Jerry Angelo's draft picks (bad)

[Da Bears 88]

Danieal Manning

Garrett Wolfe

Mark Bradley

Cedric Benson

Dan Bazuin

Dusty Dvoracek

[brletich]

Danieal Manning

Garrett Wolfe

Mark Bradley

Cedric Benson

Dan Bazuin

Dusty Dvoracek

 

Yes Angelo has had some bad draft picks, but he has had some very good ones too, Briggs, Tillman, Vasher, Anderson...all On D of course but it hasn't been all bad. That being said he needs to be fired right after the pick if our 1st rounder is not an OL

[Bears4Ever_34]

The good:

 

Briggs

Tillman

Vasher

Urlacher

Brown

Anderson

Brown

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Danieal Manning

Garrett Wolfe

Mark Bradley

Cedric Benson

Dan Bazuin

Dusty Dvoracek

I don't know if I could call the Dusty pick bad. If you aren't calling the Colombo pick bad (since his failure was not because he didn't have the talent, rather cause he couldn't stay healthy) there is no way you can't call the Dusty pick bad. In his one game out there Dusty looked like a maniac (awesome push, played run/pass well) and I was super excited (unfortunately he went down in week 1). You also can't call it a major negative that he didn't play his rookie year given the Bears depth at DT at the time (you could say the timing of the pick was bad, in that they could have went for another position given the depth at DT).

 

I also can't really comment on Bazuin till he gets on the field. Plus had the Bears not taken Benson they would have taken Mike Williams and that would have been twice the disaster.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

The good:

 

Briggs

Tillman

Vasher

Urlacher

Brown

Anderson

Brown

I want to point out that Urlacher/Mike Brown were drafted by the late Mark Hatley.

[DrunkBomber]

McNown

Enis

Terrell

Salaam

Haynes

Colombu

[DrunkBomber]

I want to point out that Urlacher/Mike Brown were drafted by the late Mark Hatley.

Talk about a defensive eye

[DABEARSDABOMB]

McNown

Enis

Terrell

Salaam

Haynes

Colombu

Haynes/Columbo are the only two that were Angelo picks. Haynes/Grossman were picked in a trade down where the Bears passed on Dwayne Robertson (and to this day I think it was a good decision to trade down and Haynes development was stunted by the Bears switching coaches a year into his career, IIRC, and his style suited Blache/Jauron's style but not Lovies style (lovie prefers the speed approach).

[jackie hayes]

How the hell do you put Bazuin on that list? Guy's just been on ir. That's ridiculous.

[DrunkBomber]

Haynes/Columbo are the only two that were Angelo picks. Haynes/Grossman were picked in a trade down where the Bears passed on Dwayne Robertson (and to this day I think it was a good decision to trade down and Haynes development was stunted by the Bears switching coaches a year into his career, IIRC, and his style suited Blache/Jauron's style but not Lovies style (lovie prefers the speed approach).

Ya I know, I was just implying that some guys on that list arent justified. I remember the hype on the manchild Robertson that year. Turned out good...didnt we get Tommie the next draft?

[Da Bears 88]

Yes, i know Dvoracek has been hurt and you can't prevent them.

 

But, i just didn't like that pick.

[DaBearSox]

Where's Tommie Harris?

[brletich]

I also can't really comment on Bazuin till he gets on the field. Plus had the Bears not taken Benson they would have taken Mike Williams and that would have been twice the disaster.

 

I disagree...they would have chosen Cadillac Williams who, while not being amazing, has been much better than Benson.

[SoxFan1]

How could you possibly have Dvoracek and Bazuin on that list right now?

[ncbears54]

Who drafted Devin Hester?

[BearSox]

I disagree...they would have chosen Cadillac Williams who, while not being amazing, has been much better than Benson.

He had a better rookie season and that's the only thing better he has done.

[BearSox]

Danieal Manning -He's played fine

Garrett Wolfe - yeah, he sucks

Mark Bradley - he probably wouldn't suck so much if they actually threw the ball in his direction

Cedric Benson - I disagree

Dan Bazuin - wtf are you talking about?

Dusty Dvoracek - wtf are you talking about?

 

Quick question, why isn't Grossman on that list? I would hardly say that he has preformed like a 1st rounder.

