly higher than Kinder because he is faster. He
will have his hands full trying to make the team but is a candidate
for their practice squad.
Rivera
is an outside linebacker who will be best served hitting the
weight room and moving inside. He has excellent
quickness and good enough speed and athleticism to grow into a
solid reserve.
Turenne
is a corner with similar numbers, but not the same on-field
instincts of D. J. Moore. However, if he shows well in
camp he could find a spot on the Bears' development squad.
|
For
chart below: red
indicates workout number in top range at position in draft
ARM-HAND
relative to position, for ranges see ranking pages for 2009 draft
LAST
NAME
at Combine |
FIRST
NAME |
SCHOOL |
HGT |
WGT |
ARM-
HAND |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT |
LONG |
3
CONE |
VERT |
BROAD |
| Gilbert |
Jarron |
S
Jose St |
6.5.2" |
288 |
XL-XL |
28 |
4.81 |
1.69 |
2.70 |
4.58 |
- |
7.70 |
35.5" |
9'11" |
| Iglesias |
Juaquin |
Oklahoma |
6'0.7" |
210 |
S-L |
- |
4.50 |
1.56 |
2.62 |
4.40 |
- |
- |
34.5" |
8'9" |
| Melton |
Henry |
Texas |
6'3.5" |
269 |
- |
- |
4.64 |
1.58 |
2.70 |
4.45 |
- |
7.64 |
34.5" |
10'1" |
| Moore |
DJ |
Vanderbilt |
5'8.7" |
192 |
S-S |
17 |
4.54 |
1.54 |
2.62 |
4.28 |
- |
7.00 |
39.5" |
9'10" |
| Knox |
Johnny |
A
Christian |
5'11.4" |
185 |
S-M |
- |
4.25 |
1.47 |
2.53 |
4.15 |
- |
6.81 |
35" |
10'2" |
| Freeman |
Marcus |
Ohio
State |
6'0.5" |
239 |
M-M |
30 |
4.51 |
1.55 |
2.59 |
4.08 |
- |
6.66 |
37" |
9'5" |
| Afalava |
Al |
Oregon |
5'10.7" |
207 |
- |
25 |
4.47 |
1.52 |
2.57 |
4.07 |
- |
6.60 |
40" |
10'5" |
| Louis |
Lance |
San
Diego St |
6'2.3" |
303 |
- |
30 |
4.76 |
1.62 |
2.79 |
4.71 |
- |
8.03 |
30" |
8'8" |
| Kinder |
Derek |
Pittsburgh |
6'0.1" |
202 |
- |
12 |
4.54 |
1.55 |
2.62 |
4.10 |
- |
6.64 |
36.5" |
9'1" |
| Peterman |
Eric |
N-Western |
6'0.1" |
201 |
- |
14 |
4.45 |
1.56 |
2.51 |
4.08 |
- |
6.58 |
31" |
9'10" |
| Rivera |
Mike |
Kansas |
6'2.1" |
245 |
- |
14 |
4.63 |
1.58 |
2.64 |
4.08 |
- |
6.67 |
38.5" |
9'10" |
| Turenne |
Woodny |
Louisville |
5'11.3" |
183 |
- |
12 |
4.49 |
1.51 |
2.60 |
4.39 |
- |
6.93 |
32.5" |
10'0" |
2009 NEEDS
PRIOR TO DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY
Major need
Need
Upgrade possible
Depth/possible need
Not a need
| QB |
Orton played okay, but it
is still questionable if he is the long term answer in Chicago.
Grossman is an UFA so look for the Bears to bring in a veteran
to compete with Orton. They could also add a rookie in the
draft to at worst, compete with Hanie for the number three role,
at best be an alternative to Orton down the line. |
| RB |
Forte was a player who
was on my list of players who will have a better NFL career than
many drafted higher than them. He got off to a great start
and should be a top back in the league for years. Jones
and Peterson are reliable backups but Jones is an UFA who may
look for a team where he could get more playing time. Look
for the Bears to bring in a young player to compete to be
Forte's primary backup. |
| WR |
Time to tear it down and
start again. Hester played well in spots and could develop
further, but is best served as a #3 and return man.
He was a better punt returner when he played less on offense.
Lloyd is an UFA who may be out of chances to compete for serious
playing time with any team. Booker is past his prime.
As I noted in my report card, Bennett was an okay pick, but I
liked Hawkins and Caldwell better. I don't see Bennett as
long term top starter in the league. Davis should also be
a role player, not a starter. |
| TE |
It 's be time for Olsen
to be the full time starter. Clark is still effective but
is an UFA and could land in a better spot for himself than
Chicago. Davis is a big target and better receiving tight
end than blocker. Look for the team to add a blocking
tight end. |
| OL |
The teams line should be
strong on the left side, fine at center, and adequate on the
right side. If the Bears' line is the same as last year
they'll be okay, but an upgrade is possible at right guard and
right tackle. |
| DL |
This is a solid unit than
can play great play from time to time when Harris is motivated
and healthy. Still, the team could use a dominate pass
rusher to replace Brown. |
| LB |
Briggs is a great player.
Urlacher is now just good. A young middle linebacker could
be added in the draft. Roach is okay at SAM, but an
upgrade is possible. |
| DB |
The Bears secondary is a
mixed bag. Tillman is a solid and sometimes unappreciated
corner. Graham played well but Chicago will most likely
bring in a corner to challenge him, with the loser taking over
the nickel from Manning who will probably be best served moving
back to free safety. However, he'll have to beat out
Steltz. Speaking of free safeties, Brown is a solid pro
but gets injured too often and it may be time for the team to
move on from him permanently. Payne, a keeper, is an
emerging talent at strong safety. |
| ST |
The Bears special teams
are in good hands. There should be few complaints with
Gould, Maynard, Hester and Manning |
2008
DRAFT PICKS
links go to
NFL.com website
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
School |
Jay's ranking |
Jay's draft value |
| 1 |
14 |
Chris
Williams |
OT |
6'6" |
315 |
Vanderbilt |
#3 OT |
Round 1 |
| 2 |
44 |
Matt
Forte |
RB |
6'1.3" |
217 |
Tulane |
#5 RB |
Round 2 |
|
Player
who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher
than him.
|
If
I were a GM and needed a full time starting running back, I
would skip drafting any running back not named McFadden in
round one and draft Forte in round two. He is going to
be a top NFL starter. He runs tough, has more speed than
originally believed, and catches the ball very well. He
is the total package. Unfortunately, we may have to wait
a bit to see it because he could be drafted as a backup to an
established starter. |
| 3 |
70 |
Earl
Bennett |
WR |
5'11.4" |
209 |
Vanderbilt |
#14 WR |
Round 3 |
| 3 |
90 |
Marcus
Harrison |
DT |
6'2.6" |
317 |
Arkansas |
#11 DT |
Round 3/Round 4 |
| 4 |
120 |
Craig
Steltz |
SS/FS |
6'1.3" |
213 |
LSU |
#4 SS |
Round 4 |
| 5 |
142 |
Zackary
Bowman |
CB/FS/Ret |
6'0.1" |
197 |
Nebraska |
#17 CB |
Round 4 |
| 5 |
148 |
Kellen
Davis |
TE |
6'6.4" |
262 |
Michigan St |
#6 TE |
Round 3/Round 4 |
| 7 |
208 |
Ervin
Baldwin |
DE |
6'2" |
258 |
Michigan St |
|
Free Agent |
| 7 |
222 |
Chester
Adams |
OG |
6'4" |
331 |
Georgia |
|
Free Agent |
| 7 |
243 |
Joey
LaRocque |
OLB |
6'1.3" |
225 |
Oregon St |
|
Later Round
Value/Free Agent |
| 7 |
246 |
Kirk
Barton |
OT |
6'4.3" |
310 |
Ohio State |
#13 OT |
Round 4 |
| 7 |
248 |
Marcus
Monk |
WR |
6'4.4" |
222 |
Arkansas |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Nick Hill |
QB |
6'2.7" |
219 |
S Illinois |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Jocelin Clermond |
DE |
6'1.7" |
249 |
Pittsburgh |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Shane Longest |
K |
5'11" |
180 |
Xavier |
|
Late Round
Value/Free Agent |
| FA |
|
Leslie Majors |
CB |
5'9.5" |
168 |
Indiana |
|
Late Round
Value/Free Agent |
|
The
Bears addressed all major needs except quarterback in this
draft. However, that was a big whiff. Not
getting a quarterback dropped the Bears' score from B+ to B.
In fact, while for the most part I like players the Bears
selected, their B is based on some opportunity costs. I
believe they could have done a bit better if they went for a
quarterback in round four. On the plus side, Matt Forte
is going to be looked at as one of the best gets in this
draft. He will be a top running back in the NFL sooner
rather than later. The Bears also got excellent value on
hit-or-miss prospect Kellen Davis in round five. While I
didn't understand some of their seventh round selections,
Barton was a steal in that round.
DRAFT
PICKS
Williams
was the right pick in round one. He is a quality left
tackle prospect who will quietly get the job done at a high
level for years and years.
Forte
was one of my favorite player in the draft. I'm on
record early that I didn't like Benson when he was selected
and thought Thomas Jones was the better option. I like
Forte better than both of those runners. He is tough,
has deceptive speed, makes good cuts in the hole, and can
catch. What more could you could ask for?
Bennett
is a solid player but I like Hawkins and Caldwell better.
Much better. This could be a missed opportunity.
Not that Bennett won't be a contributor, but that the other
two (especially Hawkins) could outplay him. Bennett has
good hand, decent speed and some quickness, but is only an
average athlete.
