Bears get an A

[AZ54]

Most analysts didn't like our draft. Prisco is different. I don't really put any stock into this stuff but it's interesting to read mostly in terms of what our division rivals did. The one thing I get from most of the "grades" is that this was a deep draft and almost every team did well. Our draft wasn't sexy so won't get the publicity the big names bring but I think it was good.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-p...-2014-nfl-draft

 

Within our division the Packers didn't impress me too much. Dix is a good player wouldn't have minded drafting him at all. But behind that GB did ok.

 

Detroit grabbed Ebron early, we grabbed the CB who covered him in college. Ebron certainly makes their offense more challenging... unless we get to their QB. Behind that they did little to address their D and I don't get that at all and then drafted another TE in the 4th Rd. I thought Matt Millen was no longer in charge.

 

Minn did very well early with Barr and then Bridgewater later in the 1st.

 

I'm curious to hear what our draft experts think about our division rivals picks.

[Stinger226]

Most analysts didn't like our draft. Prisco is different. I don't really put any stock into this stuff but it's interesting to read mostly in terms of what our division rivals did. The one thing I get from most of the "grades" is that this was a deep draft and almost every team did well. Our draft wasn't sexy so won't get the publicity the big names bring but I think it was good.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-p...-2014-nfl-draft

 

Within our division the Packers didn't impress me too much. Dix is a good player wouldn't have minded drafting him at all. But behind that GB did ok.

 

Detroit grabbed Ebron early, we grabbed the CB who covered him in college. Ebron certainly makes their offense more challenging... unless we get to their QB. Behind that they did little to address their D and I don't get that at all and then drafted another TE in the 4th Rd. I thought Matt Millen was no longer in charge.

 

Minn did very well early with Barr and then Bridgewater later in the 1st.

 

I'm curious to hear what our draft experts think about our division rivals picks.

I have heard a couple different people ,I respect, say he was the best CB in the draft.If its even close to that we did right.

[scs787]

For what was there I'd give them a B+.

 

I thought with Donald gone they shoulda grabbed a S but Phil apparently likes Conte and wants to give him a shot at winning his job. Fuller looks the part of a shutdown corner and that is always something a team needs. He drew comps to Tillman, so getting a year to learn from Tillman should be huge. Depending on the matchups I can see Jennings playing the slot with Fuller and Tillman on the outside.

 

Depending on where you look they did really well with the DTs they drafted. Ourlads, which is run by a former scout and actually provides the media with scouting reports on every player had Ego and Sutton ranked 4th and 5th in their DT rankings. Yes, Nix was ranked first, but the fact that they brought him in for a workout and passed on him tells me he wasn't a fit. Jernigan was ranked 3rd but he sadly went off the board a few picks before us.

 

Carey was kind of a meh pick for me but if they saw the need for a real good backup they did just that with Carey. Ourlads has him ranked as the top overall RB in the draft.

 

Everyone here knows I was hyping up Vereen as a mid round gem and I of course think he's just that. Love his size/strength/speed combo. Yes his short arms are a bit of a concern, but I look at Pryor, who a lot here wanted, and see that his arms are just an inch longer while Vereen is an inch taller. So in a way it all kinda evens out.

 

Fales I think is a perfect fit for a WCO. Good, quick release, leads his receivers well, great accuracy, not exactly a statue in the pocket, smart, goes through his progressions. Working with Trestman I think he has the chance to either A. Push Cutler outta town in 3 years or B. Should Cutler get hurt and he gets a chance to play he might end up being good trade bait.

 

O'Donnell was the top ranked punter in the draft, maybe a bit of a reach, but as a 6R pick it doesn't hurt to get a guy who will contribute and fills a need.

 

Leno Jr. is a versatile OL project for Kromer to get his hands on. Britton is back, but only for a year, this guy provides solid depth for now and into the future. Kromer has done more with less. He's a guy who likes to get out to the 2nd level and sounds like a perfect fit for what we do schematically.