[jason]

First of all, Dvoracek and Bazuin shouldn't be on the list - they have been injured. Talk to me when they actually get to play a few games.

 

Also, why the hell is Wolfe on the list? Is it his fault that the OC for the Bears is too stupid to make cereal? Is it Wolfe's fault he gets blasted into the line where defensive players are literally twice his size? If he is put in space and used effectively, he could do something similar to what Westbrook does for Philly. Or, if you think that's a stretch, he could do what Darren Sproles did for the Chargers this weekend.

 

Last but not least, I don't think Bradley should be on that list either. When he has been given a chance, he has done well and looked dangerous. It's just too bad the Bears have had a mental midget calling the plays and choosing the starters on offense since Bradley has been with the team. How can one judge a player's talent or worth if that player never sees the field, and the people who start in front of that player stink?

[adam]

I wouldn't say any of the picks were completely brutal, it was just some were reaches at the time.

 

If any, the Benson pick was probably the worst. The 4th pick was huge, and the Bears already had TJ, which made the pick even more worthless.

[nfoligno]

Couple comments regarding Robertson

 

First, you are assuming we would have taken him. It was the most commonly held belief, but FAR too often I have seen drafts where everyone thought a team would do one thing, only to see them do another. There is no absolute Robertson would have been the pick. While DT was a need, so were several other positions. I believe CB was a need, and Newman was there. I remember talk of some other players as well.

 

Second, it has been said many times before, but just because a player didn't workout for one team does not mean he would not have worked out for another. Maybe Robertson would have been a bust for us, but then again, we play a different scheme, and have different personnel that would have surrounded him, and he may have been good.

 

Third, while I was not so much against our trade down, I was sick over the two players we ended up taking, and to this day still believe we got hosed on our 1st pick. Most of the talk had us trading down expecting to draft Jimmy Kennedy, but there was a run on DTs early, and he didn't fall to us, which is why we dropped another slot when NE offered. Ironically, Kennedy was a bust too, and further ironic, is now w/ us.

 

For the record, the player I really wanted w/ that first pick was Polamalu. Man would that have been nice.

[balta1701-A]

I wouldn't say any of the picks were completely brutal, it was just some were reaches at the time.

 

If any, the Benson pick was probably the worst. The 4th pick was huge, and the Bears already had TJ, which made the pick even more worthless.

That was coming off of Jones's first year in Chicago, and Jones still wasn't looking like a #1 back. Still had a couple fumbles that year, still didn't put up 1000 yards, still missed a couple games. His performance skyrocketed the next 2 years. Personally, I think it's hard to blame the Bears for taking a RB in what most people thought was supposed to be a strong RB draft when they were drafting really high and where they though they didn't have a 1000 yard guy in the backfield.

 

In hindsight, it's sure looking like Benson is the wrong choice. I'll withhold saying that for certain until we see him behind a decent O-Line, but at the time it certainly seemed justified.

[adam]

That was coming off of Jones's first year in Chicago, and Jones still wasn't looking like a #1 back. Still had a couple fumbles that year, still didn't put up 1000 yards, still missed a couple games. His performance skyrocketed the next 2 years. Personally, I think it's hard to blame the Bears for taking a RB in what most people thought was supposed to be a strong RB draft when they were drafting really high and where they though they didn't have a 1000 yard guy in the backfield.

 

In hindsight, it's sure looking like Benson is the wrong choice. I'll withhold saying that for certain until we see him behind a decent O-Line, but at the time it certainly seemed justified.

 

Wasn't' looking like a #1 back? He had 1,375 Total yards from scrimmage that year on a 5-11 team. That is solid production from an RB. He only had one fumble lost that year, and finished the season with back-to-back 100 yard games.

 

Going into the 2005 draft, RB should have been near the bottom for priorities. Especially with the #4 pick. If the draft was strong at RB, then you can normally pick up quality later in the draft. That is actually more of a reason not to draft an RB when that was not a critical need.

[nfoligno]

Disagree.

 

One. While TJ did not have a bad year, it wasn't believed he was a special back either. A servicable, or even good back, maybe, but not a special back.

 

Two. To that point, TJ had not shown an ability to stay healthy, nor had he proven capable of being a workhorse. The 240 carries he had that year were nearly double his career high.