Harrison
is a big kid with good measureables and good production.
Past knee problems and off the field issues caused him to fall
to this spot in the draft. He is a talented kid who can
develop into a very good run-stuffing starter.
I
like Steltz. He is quick and smart and has a nose for
the ball. However, this is where I would have grabbed
quarterback John David Booty. He is NFL-ready and could
have been an option this year. As a fourth round pick if
he peaked at as a long-term quality backup, that would have
been fine. In addition, strong safety Barrett is a
player I liked more than most (and more than Steltz), and he
would have been available for the Bears with either of their
first two picks in round seven. In addition, safeties
Roach and Silva went undrafted and were better values than all
players drafted by the Bears in round seven except Barton.
Bowman
has the potential to develop into a quality cornerback.
He has good size and is more fast than quick so is better on
the outside than lining up against quick slot receivers.
He also has good return skills, but that may not be seen with
the Bears.
Tight
end Kellen Davis was an excellent fifth round pick. He
is a big target, has the speed to get deep and has good
athleticism. So why wasn't he drafted higher? He
never put it all together to become the dominate player his
skill set dictated he should. With Greg Olsen on hand,
Davis will not have to be counted on as a starter.
However, he could provide them with a very intriguing two
tight end offense since he has the speed to split wide, and
could give them a big goal line target.
Baldwin
was not a player on my radar. He could develop into a
situational pass rusher. He could not. He looks
like a practice squad candidate.
Adams
played tackle in college but will kick inside to guard for the
Bears. He had durability problems in college and is
another practice squad candidate.
After
being drafted by Chicago, I took a second look at LaRocque and
liked what I saw. I think this kid has a chance to make
the team and develop into a quality special teams player and
backup linebacker. He has good speed, is quick and
athletic and was very productive at Oregon State both making
plays (tackles) and, at times, rushing the passer (sacks).
Barton
was a steal in the seventh round. He is athletic, quick,
and four year starter in a top program at Ohio State. He
is a bit stiff at times, but, worst case, he will be a quality
backup. A great pick by the Bears.
Monk
has good size and speed as is an ideal practice squad
candidate. He isn't ready now, but could be in a couple
of years. A player I liked a lot who went undrafted and
may have a bit more upside than Monk was Jabari Arthur.
He isn't as fast but has good size, great hands and appears to
be a natural at the position.
COLLEGE
STREET FREE AGENTS
Hill
could push for a roster spot. He completed over 70% of
his passes his senior year. He is a good rhythm passer
but needs work on his delivery and technique. He is also
better in the short and medium zones than throwing the bomb.
Clermond
proved to be less athletic in workouts than he appeared to be
on film. However, he made plays both against the run and
rushing the passer at Pittsburgh and is worth a shot as a free
agent.
Longest
was one of my top five kickers in the draft but will be
showcasing for other teams with Gould on board for the Bears.
Majors
is an example of a player who is too small, just not quite
fast enough, just not quite quick enough, not just quite
athletic enough, who finds a way to get it done. He may
be the type of player who will give coaches confidence he can
fill in if okay if he needs to be activated from the practice
squad.
|
red
indicates workout number in top range at position in draft
(blue
college name indicates workout #'s include Pro Day numbers)
COMBINE
YES |
FIRST
NAME |
SCHOOL |
HEIGHT |
WEIGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT |
LONG |
3
CONE |
VERT |
BROAD |
| Williams |
Chris |
VANDERBILT |
6'6" |
315 |
21 |
5.17 |
1.78 |
2.98 |
4.85 |
NA |
7.95 |
25" |
8'7" |
| Forte |
Matt |
TULANE |
6'1.3" |
217 |
23 |
4.46 |
1.49 |
2.55 |
4.23 |
11.49 |
6.84 |
33" |
9'10" |
| Bennett |
Earl |
VANDERBILT |
5'11.4" |
209 |
15 |
4.48 |
1.51 |
2.56 |
4.22 |
NA |
7.15 |
32" |
9'2" |
| Harrison |
Marcus |
ARKANSAS |
6'2.6" |
317 |
26 |
5.06 |
1.71 |
2.91 |
4.54 |
NA |
7.55 |
29" |
9'0" |
| Steltz |
Craig |
LSU |
6'1.3" |
213 |
10 |
4.63 |
NA |
NA |
4.19 |
NA |
7.09 |
35" |
9'10" |
| Bowman |
Zackary |
NEBRASKA |
6'0.1" |
197 |
18 |
4.39 |
1.46 |
2.51 |
4.21 |
NA |
7.10 |
32" |
10'5" |
| Davis |
Kellen |
MICHIGAN
ST |
6'6.4" |
262 |
22 |
4.58 |
1.59 |
2.68 |
4.38 |
NA |
7.25 |
34" |
9'10" |
| Baldwin |
Eric |
MICHIGAN
ST |
6'2" |
258 |
NA |
4.62 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
| Adams |
Chester |
GEORGIA |
6'4" |
331 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
| LaRocque |
Joey |
OREGON
ST |
6'1.3" |
225 |
18 |
4.57 |
NA |
NA |
4.06 |
NA |
7.03 |
37" |
9'8" |
| Barton |
Kirk |
OHIO
ST |
6'4.3" |
310 |
34 |
5.01 |
1.71 |
2.87 |
4.59 |
NA |
7.67 |
31.5" |
8'4" |
| Monk |
Marcus |
Arkansas |
6'4.4" |
222 |
9 |
4.41 |
1.60 |
2.69 |
4.30 |
NA |
7.08 |
36" |
10'2" |
| Hill |
Nick |
S
IILLINOIS |
6'2.7" |
219 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
| Clermond |
Jocelin |
PITTSBURGH |
6'1.7" |
249 |
22 |
4.94 |
1.67 |
2.80 |
4.46 |
NA |
7.18 |
31.5" |
8'11" |
| Majors |
Leslie |
INDIANA |
5'9.5" |
168 |
11 |
4.49 |
1.56 |
2.59 |
4.37 |
NA |
7.11 |
33" |
10'1" |
2008 NEEDS
PRIOR TO DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY
CHI
Major
Need Need
Upgrade Depth
Need Not
a Need
| QB |
The
Bears' quarterback of the future is not currently on their
roster. In fact, it can be argued that neither is their
quarterback of the present. |
| RB |
It's
time to admit that Benson is not a future NFL star running
back. Peterson is solid, but is a backup. This
team needs to get a runner capable of starting in free agency
or the draft. |
| WR |
Berrian
is a free agent. Muhammad is on the decline.
Hester and Bradley have speed and potential, but Hester is
still learning the position, and Bradley cannot stay healthy.
Davis is a good backup. This team needs to bring in a
receiver who can contribute immediately. |
| TE |
A
solid pro who responded with a good year when the team brought
in a hot shot rookie; a hot shot rookie who gave no reason to
doubt he'll be very good; and a third tight end who can block
make this a deep and talented unit. |
| OL |
This
unit is aging. The Bears need a tackle. Preferably
a left tackle, with Tait moving to the right side, but if not
a left tackle, then a right tackle. The team could also
use a left guard. Beekman may be the answer, he may not.
Even if he is a guard to challenge Garza wouldn't be a bad
idea. |
| DL |
The
Bears have good players along their line. A tackle for
depth and as insurance in case Walker is let go and Dvoracek
doesn't come back strong from injury, should be added. |
| LB |
Briggs
is likely to be gone and the Bears are happy with Jamar
Williams as his replacement. Since the Bears do need to
bring in some backup linebackers, personally my priority would
be a WILL just in case. |
| DB |
The
Bears have quality corners in Vasher, Tillman, Manning Jr.,
and McBride. Safety is a different story. Brown
can't stay healthy, D. Manning is inconsistent, but young
enough to improve, and McGowan is a hitter who needs to
improve in coverage. Since Brown can't be counted on,
upgrades could be looked for at safety. |
| ST |
All
is fine in the Bears' kicking and return games. |
2007
DRAFT PICKS
links go to
NFL.com website
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
School |
Jay's ranking |
Jay's draft value |
| 1 |
31 |
Olsen,
Greg |
TE |
6-4 |
252 |
Miami
(Fla.) |
# 1 TE |
Round 1 |
| 2 |
62 |
Bazuin,
Dan |
DE |
6-3 |
265 |
Central
Michigan |
# 8 DE |
Round 3 |
| 3 |
93 |
Wolfe,
Garrett |
RB |
5-7 |
177 |
Northern
Illinois |
|
Late Round Value |
| 3 |
94 |
Okwo,
Michael |
ILB |
5-11 |
232 |
Stanford |
|
Late Round Value |
| 4 |
130 |
Beekman,
Josh |
G |
6-2 |
321 |
Boston
College |
# 4 OG |
Round 2 |
| 5 |
167 |
Payne,
Kevin |
FS |
6-0 |
216 |
Louisiana-Monroe |
# 6 SS, #7 FS |
Round 4 |
| 5 |
168 |
Graham,
Corey |
CB |
6-0 |
195 |
New
Hampshire |
|
Late Round Value |
| 7 |
221 |
McBride,
Trumaine |
CB |
5-9 |
185 |
Mississippi |
|
Late Round Value |
| 7 |
241 |
Brant,
Aaron |
OT |
6-7 |
313 |
Iowa
State |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Allen, Josh |
RB |
5-11 |
220 |
Maryland |
|
Off My Board |
| FA |
|
Fassitt, Greg |
CB |
6-0 |
189 |
Grambling |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
James, Drisan |
WR |
6-0 |
188 |
Boise State |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Leak, Chris |
QB |
6-0 |
209 |
Florida |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Shanle, Andrew |
FS |
6-1 |
212 |
Nebraska |
|
Late Round Value |
|
The
Bears added some solid players, got excellent value on day two
with Beekman and Payne, but valued Wolfe and Okwo more than me.