 

Adding Christian Jones as a UDFA could also be a real good get if the Bears do end up moving Bostic to the outside to replace Briggs next year. He was one of the few LBs I actually liked in the draft.

 

Not sure if anyones gonna touch Lyerla, but if someone adds him, I'm hoping it's the Bears, that'd just be the cherry on top of what I thought to be a fine draft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lucky Luciano]

Most analysts didn't like our draft. Prisco is different. I don't really put any stock into this stuff but it's interesting to read mostly in terms of what our division rivals did. The one thing I get from most of the "grades" is that this was a deep draft and almost every team did well. Our draft wasn't sexy so won't get the publicity the big names bring but I think it was good.

 

i give the bears draft a solid B+ to A-

 

fuller - a high quality cover corner we have needed.... forever. trumps a safety or DT any day of the week.

ferguson - i like this pick. this appears to be a SOLID tackle to shore up the worst run defense in our entire history. whether he turns out to be a top pass rusher is unimportant to me. i want someone who does NOT end up 5 yards downfield after the snap of the ball or end up, like paea, standing in front of the RT after a guard shoves him down the entire line.

 

here is what USA Today Sports pre-draft edition says about him:

"PRO's: Does a good job of exploding and extending low and crossing the face of a blocker. Good lateral quickness. Naturally strong at holding his ground. Played in a rotation his first two years for the Tigers where his main job was to help secure the middle of the defense. Plays with leverage on blocks and is rarely sealed. Finishes pursuit on plays to the outside. When rushing the passer, has good hand strength to control movement.

 

CONS: Needs technique work as an inside pass rusher.

 

sutton - another DT who is more of a pass rusher type tackle. makes up for our loss and trumps all who wanted donald.

 

carey - to me a superb pick. THIS is the guy we need in short yardage. like an ironhead hayward type of back who can still start if needed. the value was there and not in a safety at this point in the draft. again we build strength upon strength for the future.

 

vereen - THIS was the time to move up and pick a player with some real potential and at a position of need. giving up a 5th rounder next season is no big deal. to me anything after the 4th is reasonable to trade out of. sometimes even the 4th unless you are moving up big in the first 3 rounds for a very special player.

 

finally...

 

the last 2 years drafts are the first time since jim finks and jerry vanesie (sp?) were in charge that i am not angry on draft day. his scouting department seems light years ahead of what we had pre trestman and post finks (time will tell over the next few years as these drafted players develop or fail).

 

PLUS: emery held to our position in the first 3 rounds instead of the idiotic trading down we saw from angie compiling a hundred 7th round draft picks we usually cut during camp or picking second quality players that looked like angies scouting departments main concern was how much free beer was served during their evaluations.

 

in my opinion his drafts are geared to win superbowls by picking players who do NOT need to necessarily be the "most ready to start player" and "win it now" nonsense we have heard bear management, draft anylizers and fans spout for decades.

 

PLUS: he is using stop gap veterans in many instances to give potential primo players he drafts a chance to become aclimated into the NFL. especially given what angelo left us on this depleted, talentless, aging roster he has moved this team forward as much as any GM possible given the restrictions.

 

PLUS: he focuses on key players and positions needed to WIN superbowls.

1. quarterback - first and foremost surrounding him FINALLY with at least SOME quality talent on the offensive line to keep him off of the IR. another aspect of your QB is receivers - marshall and jeffrie - a stroke of genius bringing in marshall to work with cutler and young draft talent until they reach an NFL level. finally someone sees a need for high quality talent in this important aspect of todays game.

2. defensive ends - no more hanging on to an aging player who is not producing anymore (or ever) but setting up the future with time to find replacements for aging or depleted players with still hungry veterans or veteran prospects. this gives us time to groom future draft picks that we hopefully won't be able to draft in a top 10 environment because of our record.