 

Three. It is very easy to say it was a mistake today as we have seen Benson play, and at this point, it is hard to even think much less recall what was said about his them. Benson was a very highly rated RB. He was considered a special RB. In fact, as I recall, several publications had him being one of the best RBs to hit the draft in years. RB was not our #1 need, but at the same time, you hate to pass on a player you feel is a franchise player that can carry the franchise because he have a decent player at that position. The year we drafted Urlacher, MLB was not our top need as Minter was still a servicable enough MLB, but it was felt that Urlacher was simply that special sort of player you can't pass on. I doubt many question that pick.

 

I would put it simply this way. If Benson became the special player he was hyped up to be, I think you would be hard pressed to find those who would argue his selection. NO had Deuce McAlister and drafted Bush, who they felt was special, and few questioned it. Minny had Chester Taylor, who had just rushed for over 1,200 yards and a 4 ypc average. He proved he was a workhorse w/ his 300+ carries, and added 42 catches as well. Yet that did not stop them from drafting AP.

 

I would argue that Chester Taylor had proven himself in Minny far more than TJ in Chicago. Would you argue Minny was wrong to draft AP?

 

It is easy to look back and say it was a mistake, but IMHO, you would not be saying that today if Benson had developed into the player so many scouts felt he would be.

[Bears4Ever_34]

I want to point out that Urlacher/Mike Brown were drafted by the late Mark Hatley.

 

hmm, alright, I've never heard of him haha.. Thanks

[adam]

Disagree.

 

One. While TJ did not have a bad year, it wasn't believed he was a special back either. A servicable, or even good back, maybe, but not a special back.

 

Two. To that point, TJ had not shown an ability to stay healthy, nor had he proven capable of being a workhorse. The 240 carries he had that year were nearly double his career high.

 

Three. It is very easy to say it was a mistake today as we have seen Benson play, and at this point, it is hard to even think much less recall what was said about his them. Benson was a very highly rated RB. He was considered a special RB. In fact, as I recall, several publications had him being one of the best RBs to hit the draft in years. RB was not our #1 need, but at the same time, you hate to pass on a player you feel is a franchise player that can carry the franchise because he have a decent player at that position. The year we drafted Urlacher, MLB was not our top need as Minter was still a servicable enough MLB, but it was felt that Urlacher was simply that special sort of player you can't pass on. I doubt many question that pick.

 

I would put it simply this way. If Benson became the special player he was hyped up to be, I think you would be hard pressed to find those who would argue his selection. NO had Deuce McAlister and drafted Bush, who they felt was special, and few questioned it. Minny had Chester Taylor, who had just rushed for over 1,200 yards and a 4 ypc average. He proved he was a workhorse w/ his 300+ carries, and added 42 catches as well. Yet that did not stop them from drafting AP.

 

I would argue that Chester Taylor had proven himself in Minny far more than TJ in Chicago. Would you argue Minny was wrong to draft AP?

 

It is easy to look back and say it was a mistake, but IMHO, you would not be saying that today if Benson had developed into the player so many scouts felt he would be.

We can go back and forth all day, but I guess it would come down to what perspective you take. These were comments from ESPN, etc about Benson before the draft:

 

Projection: Cedric Benson is clearly a first-round talent, but teams might think twice before taking him at the top of the round because of questions about whether his heart is really in the game.

 

NEGATIVES: Gives minimal attempts blocking. Seemingly goes down rather easily at times or finishes the play running out of bounds. Experienced fumbling problems this season. Made some very selfish comments prior to his junior campaign when asked to share the load at running back.

 

ANALYSIS: An outstanding athlete who gave up a career in baseball, Benson has all the physical skills to be a premier NFL back. Has the abilities to be a three-down player effective in passing situations. Must pick up the tempo of his blocking and does not always show a fire in his belly, yet when hitting on all cylinders a franchise running back.

PROJECTION: Early First Round

 

We all know he has all the talent in the world to be an elite RB, but when you see these comments from 2004/2005, and we are still dealing with them 3 years later is very disappointing.

 

This was probably exactly what you said, take the best guy available at #4, and they felt Benson was that guy. Hopefully he still can be.