As far as college street free agents, while no player jumps out
as a sure thing, they did add a couple of interesting prospects.
While
I cannot argue with the selection of Olsen because he was the
best tight end in the draft, is very good value at the spot in
which he was drafted, is an upgrade at the position, and could
help Grossman's development, I would have done things
differently. I know the Chargers offered great value for
the second round pick the Bears' received from the Jets in the
Thomas Jones trade, however, I would have avoided temptation and
drafted Posluszny in round one to replace Briggs this year or
next, and taken my chances on Olsen falling to me in that spot
on round two. If Miller was off the board, then I would have
made the trade. Even as the draft unfolded, I would have
drafted Posluszny in round one and taken a chance later on a
tight end like Ben Patrick, who was available late in the draft.
I like Bazuin and do not consider drafting him late in round two
a reach. He is a pass rushing defensive end with the
ability to be a plus player against the run. With Brown
approaching free agency, Bazuin (along with Anderson) means that
the Bears will not have to overpay Brown. Bazuin and
Anderson are a nice young pair of defensive ends. I have
two comments about Wolfe. The first is that round three
was higher than where I had him rated. The success of the
Jones-Drew, who is a short back like Wolfe may have resulted in
him being drafted higher than where I had him graded.
However, Wolfe is not built like Jones-Drew, who is a short man,
not a small man. Wolfe is small, albeit strong for his
size. He reminds me more of Darrin Sproles than Jones-Drew.
That sais, he will be a good change-of-pace, and third-down
back. That brings me to my second comment. I don't
have confidence that Benson can be a full time stud runner.
Therefore, I would have drafted a change-of-pace back who could
carry more of a load than Wolfe if needed. My selection
here, without hesitation, would have been Antonio Pittman.
Pittman, my #3 rated running back in the draft, would have
offered a nice compliment to Benson, and will develop into a
very good starting NFL running back (although in New Orleans,
playing behind Bush and McAllister it may be awhile before I'm
proven right). Okwo is the third player who the
Bears like more than me in this write-up (Wolfe and Benson are
the other two). Okwo has good speed, quickness, and
athleticism, but only started 5 games at Stanford (not exactly a
football power) prior to his senior year. He did, however,
have a nice senior year. However, outside of drafting a
player like Rufus Alexander (who had a disappointing workout) on
day two, the Bears' option for a Briggs replacement were limited
by this point in the draft. Beekman was steal in round
four. I had a solid second round grade on the kid.
He is not, and will not be a star. However, he is the type
of player you can plug into your line, get solid play, and not
have to worry about the position (unless you find a stud).
Payne was another good pick. With Archuleta on board,
Payne will have time to learn. A former running back,
Payne is strong and loves to hit and will be a very good special
teams player. Payne needs some time, but the Bears can
give him that time, and he could be a very good NFL starter in
three years. Graham has good height and speed for a
cornerback and showed good coverage skills, a willingness to
play the run, and a nose for the ball at New Hampshire.
That is a good combination, and Graham is worth a shot on day
two as a developmental cornerback. McBride will push
for a roster spot. He is a hard nosed player whose upside
is as a nickel corner. However, he will be a better
special teams player than Graham. If there is only one
roster spot available for Graham and McBride; it wouldn't
surprise me if McBride makes the active roster and Graham is
placed on the practice squad since McBride can help more now,
but Graham has more upside potential. Brant could develop
into a versatile sub who can backup at both tackle and guard.
He has good size and athleticism but needs work in the weight
room and on his technique.
The
Bears' college street free agents of note include running back
Josh Allen, a player who was off my draft board, but will get a
long look in early exhibition games so will have a chance to
impress. Allen, a strong inside runner, had a good
sophomore year in college before slumping his junior year and
then injuring his knee before what was suppose to be his senior
year. After a year off he came back as a sub, and with
this being his second year after his knee injury, could surprise
in camp. Fassitt could be a surprise entry in the backup
cornerback competition in Bears' camp. He has tremendous
speed, quickness, and athleticism, and is a strong kid. He
could push Corey Graham. James got lost in a deep wide
receiver draft. He has good speed and is a good athlete.
A bit underrated, he was a good free agent signing by the Bears.
If he doesn't win a job on a team with other deep threats at
receiver, look for him to make the Bears' practice squad.
If quarterback Chris Leak was 6'3", he could push to be a
quality starting quarterback. As it stands he is the
perfect #3 QB for a team not keeping their future #1 in that
roster spot. I can see Leak entering a game after an
injury and playing very well (he has an excellent arm and is
accurate) against a team that hasn't game planned to exploit his
small size. Shanle was another good signing by the Bears.
He is a steady player who has a nose for the ball and can blitz
from his safety position, and is a much better athlete than many
originally thought. In fact, has one of the best
combinations of size, speed, quickness, strength and athleticism
of all free safeties available in the draft. He could puch
Payne for a roster spot and is a candidate for the Bears'
development squad.
|
red
indicates workout number in top range at position in draft
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| OLSEN |
GREG |
MIAMI-FL |
TE
|
6'5.7" |
254 |
23 |
4.51 |
1.59 |
2.59 |
4.41 |
|
7.04 |
37.5" |
9'11" |
| Olsen
is the best tight end in the draft. He has excellent
speed, good strength, and superb hands. He will be able to
stretch the field and catch the ball over the middle. His
one deficiency is blocking, but he has the size and strength to
develop into a capable blocker. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| BAZUIN |
DAN |
CENTRAL
MICHIGAN |
DE/LB |
6'2.7" |
266 |
25 |
4.77 |
1.59 |
2.75 |
4.52 |
|
6.97 |
30" |
9'7" |
|
PLAYER
WHO COULD HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN PLAYERS SELECTED AHEAD
OF HIM in the DRAFT
|
| Some
may see Bazuin as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. I see
him as a pass rushing defensive end, although he has the
athleticism to play inside linebacker in a scheme like the Pats
3-4. Bazuin was the best defensive player in the East West
Shrine Game. He has natural pass rush skills and is
relentless in pursuit. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| WOLFE |
GARRETT |
NORTHERN
ILLINOIS |
RB
|
5'7.4" |
186 |
22 |
4.39 |
1.46 |
2.51 |
4.08 |
|
6.69 |
35.5" |
9'4" |
| Wolfe
is a very fast, quick, productive small school, small back.
He projects as a change-of-pace, third down back with big-play
ability. While small, Wolfe is strong so he should be able
to hold up as a blocker on third downs. However, his size
will limit his potential to be a featured back. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| OKWO |
MICHAEL |
STANFORD |
ILB/OLB |
5'11.3" |
232 |
20 |
4.65 |
1.54 |
2.66 |
4.43 |
|
7.12 |
35.5" |
10'1" |
| Okwo
played inside at Stanford but may be better at the WILL in the
NFL because of his lack of height. He has good speed,
quickness and athleticism but had only one year where he was a
team leader in tackles. That, however, was his senior year
which will help his draft status. Prior to his senior
year, Okwo only started 5 games for a program that is not
exactly a football power. Okwo will be worth a long look
on day two of the draft. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| BEEKMAN |
JOSHUA |
BOSTON
COL |
OG |
6'1.5" |
313 |
24 |
5.36 |
1.81 |
3.06 |
4.81 |
|
8.24 |
25.5" |
7'9" |
|
PLAYER
WHO COULD HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN PLAYERS SELECTED AHEAD
OF HIM in the DRAFT
|
| Beekman
is the classic player who looks good on the field, but doesn't
workout well. However, for the right team (he is not ideal
for a zone blocking team) he could be a long term answer at
guard. Beekman will probably be drafted lower than where I
have him graded, but he will be a solid NFL player. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| PAYNE |
KEVIN |
LOUISIANA-MONROE |
SS/FS |
6'0.2" |
220 |
20 |
4.53 |
1.54 |
|
4.30 |
|
7.00 |
35" |
9'0" |
| Payne
is a strong kid with excellent size and above average speed for
a strong safety. He is best served as an in-the-box safety
who loves to hit. A former running back, Payne is still
learning and could develop into a good NFL starting strong
safety. In the meantime, he will be a special teams terror
while he learns his craft. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| GRAHAM |
COREY |
NEW
HAMPSHIRE |
CB/KR |
5'11.7" |
190 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Graham
is a cornerback and return specialist from a small school who
has good speed and was a willing tackler against the run.
He could stick as an extra defensive back and special teams
player. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| MCBRIDE |
TRUMAINE |
MISSISSIPPI |
CB |
5'9.1" |
185 |
14 |
4.48 |
1.51 |
2.56 |
4.17 |
|
6.74 |
35.5" |
10'9" |
| McBride
is a hard nosed player who has a chance to be a good nickel
corner. He has good quickness and is a good athlete.
He will also be a very good special teams player. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| BRANT |
AARON |
IOWA
ST |
OG/OT |
6'6.7" |
313 |
20 |
5.31 |
1.79 |
3.05 |
4.96 |
|
7.87 |
29.5" |
9'1" |
| Brandt
played tackle in college but may be moved to guard in the NFL
due to his lack of speed and quickness. In addition, his
athleticism for a guard is plus, while it is minus for a tackle.