3. cornerbacks - to me this is the key every GM since finks has failed at and a major component in winning multiple superbowls. all that TRIPE about not needing very good to excellent CB's because we run a zone/cover nobody defense is ludicrous and always has been. you need to draft these guys high in the first round generally because everyone wants one. this draft was the time to go for that position while we still had a pick that high.

 

since the 1990's the NFL has become do to rule changes a passing league and if anyone thinks that a high end safety or a pass rush exempts this need for a high quality cover CB is in my opinion delusional.

 

know the importance of key positions and draft them well. this is how you build dynasties and win multiple superbowls.

[scs787]

Evan Silva of Rotoworld gave us a B....

 

Overview: The Bears return virtually every key piece from an offense that finished 2013 No. 2 in points scored, so GM Phil Emery went to work on his patchwork defense in this draft. He got a Week 1 starter in Fuller, and likely year-one contributors in run-stopper Ferguson and three-technique penetrator Sutton. A versatile corner-safety hybrid and value pick where he went, Vereen is a sleeper to play meaningful snaps as a rookie. Noted measurables drafter Emery set aside the spreadsheet and trusted the tape for his Carey, Fales, and Sutton picks. Leno was a value addition so late in the seventh and could push LG Matt Slauson sooner rather than later. Chicago has emerged from an active free agency period and the draft with few remaining needs. I thought this draft attacked holes, added depth where necessary, and procured plenty of upside.

 

Grade: B

[Stinger226]

For what was there I'd give them a B+.

 

I thought with Donald gone they shoulda grabbed a S but Phil apparently likes Conte and wants to give him a shot at winning his job. Fuller looks the part of a shutdown corner and that is always something a team needs. He drew comps to Tillman, so getting a year to learn from Tillman should be huge. Depending on the matchups I can see Jennings playing the slot with Fuller and Tillman on the outside.

 

Depending on where you look they did really well with the DTs they drafted. Ourlads, which is run by a former scout and actually provides the media with scouting reports on every player had Ego and Sutton ranked 4th and 5th in their DT rankings. Yes, Nix was ranked first, but the fact that they brought him in for a workout and passed on him tells me he wasn't a fit. Jernigan was ranked 3rd but he sadly went off the board a few picks before us.

 

Carey was kind of a meh pick for me but if they saw the need for a real good backup they did just that with Carey. Ourlads has him ranked as the top overall RB in the draft.

 

Everyone here knows I was hyping up Vereen as a mid round gem and I of course think he's just that. Love his size/strength/speed combo. Yes his short arms are a bit of a concern, but I look at Pryor, who a lot here wanted, and see that his arms are just an inch longer while Vereen is an inch taller. So in a way it all kinda evens out.

 

Fales I think is a perfect fit for a WCO. Good, quick release, leads his receivers well, great accuracy, not exactly a statue in the pocket, smart, goes through his progressions. Working with Trestman I think he has the chance to either A. Push Cutler outta town in 3 years or B. Should Cutler get hurt and he gets a chance to play he might end up being good trade bait.

 

O'Donnell was the top ranked punter in the draft, maybe a bit of a reach, but as a 6R pick it doesn't hurt to get a guy who will contribute and fills a need.

 

Leno Jr. is a versatile OL project for Kromer to get his hands on. Britton is back, but only for a year, this guy provides solid depth for now and into the future. Kromer has done more with less. He's a guy who likes to get out to the 2nd level and sounds like a perfect fit for what we do schematically.

 

Adding Christian Jones as a UDFA could also be a real good get if the Bears do end up moving Bostic to the outside to replace Briggs next year. He was one of the few LBs I actually liked in the draft.

 

Not sure if anyones gonna touch Lyerla, but if someone adds him, I'm hoping it's the Bears, that'd just be the cherry on top of what I thought to be a fine draft.

We think a like, I posted some of this information on its own thread.

 

I think Donald is the only guy he would have took over Fuller, I bet you he had him rated higher than Gilbert. I think the reason he drafted Fuller over both Ss is he thought they will be better players, he wasnt concerned of needs as which good GMs get the BPA guys and build a team around them .