scs787

This is solid news. With the way athletes are returning from injuries and still playing at the same level, I would have zero problem taking Smith.

I absolutely am talking about Vernon Butler. Here's the thing, Butler is a guy who faced constant double teams because of his talent level. When he comes to the senior bowl and dominates when not being double teams, that should tell you a lot. There's a good chance he's not facing double teams at the next level......His technique was flawless at the senior bowl. Even before the senior bowl I read where a scout had a first round grade on him. He's absolutely worth a 2R pick. Buckner and Reed works for me as well, but I'm a bigger fan of Butler right now.

I think Trevethon has to be top priority in FA, and I think he'll come here. So I'll go DL. do agree that Buckner is probably gone, but in ideal world I would LOVE Buckner/Butler in the first 2 rounds.

Wow. Obviously a big loss for them, and a win for the Bears. Terrible WR draft class this year as well. Free agent market is meh as well.

I'm not sure why a few of you are down on the DL market in the draft. It's littered with 1st round talent. I almost wanna double up in the 1st 2 rounds. Buckner and Vernon Butler in the 1st 2 rounds would be sick. Buckner-Goldman-Butler with Ego and Sutton off the bench would be awesome. Unless Marty is traded, I'll pass on skill position players in FA.

I'm hoping for Trevethon and Kelechi Osemele. Get those 2 and I'm a happy panda. Wilkerson isn't making it out of New York so even if it's just smoke screens, I think its a pipe dream.

Not sure I can take a site that has Vernon Butler going as the last pick of the 5th round serious. Even before his stellar senior bowl week he was viewed as a 2nd rounder. I even read a quote from a scout saying they had a 1st round grade on him.

Yeah, I totally skipped over him thinking he was a 34 OLB for whatever reason. After looking more into him, he's def not, and def capable of playing ILB in a 34. No way he drops to the 2R. After the combine I'm betting he goes top 15.

Latest update goes... 1. Stanley OT 2. Anthony Johnson DT 3. Cardale Jones QB 4. Rashard Higgins WR Still no ILB or S. Given how the draft plays out I would go.... 1R. Darron Lee LB Ohio State- Here's a guy who has gotten lost in the shuffle on this board, and probably because he's listed as an OLB. I think has a OLB in a 43 and an ILB in a 34. His name was brought up on another board and after looking into him, I like him a lot. CBS has him as the 18th ranked prospect and from the film I've looked at, I think he'll blow up the combine and raise that stock up even higher. QB in HS, started out as a safety in college, then moved to LB. Was a "Walkout LB" at OSU, meaning he walked out to play in coverage(I obviously covet that). 2R. Vernon Butler DT Louisiana State- Like AZ brought up in the senior bowl thread, Butler has looked really good the last few days at the Senior Bowl. For a guy his size, he looks really agile. 3R Jalen Mills CB/S LSU- Staying in the state of Louisiana and looking at another guy who has looked really solid during Senior Bowl week. Mills looks to be extremely versatile. He played safety last year for LSU, and he's started at CB there previously. He's looked really good in cornerback drills despite being looked at as a potential safety. He really looks like he could come in and start at either CB if they move on from Porter, or FS next to Amos. I would bring back Porter for a year, slot Mills at FS, then reevaluate what you wanna do with Mills next year. 4R Jerald Hawkins OT LSU- Another Louisiana player here, this one I would be shocked to see in the 4th round. CBS currently has him going in the 2nd. I for one believe they'll keep Long outside, and am hoping to see Kelechi Osemele brought in as a FA. Hawkins would be solid competition for Leno.

Yeah, Butler was another guy who showed up big, and is the more realistic of the 2(He and Rankins) to fall into round 2.

Rankins looks incredible. I would prefer a guy with more length but man, haven't watched game tape yet, his senior bowl performance reminds me a lot of Aaron Donald. Played in some odd man fronts from what I read so there's that.

I think if we get the OL where it needs to be, he can be a deep threat.

Am I the only one who liked Deonte Thompson?

He's a guy who I think could get better at the next level. He does indeed have elite strength. I watched videos of him breaking some of Mark Henry's old lifting records. Mark Henry was once the worlds strongest man. I would still probably pass on him unless he falls to the 2R.

Tough to say since free agency is before the draft, and the Bears should be very active there. Jack would probably be my guy. I'm hoping they get their hands on Trevethon, but doubling up on ILBs should happen.

Agreed, D is the only one I like. Kinda bummed Cravens is getting 1st round buzz. My ideal picks would be Buckner then Cravens. There's a good chance Buckner isn't there either. Starting to not be a huge fan of this years draft.

I thought Montgomery was solid and think he should be brought back.

Like Ashkum said, maybe huge was an overstatement, but I was indeed disappointed, particularly in pass blocking.

It's really tough to fathom these mocks ignoring the ILB position. Maybe if they add the caveat that they have them signing an ILB or 2 I would get it but damn. I hope the draft doesn't play out this way because I'm having a hard time figuring out what I would do. I'm not a huge fan of Scooby as a fit for what I think they should try and do, but given the way this particular draft played out, I would take him with the 3rd pick.

I know grades are subjective, but if White is what we hope and Grasu improves, a B+ might even be low. Grasu was a huge disappointment for the most part, but hopefully he continues to get stronger and stronger=better. Hell if Tayo gets himself in better shape he might even be a guy in the future.

Maybe in run defense, but what I'm worried about the most is the gaping hole in the middle of the field in the pass game. Both SMC and Jones looked lost in coverage and it showed with the Bears ranking dead last in coverage in the middle of the field(ref football outsiders). Pairing one of those 2 with a guy who was pulled of the field on 3rd downs in the biggest game of the year sounds like an awful way of fixing that HUGE problem. I wouldn't hate to see him paired with a guy like Trevathon or Derrick Johnson(another guy sound in coverage) but the whole thing in the Nat Championship game scares me. Saban is a great coach and if he's pulling him off the field on 3rd down, there's gotta be something off, and you don't spend a 1R pick on a 2 down LB.

I would have no problem trading down for Smith, but I'm sure a lot will disagree. I kinda look at like drafting a QB in the first round(I wouldn't be apposed if I believed in any of them this year). Sign Trevathon and play him next to Timu until Smith is ready. Having Trevathon/Smith next to eachother would be incredible for the future of the franchise.

Yeah, last year he was a exclusive rights free agent, this year he's a restricted free agent. Will be interesting what round draft pick they tag on him. If he's a 2R RFA I would jump on him. Of course Denver has the right to match but they may not have the money to do so.....I'm guessing they put a 1st round tender on him though. I wouldn't HATE to give up a first rounder for him, but I would probably pass, especially if Trevathon is on the market.

Yep, don't think they can sign everyone. One of Trevathan or Jackson are bound to hit the market, hopefully both. Reading comments over on a Broncos blog, and it sounds like Jackson pushed the pocket a ton. That coincides with PFF rating him as the better pass rusher of he and Wolfe. Getting both Jackson and Trevathan would be huge. Only one probably hits the market, and I'm hoping its Trev.

I think that's a fair analysis on him. My biggest worry is correcting the problems we had in the middle of the field, and that is where Cravens will help. What he can provide in coverage isn't comparable to SMC. I agree with nearly every publication that are calling him a LB in the NFL. Cravens is 235 FWIW, I just threw out the.comp and too small thing because there were posters previously calling him too small. Battling around. LInemen can be tought, instincts can't. I think for what the team needs, Cravens is a fit.