Brant has tools but needs work in the weight room and on
technique. He has enough potential to warrant a pick late
on day two. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| ALLEN |
JOSH |
MARYLAND |
RB |
5'10.7" |
220 |
27 |
4.57 |
1.56 |
2.59 |
4.35 |
|
7.26 |
36" |
9'9" |
| Allen
is a strong inside runner who had a promising sophomore year
running for almost 1,000 yards before slumping in his junior
year and then sitting out what would have been his senior year
with a knee injury. He did come back this past year as a
reserve running back. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| FASSITT |
GREG |
GRAMBLING |
CB |
5'11.5" |
189 |
16 |
4.36 |
1.48 |
2.50 |
4.12 |
|
6.98 |
39" |
10'8" |
| Fassitt
has all the measurables. He is strong, fast, quick, and
athletic. He started for three years and is a worth a look
in camp on his workout alone. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| JAMES |
DRISAN |
BOISE
ST |
WR
|
6'0" |
188 |
|
4.40 |
1.49 |
2.50 |
4.33 |
11.83 |
7.05 |
39" |
10'9" |
| James
is more fast than quick and is a good athlete. He was the
deep threat for Boise State averaging almost 17 yard a catch his
senior year. He will, most likely, get lost in a deep wide
receiver draft, but is worth a look for a team that needs a
receiver to stretch the field. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| LEAK |
CHRIS |
FLORIDA |
QB
|
5'11.7" |
209 |
|
4.71 |
1.58 |
2.70 |
4.41 |
|
7.03 |
32.5" |
9'5"
|
| If
only Leak were 6'3", he would have been a day one pick.
He has an excellent arm, good athleticism and is an accurate
thrower. His size will limit him to third quarterback.
However, for a team that is not using their #3 on a future
starter, he could be an ideal #3. His best role in the NFL
will be to come in and play against a team that has not
game-planned for him. In that scenario he could lead his
team to a victory. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| SHANLE |
ANDREW |
NEBRASKA |
FS |
6'0.6" |
212 |
16 |
4.42 |
1.52 |
2.55 |
4.09 |
|
6.80 |
38.5" |
9'11" |
| Shanle
was a solid starter his senior year at Nebraska. He was
often used to blitz from his free safety position and has a nose
for the ball. Shanle has excellent size for a
safety, is strong, fast, quick, and athletic. At a minimum
he will be a terrific special teams player. His brother
Scott, is a linebacker for the Saints. |
2007
TEAM NEEDS PRIOR TO THE DRAFT and FREE AGENCY
major
need
need
depth/possible
need
not a significant need
| QB |
Grossman
will be given another year. Griese is a good backup, but
not more. |
| RB |
Tricky
spot. I like Jones more than Benson, but Jones could be
moved to allow Benson to start. |
| WR |
Better
talent than one might think because of inconsistency at QB. |
| TE |
Clark
is steady, and Gilmore is a decent backup. |
| OL |
Brown
is an UFA and the line is aging. |
| DL |
If
Harris comes back strong, this unit is set. However
backup DTs Scott and Boone are UFAs. |
| LB |
Hillenmeyer
is okay but replaceable, depth is needed. |
| DB |
The
Bears are set at corner, but a stud safety could be added as
insurance against Brown's next injury. |
| ST |
A
solid unit top to bottom. |
2006
DRAFT PICKS
Links go to write-ups at NFL.com
| Chicago |
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
School |
Jay's
ranking |
Jay's
draft value |
| 2 |
42 |
Manning,
Danieal |
SS |
5-11 |
201 |
Abilene
Christian |
#
15 CB, #9 FS |
Round
4 |
| 2 |
57 |
Hester,
Devin |
WR |
5-11 |
189 |
Miami
(Fla.) |
#
13 CB, L.R.V. WR |
Round
3 |
| 3 |
73 |
Dvoracek,
Dusty |
DT |
6-3 |
305 |
Oklahoma |
#
8 DT |
Round
2 |
| 4 |
120 |
Williams,
Jamar |
ILB |
6-0 |
250 |
Arizona
State |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| 5 |
159 |
Anderson,
Mark |
DE |
6-4 |
258 |
Alabama |
#
6 DE |
Round
2 |
| 6 |
195 |
Runnels,
J.D. |
FB |
5-11 |
235 |
Oklahoma |
|
>
Round 4 |
| 6 |
200 |
Reed,
Tyler |
G |
6-4 |
315 |
Penn
State |
|
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
Pope,
P.J. |
RB |
5-10 |
218 |
Bowling
Green |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
Day,
Tim |
TE |
6-4 |
256 |
Oregon |
#
7 TE |
Round
3 |
| |
FA |
Wallace,
Cooper |
TE |
6-2 |
260 |
Auburn |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
LeVoir,
Mark |
OT |
6-7 |
316 |
Notre
Dame |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
Byrum,
Dion |
CB |
5-11 |
190 |
Ohio |
#10
CB |
Round
3 |
| |
FA |
Slay,
Dwayne |
SS |
6-4 |
216 |
Texas
Tech |
#
8 SS |
Round
4 |
| |
FA |
Huston,
Josh |
K |
6-1 |
190 |
Ohio
State |
#
3 K |
Round
7 |
|
The Bears traded out of round one, and then
reached with both of their second round selections. They
also reached a bit in round four, but got good value in round
three, and great value with Anderson in round five.
While Manning was climbing up draft boards,
this was too high to select him. If the Browns are looking
at him as Mike Brown insurance, that could be a mistake because
I don't see him as a strong safety. Therefore, as a
corner, I liked Marshall much better. As a free
safety/corner hybrid, I liked Griffin much better. Both
were available at the Bears' spot in the draft. As a
strong safety, the Bears could have drafted Bing or Pollard.
At free safety, I had higher grades for both Smith and Simpson.
That said, Manning should still be a productive NFL player.
With their second selection in round two the Bears' selected
Hester. I had a third round grade on him, but he was the
best return man in the draft so I can't argue with that
selection. Hester will be a weapon on special teams for
the Bears and can fill in as an extra receiver or extra
defensive back. While their round two selections were
reaches, Dvoracek represented good value in round three. I had a
second round grade on him, and feel he is right there in talent
with McCargo, the DT that the Bills traded up with the Bears to
get in round one. Dvoracek will pick up the slack due to
Tank Johnson's injury. However, he is better than that.
Dvoracek has the skills to be an extremely productive NFL
starter. Jamar Williams was not a bad pick. He has
the flexibility to play both inside and outside but won't be
more than a backup and special teams player for the Bears.
He is a good kid who is a hard worker, and a leader, and will be
an asset to the team. However, I would have drafted TE
Klopfenstein with the Bears' first pick in round two, and then
SS Landry or FS Watkins in round four. Anderson in round
five was a great pick. I'll say that once more; a great
pick. He was a steal. Anderson is an excellent pass
rusher, and has the frame to get bigger to be just as effective
against the run. Look for him to break into the rotation
at end this year. Runnels is a run-blocking fullback, with
decent hands. He was a player I had doubts would be
drafted. After taking a second look, Reed is a player I
like. He was considered a tough, smart player with limited
athletic ability, then he had a solid workout. I do not
change the draft value in the above chart from what I had
pre-draft so that my past analyses can be looked at by football
fans to judge how much weight they want to place in my current
evaluations. However, Reed slipped through the cracks.
He is a player that I now would tag "late round
value."
With all of my disagreements with the Bears'
draft, why did they get a C+ and not a lower grade? The
reason is the free agents they signed. I even thought of
moving their grade up to a B- with these signings. P. J. Pope is
a strong, quick back who catches the ball very well. With
the depth at running back on the Bears he will have a hard time
making the team, but he has the tools to be an effective third
down back in the NFL. He could be a candidate for the
Bears' practice squad and contribute down the line. While
Klopfenstein would have been better if drafted in round two, Day
is not a bad option at tight end for the Bears. I like Day
more than most draft analysts because, while he lacked the speed
of many of the other tight ends in the draft, he has good size
and excellent hands and will be a very good short area receiver.
He also has the strength to develop into a good blocker, a very
important skill for Bear tight ends. I had a third round
grade on Day. It would not surprise me if Day not only
makes the team, but becomes an important contributor to the
Bears' offense. While Day was my top tight end free agent
available, Wallace was my distant second. Wallace is small
for a tight end, but is strong and blocks okay, and has good
hands. All-in-all, Day is the better prospect.
LeVoir is a big man who used his size in college more than skill
and technique to block. He could find his way onto the
Bears' practice squad as a developmental prospect since you
can't coach size. In a draft deep at cornerback, I had
Byrum as my major sleeper. He was my 10th ranked corner
and I had a third round grade for him. The past couple of
years my major sleeper at corner did well in the NFL. A
couple of years ago my guy was Randall Gay who started in the
Super Bowl that year for the Pats. Last year my guy was
Foxworth, whose talent become obvious enough to all that he
ended up being drafted in round three, and started in the AFC
Championship game. This year my guy is Byrum. Does
that mean big things for the Bears? Byrum has good speed,
tremendous quickness, and is a superb athlete. On top of
all that, he has excellent cover skills. I will be very
surprised if he doesn't make the Bear's roster and he could even
beat out Manning Jr. for the nickel by year's end. In
addition to signing my major sleeper in free agency, the Bears
also signed my favorite free agent. Dwayne Slay is a
monster hitter. His lack of speed caused him to get a
fourth round grade by me, and kept him from being drafted.
In addition to lacking speed, Slay is also not a top athlete.
However, if he learns the game and plays smart he has some
Rodney Harrison in him. Look for some monster hits during
the preseason from this head-hunter. Finally, the Bears
signed kicker Huston from Ohio State. He should provide
competition for Gould both as a field goal kicker and as a
potential kickoff specialist.
|
red indicates
workout number in top range at position in draft
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Manning |
Abilene
Ch |
5'10.6",
201 |
4.43 |
1.62 |
2.68 |
4.07 |
|
7.24 |
17 |
39" |
10'3" |
|
CB/FS
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Manning played well at the East West Shrine Game.
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Manning has good speed, good quickness,
and is strong for a corner. Long term he has the look of a
nickel and return man, although he could become a starter at
free safety. Manning has a nose for the ball. He
picked off 11 passes in his three years in college. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Hester |
Miami |
5'11",
185 |
4.32 |
1.54 |
2.59 |
4.20 |
11.21 |
6.78 |
16 |
38" |
10'4" |
|
CB/WR/RT
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Hester is a top kick returner prospect. Hester is very
fast and very quick, but didn't start for Miami. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Dvoracek |
Oklahoma |
6'2.6",
306 |
4.79 |
1.75 |
2.97 |
4.47 |
|
7.59 |
34 |
34" |
9'6" |
41 |
|
PLAYER
WHO WILL PERFORM BETTER IN NFL THAN MANY DRAFTED BEFORE
HIM
|
Dvoracek
has good speed, quickness, strength, and intelligence.
He is a risk because of off field issues, but has as
much talent as many of the defensive tackles currently
rated higher than him by most draft analysts.
While I would not be surprised if some of the other
tackles peak as a third tackle off the bench, I would be
very surprised if Dvoracek isn't a quality starter in a
year or two.
|
DT
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Dvoracek was able to get after the passer at the Senior Bowl.
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Dvoracek did not have a particularly
strong week of practice at the Senior Bowl. He also has some off
the field issues. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Williams,
J |
Arizona
St |
6'0.2",
236 |
4.58 |
1.61 |
2.69 |
4.29 |
|
7.03 |
21 |
37" |
10'4" |
|
OLB/ILB
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Williams is a leader with good football instincts. He will
be a coach's favorite, but may never amount to more than a
quality backup and good special teams player. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Anderson,
M |
Alabama |
6'4",
254 |
4.61 |
1.64 |
2.74 |
4.22 |
11.75 |
6.95 |
|
42" |
10'7" |
|
|
PLAYER
WHO WILL PERFORM BETTER IN NFL THAN MANY DRAFTED BEFORE
HIM
|
Anderson
had an excellent week of practice at the Senior Bowl,
and a very good game, including a play where he beat the
Brick for a sack. Before the draft process
Anderson was considered a pass rush specialist type
lacking elite athleticism. However, Anderson
proved to have good speed, excellent quickness, and
terrific athleticism at the Combine. He is
currently a little light at 254 pounds, but at
6'4", has the frame to add weight and be a three
down defensive end.
|
DE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Anderson had a very good Senior Bowl Game rushing the passer,
including one play where he beat the Brick. He also looked
good in practices. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Runnels |
OKlahoma |
5'11",
235 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FB - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Runnels is a blocker with decent pass catching ability.
Look for him to be drafted late, if drafted at all. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Reed |
Penn
State |
6'4.4",
315 |
5.17 |
|
|
4.82 |
|
8.33 |
29 |
29" |
9'2" |
|
OG - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Reed
is tough and smart, and proved to be a better athlete than many
thought he was. He could be late round find. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Pope |
Bowling
Green |
5'9.4",
218 |
4.49 |
|
|
4.06 |
|
6.69 |
22 |
36.5" |
9'9" |
|
RB - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Pope caught better than he
ran at the Hula Bowl.
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Pope is a quick back with decent
speed and good strength for his size. He catches the ball
very well so he could be a nice third down back in the NFL. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Day |
Oregon |
6'3.4",
256 |
4.74 |
1.63 |
2.78 |
4.20 |
11.43 |
6.89 |
26 |
35" |
9'1" |
|
TE/H-back
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Day showed reliable hands and the ability
to get open in short to medium zones during the East West Shrine
Game.
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - In a very deep draft for tight ends,
Day has excellent hands, good concentration, and can even block.
However, he played in a spread offense in college so will need
to get mentally tough if called on to block regularly. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Wallace |
Auburn |
6'2.1",
260 |
4.75 |
1.66 |
2.84 |
4.22 |
|
7.30 |
26 |
31" |
9'2" |
|
TE/H-back
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Wallace showed some
toughness during the East West Shrine Game.
Jay
Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Wallace is shorter than
expected but is strong and has decent blocking skills. He
is also a good receiver but can;t stretch the field because of
his limited speed. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| LeVoir |
Notre
Dame |
6'6.5",
316 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 |
30" |
8'7" |
|
OT - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay
Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - LeVoir is a big man with the
frame to add even more weight. He used his size more than
his skills to block in college but could be an interesting
developmental prospect for some team. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Byrum |
Ohio |
5'10.4",
190 |
4.43 |
|
|
3.89 |
|
6.88 |
12 |
40" |
10'7" |
|
|
PLAYER
WHO WILL PERFORM BETTER IN NFL THAN MANY DRAFTED BEFORE
HIM
|
Byrum
is a sleeper who played well in the East West Shrine
Game and has good speed and quickness, and is very
athletic. Byrum also has excellent cover skills
and instincts. He could be a steal on day two of
the draft.Byrum is a sleeper who played well in the East
West Shrine Game and has good speed and quickness, and
is very athletic. Byrum also has excellent cover
skills and instincts. He could be a steal on day
two of the draft.
|
CB - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Byrum
had a couple of nice plays at the East West Shrine Game.
Carlos
Holmes, Dayton Daily News -Here's the skinny on Byrum. Byrum
possesses outstanding cover skills, reads and reacts well to
the ball, is very instinctive and has good vision. He also
has good recovery speed which he demonstrated in the
East-West Shrine game when he stumbled coming out of his
back pedal and let the receiver get behind him. Byrum then
made like a bread truck and hauled buns down the field to
make the tackle. He had six interceptions on the
season, returning two of those for touchdowns. Whatever team
decides to pull the trigger on this player will be getting a
renaissance man. Byrum returned kicks, punts and was a
gunner on special teams.
|
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Slay |
Texas
Tech |
6'3.4",
216 |
4.72 |
1.72 |
2.76 |
4.40 |
|
7.29 |
|
32.5" |
9'4" |
|
|
PLAYER
WHO WILL PERFORM BETTER IN NFL THAN MANY DRAFTED BEFORE
HIM
|
Slay
may be the hardest and best hitter in the entire draft.
He will be tremendous as an in-the-box safety,
terrorizing anyone who tries to make a play in his zone.
Currently, he is a liability in coverage and he doesn't
possess the speed or quickness to improve much.
However, if he can learn to play smart, he could be the
next Rodney Harrison. Worst case, he is a
situational player and special teams terror.
|
SS
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Slay
may be the biggest hitter in the draft. He has excellent
tackling ability, and may be the best in-the-box safety in the
draft. He needs improvement in pass defense, but in the
right system he could be a monster. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
POS |
WORKOUT NUMBERS |
| Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Huston kicked well at the East West
Shrine Game. He has strong leg and is excellent at
kickoffs, but is not overly accurate on long field goals. |
2006
TEAM NEEDS
prior to free agency
| CHI |
| QB |
I have this more of a need than the
Bears' do, I'm sure. I'm not convinced that either
Grossman or Orton can be their long term starter at
quarterback. The answer here, is in free agency,
not the draft. Look for the Bears' to replace
Blake, an UFA, with a current backup who has starting
potential (think Volek of TEN) just in case. |
| RB |
This is not a need, in my mind, because
of Jones and Peterson, not their first round pick last
year, Benson. However, as a threesome, it's a
strong unit. |
| WR |
The Bears will need to add a veteran in
case Bradley is slow to return. Muhammad, Bradley,
Berrian, and Gage are an effective unit. |
| TE |
Clark is inconsistent. A new
starter would help, but the Bears' need a tight end to
block, so pass-catching is secondary in their offense. |
| OL |
The Bears' have a good line, and even
with Metcalf an UFA, they have Garza ready to step in as
planned. However, a great line can take a big hit
if a key player is out. A dominate unit can become
just good. The fly in this ointment is Brown, who
is an old 33, and could break down at any moment.
Therefore, if Metcalf leaves, the Bears will need
someone who can step in and keep the line going at a
high level. |
| DL |
A deep and talented unit, a
run-stuffing defensive tackle to push Scott could be
added. Ogunleye, Brown, Haynes, Harris, Scott,
Johnson are a very good unit. Long could get into
the action next year as a pass rush specialist as well. |
| LB |
Urlacher, Briggs, and Hillenmeyer are a
talented trio of starters. Odom, Joe, and Cain are
capable reserves. A middle linebacker for the
bench could be added late in the draft. |
| DB |
Tillman got "Elvis Pattersoned"
(toasted) in the playoffs, but he is a good corner.
So is Vasher. However, Azumah is an UFA.
Therefore, a corner for depth is needed. Brown to
strong safety was an excellent move. However, he
has to stay healthy. Harris had a good rookie
campaign, but may never be a star. Johnson adds
depth. If a top free safety can be secured it
would upgrade the defense, but it is not a crying need. |
| ST |
Gould can kick short, but not long.
He is replaceable. Maynard had a bad year.
That has happened before in his career and he has
rebounded. Berrian can return punts but if he
starts until Bradley is ready, double-duty could be too
much for him. The Bears need an upgrade at kick
returner. |
|
2005
COLLEGE DRAFT
While the Bears did not reach at any spot in
the draft, they did not get any of my late round value players
either as draft picks or as undrafted free agents.
I was not crazy about the Bears' draft. Of the top three
running backs I have the most questions about Benson. He
has the look of a potential William Green or T.J. Duckett.
He is not particularly fast, nor a top athlete. At best,
he will be one of those good, but replaceable backs. In
round two Bradley is a fast receiver with potential.
If I were the Bears' GM, I would have drafted WR Mike Williams
in round one and RB Eric Shelton in round two. Williams
and Muhammad would have given the Bears' a difficult pair of
receivers to defend. Best case, Shelton will be better
than Benson, worst case he would have provided the perfect
compliment for Thomas Jones. Time will tell....
While Orton went where I projected him, he is a big, slow
quarterback. With the trend in the NFL towards using the
quick hybrid defensive ends-outside linebackers as pass
rushers, mobile quarterbacks are in vogue. Orton is not
mobile. A number of draft experts like Currie a lot.
While he could develop into a good player, I am not as
enamored with him as I am with players like Larry Brackins,
Rasheed Marshall, Tad Perry, and especially Craig Bragg, all
of whom were selected after the Bears chose Currie.
Harris and Wilson are special team types. Harris is a
big-hitter who could develop into an in-the-box safety.
He has limitations in the passing game, but was one of the
better athletes amongst strong safeties available in this
draft. Wilson is a former quarterback/wide receiver/free
safety/linebacker who doesn't have the speed required to play
in a base defense as starting strong safety. If the
Bears want a strong safety to develop, I suggest they sign
Junior Rosegreen ,or possibly, Marvin Godbolt. As of
this writing I had not seen either sign anywhere. Both
are better long term strong safety prospects than Harris or
Wilson.
In addition to not having a high opinion on the Bears'
draft, I am also not impressed by what they have done signing
college street free agents to date. They have not signed
any of my undrafted late round value players. Of their
free agents signed, however, Nick Novak has a shot to stick as
their kicker. The Bears are unhappy with Edinger so
Novak will be given a long look. While Novak had an
awful Gridiorn Classic Game, he rebounded to have a solid
Combine. The latest news has it that the Bears brought
in running back DeWitt Betterson for a tryout. They
should sign him. I have a high fourth round grade on
Betterson. He is hard, strong runner with better game
speed than workout speed. He would provide an insurance
policy for Benson. He has feature back potential.
If they sign him , they will have made a major strike in the
college free agent market.
|
RED NUMBERS BELOW - among
best at position
Long shuttle numbers (where available) in blue, top performers to be
determined later
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Benson |
RB |
4.51 |
|
|
|
|
18 |
33" |
9'8" |
19 |
Allen
Trieu of NFLDraftShowcase.com reports: He
can run the ball, no doubt about it. He's proven since high
school that he has very natural
running ability and instincts. But he needs to pick up the
consistency, which he did more his junior season, and improve
his ability in the passing game both as a receiver and blocker.
Right now, some are predicting early 1st Round, but Benson looks
more like a late 1st-early 2nd round talent to me.
round talent to me.
Charean Williams, Star-Telegram
Staff Writer (www.dfw.com) reports: Cedric
Benson followed Ricky Williams to the University of Texas. Now,
with the possibility of following him to the Miami Dolphins,
Benson is trying to distance himself from Williams. As
part of his plan to convince NFL scouts he is not Williams,
Benson recently cut off the trademark dreadlocks he has worn
since high school. Williams, 27, quit the Dolphins just before
training camp last year after only five seasons, later admitting
three failed drug tests that would have led to a mandatory
suspension. "Our relationship wasn't as strong as
people might think it was," Benson said. "... We
didn't spend time on the phone or sharing things or anything
like that. I look up to the guy as a player on the field, and I
admire the things he did on the field, and that's basically what
caught my attraction." Benson, 22, is one of the
NFL's top prospects. ESPN's Mel Kiper has him rated first, while
USA Today's Sports Weekly and Scouts, Inc. have him No. 6. Other
draft experts have him in the top five.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: His
hero is Ricky Williams. That's enough to scare me some.
The strong move-the-pile running back with enough speed to pop
the occasional long run in this draft. Just a hunch, but
may be better at "playing a running back" than at
"playing at running back." |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Bradley |
WR |
4.43 |
1.54 |
4.02 |
|
6.96 |
|
39.5" |
10'8" |
11 |
| Jay
Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Bradley is
a good receiver who could get lost in this draft. He has skills,
but there are a lot of more intriguing prospects, with higher
upside potential than Bradley. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Orton |
QB |
5.08 |
|
4.54 |
|
7.39 |
|
26.5" |
|
27 |
Gil Brandt of
NFL.com: Orton did very well throwing
the ball during the position drills at his Pro Day.
NFLFans.com reports: Prototypical
QB size, and has the toughness to match it. A fiery leader,
demands that those around him step up their game. Very strong
arm, accurate, doesn't throw many interceptions. However,
some see him as a system QB. He had a poor showing at the
Senior Bowl.
Allen Trieu of NFLDraftShowcase.com reports: Orton
has the intangible qualities that allow quarterbacks to succeed
in the NFL. The fact that Drew Brees and Byron Leftwich (QBs who
ran the spread offense in college) are enjoying some NFL success
bodes well for Kyle's future.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: In my
opinion, Orton is an over-rated prospect. I see him as an
NFL backup only.
Michael Mardot of the Associated Press (at abcnews.go.com)
reports: Purdue
quarterback Kyle Orton hopes to be the next in a long line of
Purdue quarterbacks who have struck it big in the NFL. Former
NFL starters from Purdue include Len Dawson, Bob Griese, Gary
Danielson, Jim Everett and Drew Brees.Orton showed up at the NFL
combine with some new facial hair. He aims to show off much more
this weekend. "I think I've got good enough speed to
get outside the pocket and pick up four or five yards for a
first down," Orton said Friday. "I think I could be a
late first or early second-round guy, and if I fall, that's OK.
I just want a chance."At 233 pounds, Orton has added about
seven pounds to his 6-foot-4 frame and still expects to do a 4.9
or 5.0 when he runs the 40-yard dash this weekend.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Orton
did not have a particularly good game at the Senior Bowl.
He made a number of bad throws. Orton was not in my top six
quarterbacks before this game, and remains out of my top six.
Pat Kirwan of NFL.com reports: After two days of
practice (at the Senior Bowl) and sitting with two different NFL
quarterback coaches, Kyle Orton of Purdue seems to be the best
prospect on the field. He had velocity on his ball, moved well
in the pocket and overshadowed Charlie Frye (Akron) and Dan
Orlovsky (Connecticut) at least in the eyes of the coaches I was
with and I agreed after three practices.
Colin Lindsay of GBNReport.com reports: Purdue QB
Kyle Orton, who did not throw well at all in the individual
passing drills, was sharper in the 11-on-11 drills on Wednesday
at Senior Bowl practice.
Colin Lindsay of GBNReport.com reports: Purdue
QB Kyle Orton has a bit of a deliberate release and was
surprisingly way off on a number of passes, but did hit a couple
of deep tosses. Orton, though, needs to get a lot of body behind
anything too far downfield.
Zac Jackson, of ClevelandBrowns.com, reports: QB Kyle
Orton showed a strong arm but lacked accuracy during Monday's,
Jan. 24, Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Alabama. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Currie |
WR |
4.50 |
1.63 |
4.07 |
|
7.07 |
|
38" |
10'5" |
23 |
| Jay
Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Currie was
a track star in college. I expected better speed than a
4.50 forty. He is a development project on the next level. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Harris |
SS |
4.55 |
|
4.07 |
|
6.90 |
|
37" |
10'6" |
|
| Jay
Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Harris had
an excellent workout. He also has the reputation of a
big-time hitter. He could be a special teams terror. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Wilson |
SS |
4.69 |
|
4.13 |
|
7.14 |
21 |
38.5" |
9'10" |
|
| Jay
Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Wilson
never settled on a permanent position at South Carolina.
He moved from offense to defense, settling in at outside
linebacker in 2004. While projected at strong safety in
the NFL, his has limited speed and may be better off adding bulk
and staying at linebacker. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Novak |
K |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jay
Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Novak
rebounded and posted some good decent workout numbers at the
Combine. He made
11 of 15 kicks overall, made 4 of 6 > 45yds, and his kickoffs
were between 64 to 67 yards.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Novak
looked awful at the Gridiron Classic game. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Betterson |
RB |
4.60 |
|
4.26 |
11.99 |
7.40 |
21 |
37.5" |
10'1" |
|
Jay
Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Betterson
was said to have impressed scouts during the week of practice at
the Hula Bowl. In fact, some said he was the best athlete
at the game. After watching him play in the Hula Bowl, I
can see what the scouts liked. He runs strong and has the
speed to break long runs. I can't wait to see his workout
numbers. He certainly didn't look out-of-place playing
with prospects from the big football divisions. One of my
top five players in the game.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET
reports: During the Gridiron Classic game Betterson
looked good. He had some nice runs and caught the ball
well. I came away thinking Betterson is a player I want to
see play more. An interesting prospect. |
2005
TEAM NEEDS PRIOR TO FREE AGENCY AND THE DRAFT
Jay
Goldberg of 90FootballLinks.NET reports:
major
need
need
position
possible
need, depth needed
no real need
Key UFA: Gibson OT, Thomas RB, George QB, McMillion
CB
Key RFA: Brown DE, Gray SS (5th), Metcalf (3rd), Gilmore
(6th), Peterson RB
NOTE - RFA COMPENSATION AT MINIMUM TENDER
QB:
Grossman is a former
first round pick and will be given a chance to start coming back
from injury. Krenzel, a rookie last year, looked bad more
often than good but won some games. Hutchinson played
okay. George didn't play and is a free agent. The
Bears need to solidify their number two quarterback (between
Grossman and Krenzel) whether Hutchinson, George, or a free
agent.
RB:
Thomas Jones looked
good considering being banged up, the often ineffective passing
game, and a less-than-stellar offensive line. Thomas will
be allowed to leave so the Bears need to bring in a back-up,
preferably with size, to spot Jones. There are options in
the draft including Houston early and Betterson late.
WR:
Time to say goodbye to
David Terrell. Wade was suppose to thrive in this system,
but looks like he best fits as a number 3 receiver. Gage
didn't progress as I thought he would, that was partially due to
lack of opportunities. Berrian may have the most upside of
all receivers currently on the Bears' roster. They need a
player who can step in and be the go-to guy.
TE:
Clark is okay but
replaceable. Two of their three backups are RFAs.
OL: The
Bears gave up the most sacks in the league and only averaged 3.8
yards a carry. The need upgrades at both tackle and guard.
DL: The Bears have a good mix of veterans and youth on their
defensive line. They can not, however, let Brown (RFA)
leave in free agency. I like both Harris and Johnson
defensive tackles added in last year's draft, and Haynes looks
like he is becoming a good third end for their rotation at end
wit5h Ogunleye and Brown.
LB:
Briggs came on strong
and forms a great one-two punch with Urlacher at linebacker.
The Bears should bring in competition for Reese and Odom for the
third starting spot.
DB:
Another strong unit
for the Bears. They have three solid corners in Tillman,
Azumah and Mcquarters (and Vasher has some upside). At
safety, Brown should be back at full strength and Green is an
underrated player who will be pushed by Shivers. If a
big-hitting strong safety who can cover slips in the draft, the
Bears could grab him to make this unit very special.
ST: The
Bears should pay me to watch their games. Whenever I
watch, Edinger makes his kicks. But when I'm not watching
..... It's time to bring in some legit competition for
him, although I still think he has the talent to be a good NFL
kicker. Punter Maynard is one of the best.
McQuarters and Berrian are solid return men.
|
2004
COLLEGE DRAFT
| The Bears had a solid draft. Harris and
Johnson could both start for the Bears for years. Both
are athletic tackles, but not monster run stuffers. The
Bears linebackers will still have to fight off blocks and make
tackles near the line of scrimmage. Berrian was an
excellent pick in the third round. He is still
recovering from injury so he is not yet at full speed, that's
saying a lot since he ran a 4.47 on his Pro Day. He is
also a good return-man. Vasher, initially, was
considered a second round pick, then had a bad workout and
dropped. He rebounded closer to the draft with a solid
workout, but didn't recover his initial status in a deep
cornerback draft. That was good news for the Bears who
got excellent value drafting Vasher in round four. He
will be an excellent nickel corner. Leon Joe was one of
the most athletic linebackers in the draft. He is also
strong. At worst he will be a terror on special teams.
Harriott was worth a shot in round five. A productive
player in college prior to his senior season, he fell due to
that drop-off. At one time, he was considered a day one
prospect. Krenzel is a marginal prospect whose ceiling
is a backup quarterback. Maybe the Bears agree, they
signed street free agent Ryan Dinwiddie who, according to
NFLFans.com: "Put up tremendous numbers at Boise State,
and while those numbers will definitely give him a shot in the
NFL, his physical abilities will limit that same shot.
Dinwiddie is one of the most prolific passers in college
football, and is an incredibly tough kid." Marshall
could be useful in dime packages but will have to prove he can
tackle consistently on special teams to stick. |
PLAYER/
TEAM NEWS PRIOR TO DRAFT
| PLAYER |
POS |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Harris |
DT |
6-2½,
295 |
4.78 |
- |
4.31 |
7.31 |
29 |
31" |
9-0 |
Harris
Oklahoma
#2 ranked DT by Jaybird
|
Pete
Fiutak / CollegeFootballNews.com posted at foxsports.com
reports: Projected:
top ten pick. Good or bad move to come out early? Don't be
stunned if he's not the sure-thing top five selection that
everyone's making him out to be. There's an outside chance he
becomes the Terrell Suggs slider of the first round, but that
doesn't mean he's not going to be outstanding. A tad more
prospect than production, he hasn't put up the great numbers a
player of his caliber usually makes at the collegiate level, but
he has the total package of size and strength.
Matt Gambill of
AllProScouting reports: It's
hard to really project Tommie as a DE. He's at 292-pounds and
just under 6'3". He reminds me a great deal of La'Roi
Glover. Not the bulkiest DT, but relies on leverage, quickness,
strength, and fundamentals. That's the type of player I see
Harris being. His stock has slid some, but he should be a
top 15-20 pick.
Eric
Edholm of ProFootballWeekly.com reports: Harris, 20,
can play tackle in a 4-3 formation or end in a 3-4. He likely
will run a sub-4.7 40-yard dash for scouts on his pro day
(he’s not expected to run at the Combine this week), and he
has shown impressive strength — he bench-presses 470 pounds
and power-cleans 345 — in the weight room. At his listed 6-3
and 289 pounds, he has a solid frame, but looking at him in
person shows he has room to grow. In time he could develop into
a player like Raiders free-agent DT Rod Coleman or even the
Patriots’ Richard Seymour.
Len Pasquarelli
of ESPN.com reports: One
of the best interviews of the day was that of Oklahoma defensive
tackle Tommie Harris, who was colorful and glib and quick-witted
during a media session that others seem to find an ordeal. At
one point, Harris pointed to ESPN's John Clayton and said:
"Hey, man, I see you on TV all the time, and it's finally
good to see you in person." A very quick athlete, scouts
still aren't sure whether Harris is best suited for the nose
spot or the "three technique" tackle position. He
weighed in at 296 pounds, considered on the light side by some
teams, and might be projected to the latter spot. Then again,
Harris didn't care where he lined up, as long as it's on
defense. "Play me at safety and, trust me, I would take
care of business," Harris said. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Johnson |
DT |
6.02.8,
305 |
4.69 |
- |
4.67 |
7.60 |
32 |
34½" |
9-5 |
Johnson
Washington
#9 ranked DT by Jaybird
|
Pete
Fiutak / CollegeFootballNews.com posted at foxsports.com
reports: Projected: 2nd round. Good or bad move
to come out early? Johnson could be the type of combine guy that
becomes this year's Dewayne Robertson and skyrockets up the
charts if someone wants to keep him as a tackle. Johnson is
average against the run, but he's a peerless athlete for a
defensive tackle. He's so quick and has such great speed that me
might project to be a good sized end.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports: Tank
Johnson, defensive tackle, Washington. Johnson measured up at
6-foot-2 ¾ and 304 pounds, and ran as low as a 4.7, which is
pretty fast for someone his size. He also lifted the bar 31
times.
Len Pasquarelli of
ESPN.com reports: DT "Tank"
Johnson (Washington): Not exactly the 300-pounder who eats up
blockers and allows linebackers to flow to the ball, but is very
quick into the gaps, and ran a sub-4.7 time that opened a lot of
eyes. Somewhat shy on pure football instincts, but moved himself
up a few rounds, and could be a good fit for a one-gap defensive
scheme.
GBNReport.com reports: No
player may have made a bigger move up draft boards around the
league than Washington DT Terry 'Tank' Johnson. Johnson, who had
a near-dominating Senior Bowl, has bulked up to a solid 305
pounds, but has still been running a DE like sub-4.75 40.
Indeed, there are some teams who may look at Johnson as a
potential DE down the road.
Mel Kiper of ESPN.com reports: As
the draft day countdown approaches three weeks, Kiper has
identified Johnson as a fast riser. |
| PLAYER |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Berrian |
6-1,
183 |
4.47 |
1.63 |
4.15 |
- |
7.34 |
- |
39" |
10-9 |
Berrian
Fresno State
#11 ranked WR by
Jaybird
|
Marek
Warszawski of fresnobee.com reports:
Berrian ran a 4.58 40 at the combine, considered below average.
Wednesday, he was timed between 4.47 and 4.50. The 6-foot-1,
193-pounder also had a 39-inch vertical leap, a 10-foot-9 broad
jump and a 4.15 shuttle. "[Berrian] looked good; he
definitely helped himself," said an AFC scout who did not
wish to be identified. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Vasher |
CB |
5-10,
179 |
4.47 |
4.02 |
- |
6.74 |
- |
36½" |
- |
Vasher
Texas
#15 ranked CB by
Jaybird
|
NFLFans.com
reports: Vasher struggled badly to cover the taller
receivers during the Senior Bowl. Known as an aggressive yet
smaller cover-corner. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Joe |
O |
6.00½,
230 |
4.47 |
- |
- |
- |
30 |
39" |
- |
Joe
Maryland
#13 ranked OLB by
Jaybird
|
NFLFans.com
reports: Measurables, measureables, …… it is what
it is all about with many scouts and although a very successful
OLB in college he will have to prove he can add the muscle mass
and weight to compete against the big boys. If he has a good
post season and combine, he may move up, if not, especially if
he comes into the combine looking more like a safety than LB,
well, it will drop him further down the charts. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
10
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Harriott |
DE |
6-3
5/8, 252 |
4.66 |
1.62 |
4.25 |
7.44 |
25 |
33½" |
9-10 |
Harriott
Pittsburgh
#13 ranked DE by
Jaybird
|
Len Pasquarelli
of ESPN.com reports:
Claude Harriott, DE, Pittsburgh: A year ago, scouts were
touting University of Pittsburgh defensive end Claude Harriott
as a possible first-rounder. But his stats fell off
precipitously in 2003 and he ended up splitting playing time
toward the end of a disappointing campaign. Harriott isn't very
stout, doesn't hold up well against the run and seems to have
lost much of his initial explosiveness.
Len Pasquarelli of
ESPN.com reports: DE
Claude Harriott (Pittsburgh): Began the '03 season as one of the
country's most touted pass rushers, but was splitting time by
the end of a disappointing campaign, and didn't do much in
Indianapolis to rehabilitate himself. His workouts were OK in
terms of raw times, but he appears stiff and seems to lack pure
explosiveness. Sort of a "tweener" and no one seems
certain if he can make the transition to a standup a linebacker
spot.
NFLFans.com reports: Harriot
was very unimpressive in workouts and considered falling in the
charts. Needs a good pro day to make up for recent slippage in
rankings. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Cain |
LB |
6-1,
230 |
4.75 |
4.18 |
11.56 |
6.91 |
22 |
38½" |
- |
| PLAYER |
POS |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
| Ballard |
S |
6-1¼,
203 |
4.61 |
- |
- |
- |
11 |
38½" |
10-4 |
2003
COLLEGE DRAFT
| Chicago |
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
School |
| 1 |
14 |
Haynes,
Michael |
DE |
6-4 |
281 |
Penn
State |
| 1 |
22 |
Grossman,
Rex |
QB |
6-1 |
217 |
Florida |
| 2 |
35 |
Tillman,
Charles |
CB |
6-1 |
207 |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
| 3 |
68 |
Briggs,
Lance |
ILB |
6-1 |
242 |
Arizona |
| 4 |
100 |
Johnson,
Todd |
FS |
6-1 |
206 |
Florida |
| 4 |
116 |
Scott,
Ian |
DT |
6-2 |
312 |
Florida |
| 5 |
139 |
Wade,
Bobby |
WR |
5-10 |
193 |
Arizona |
| 5 |
143 |
Gage,
Justin |
WR |
6-4 |
217 |
Missouri |
| 5 |
171 |
Lafavor,
Tron |
DT |
6-2 |
290 |
Florida |
| 6 |
191 |
Odom,
Joe |
OLB |
6-1 |
241 |
Purdue |
| 6 |
206 |
Forsey,
Brock |
RB |
5-11 |
198 |
Boise
State |
| 7 |
261 |
Anderson,
Bryan |
G |
6-4 |
321 |
Pittsburgh |
|
C+
|
2003
COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD
|
|
| Haynes is a solid defensive end prospect, but
he will not rush the passer like Suggs. Solid, not
spectacular choice. Grossman makes or breaks this draft.
It's Grossman and Haynes versus Suggs. Personally, I
would have drafted Suggs and followed-up with Ragone in round
three. Time will tell. Tillman has tremendous
potential.. He may have been selected higher than
projected, but he would not have been there for the Bears in
round three. Tillman has size, speed and good football
instincts. He will need time, however, to adjust to the
NFL. Briggs will play special teams and backup Urlacher.
However, I felt the Bears greater linebacker need was for an
outside linebacker with pass-rush potential. Rushing the
passer is not Briggs' strength. Johnson was a good pick
in round four. He could eventually be a quality starting
safety. Scott has the tools, but his production has not
matched his talent. Wade is a slot-receiver and punt
returner. Gage, a former college basketball player is an
interesting prospect. The Bears hope that between Gage and
David Terrell they can find a consistent reliable weapon to be
their third wideout. LaFavor is another player with
loads of talent who just can't get it together consistently on
the field. Unlike some of the previous players drafted
by the Bears, Forsey is a player who gives it his all and
makes the most out of his abilities. |
| Haynes |
AllProScouting.com
reports Penn State DE Michael Haynes did 23 reps of 225 at the
combine.
The Philadelphia
Inquirer reports Penn State DE Michael Haynes likely hurt his
draft position on Saturday with a poor performance at the NFL
Combine. “He was just awful,” said an agent who watched
the work out. “He shouldn’t have worked out.” Haynes ran
one 40-yard dash at a time of 4.88 seconds, but didn’t run a
second because of a hurt quadriceps. He was able to finish the
rest of the drills, but just didn’t fare too well. His
performance likely dropped him from the end of the first round
into the second.
Len Pasquarelli of
ESPN.com reports DE Michael Haynes (Penn State) hurt his draft
status at the combine. Viewed as one of the top three
ends when he arrived at the combine, Haynes had a disastrous
experience here. He ran a sluggish 40-yard time, in the 4.88
range, then suffered a quadriceps injury that stole away any
chance of redeeming himself. Plus he just didn't look like he
had much explosiveness from the edge.
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
Great Blue North (GBNReport.com)
reports, DE Michael Haynes, 6'3 ½", 278lbs, really
helped his cause. Haynes, who pulled a quad muscle during the
combines, ran in the 4.6 range in the forty yesterday.
Additionally he participated in a full range of positional
drills. (Note - ran on a fast track). (Gil Brandt of NFL.com
had Haynes at 4.70) |
| Grossman |
Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com
reports the Packers remain intrigued by Florida QB Rex
Grossman, whose toughness and skill level, some Packers scouts
feel, is equivalent to that of a young Brett Favre. As
noted earlier, the Packers may even use their first-round
draft pick on a QB.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports: The
biggest talk today (at combine) was Florida quarterback Rex
Grossman, who surprised everyone by measuring 6-foot-1.
Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com
reports Rex Grossman of Florida was up and down (Sunday
at combine), and one scout recalled a sequence in which he
skipped two balls several yards short, but followed up with
two straight completions that demonstrated both touch and arm
strength.
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
KFFL.com reports Florida QB Rex
Grossman was clocked at 5.15 in the 40-yard dash at
Florida’s Pro Day. He reportedly did not look good in the
workouts. |
| Tillman |
The Houston Chronicle reports CB
Charles Tillman of Louisiana-Lafayette checked in at 6-1, 208
at the NFL Combine. He blew away scouts by running 4.39 and
4.45 and he also looked good in individual drills.
Matt Gambill of AllProScouting.com
reports, The most attractive thing
about Tillman is his ability to play both CB and FS at a high
level. Great size and speed. Tremendous football intelligence.
If he went to a bigger school, he'd be a first rounder easily. |
| Briggs |
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports, Lance Briggs was
listed at 6-0¾ and 241 pounds. He ran the 40 in 4.79 and
4.78, did 4.49 in the short shuttle, had a 34-inch vertical
jump, 9-foot-4 long jump, ran 7.16 in the cone drill, and did
not bench. |
| Johnson |
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
KFFL.com reports Florida S Todd Johnson was
clocked at 4.50 in the 40-yard dash during Florida’s Pro
Day. He also looked good in positional drills. |
| Scott |
Matt
Gambill reports AllProScouting.com reports
Ian Scott measured 6023, 312, did 28 reps, and ran a
5.18 forty.
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
Gil Brandt of NFL.com
reports, Scott stood at 6-foot-2 1/2, 310 pounds. He ran the
40 in 5.12 and 5.19 and was timed at 4.60 in the short shuttle
and 7.96 in the three-cone drill. He had an 8-foot-2 long
jump. |
| Gage |
ProFootballWeekly.com reports:
Missouri WR Justin Gage looked very big. Gage, a converted
quarterback and former Missouri basketball player, said he has
gained 12 pounds of muscle to get his weight up to 216. At
6-4, size is not an issue with him. It’s a different story
as far as his speed goes, however. “The 40 (yard dash) is
very important for me,” he said. “It could make or break
my draft status. That’s what teams are saying, anyway.”
The Post Dispatch's Jim Thomas reports
Missouri WR Justin Gage will not work out as planned for pro
scouts Wednesday, because of a minor knee injury. "He
just tweaked the knee; the MRI showed nothing," said
Gage's agent, Jim Steiner. Gage will now workout at a later
Pro Day, maybe in late March. St Louis Rams' Coach Mike Martz
was among Rams officials who had planned to attend Wednesday's
workout. |
| LaFavor |
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports,
DT LaFavor was 6-2 and 286 pounds. He ran for 5.12 twice in
the 40-yard dash. He displayed a vertical jump of 28 inches,
did not do a long jump, was a 4.56 in the short shuttle, and
did a 7.7 in the three-cone drill. |
| Odom |
The Great Blue North (gbnreport.com)
reports LB Joe Odom ran a sub-4.6 40 at the combine.
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
Matt Gambill of
AllProScouting.com reports, Joe Odom-LB-Purdue ran a 4.49 and
a 4.50 forty at pro day. |
| Forsey |
WORKOUT
NUMBERS
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports, Forsey was not at the Combine.
This was the guy who scored a lot of TDs for the Boise State
Broncos last season. He ran in the 4.6s. |
2002
COLLEGE DRAFT
|
GRADE : B+
Columbo may have been
selected a little high but OT was an area of need for the
Bears and they were not going to get anything close to him if
they waited for round two. While Columbo may have gone a
little high, the Bears stole CB Williams in round three and DE
Brown in round four. No one would be surprised if, long
term, Williams became the third best CB from this draft
(behind Jammer and Buchanan). And Brown adds a player
who could become a starter and is currently a much needed pass
rusher. That is not something usually avail in the
fourth round of the draft. OG Metcalf was also a solid
pick and Peterson could develop into a capable back-up RB.
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