Bears Draft Scenario Question

[dawhizz]

I'm interested to see what you would do in this situation:

 

Ryan Clady and Kenny Phillips are off the board by 14. So are Brohm and Matt Ryan. You try to trade down but there are no takers. What do you do (and please let me know who specifically you would take):

 

a. Draft Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky

b. Reach a bit for an OT (Jeff Otah or Sam Baker)

c. Draft a RB (Johnathan Stewart or Rashard Mendenhall)

d. Draft a WR (Desean Jackson or Malcom Kelly)

e. Do something else

 

I'm actually participating in a Mock Draft this weekend, and that seems like a reasonable scenario, so I'd be interested to see what people think. Personally, I'm tempted to take Jeff Otah in that situation, but I can be persuaded otherwise.

[BearSox]

Jeff Otah wouldn't be a reach at 14, unless he has just a horrible combine...

[bradjock]

I'm interested to see what you would do in this situation:

 

Ryan Clady and Kenny Phillips are off the board by 14. So are Brohm and Matt Ryan. You try to trade down but there are no takers. What do you do (and please let me know who specifically you would take):

 

a. Draft Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky

b. Reach a bit for an OT (Jeff Otah or Sam Baker)

c. Draft a RB (Johnathan Stewart or Rashard Mendenhall)

d. Draft a WR (Desean Jackson or Malcom Kelly)

e. Do something else

 

I'm actually participating in a Mock Draft this weekend, and that seems like a reasonable scenario, so I'd be interested to see what people think. Personally, I'm tempted to take Jeff Otah in that situation, but I can be persuaded otherwise.

 

You're doing a mock draft 95 days before the draft??? I just don't get the point in doing it so early. We could have easily signed LT Travelle Wharton from Carolina by then. That means we move Tait back to RT & drafting OT is out of the question. As for running-back, I could see us signing Turner or Julius Jones. If we lock Berrian or Grossman up to a long-term deal . . . when you combine this with how much the draft will change after the combine. I just don't see the point.

 

That being said, I think we'll target the best OT available. This is a good year for them. Woodson's accuracy is worse then Orton's. I just don't see him being an upgrade. We've tried drafting running-backs and it hasn't worked. There's no point in drafting a WR if the rest of our offense sucks. So my advice is draft Otah.

[Connorbear]

Jeff Otah wouldn't be a reach at 14, unless he has just a horrible combine...

I agree. Take Otah in this scenerio.

 

Peace

[DrunkBomber]

Jeff Otah wouldn't be a reach at 14, unless he has just a horrible combine...

Self proclaimed Mel Kiper has spoken. Then we can take Joe Flacco in the second because hes like Big Ben only more awesomer.

[nfoligno]

You have to understand. When you start looking toward the next year by Holloween the previous, you tend to start things ahead of time. This time last year, few (if any) were making up mocks. But after yet another year like this one, I am surprised people waited until the end of the bowl season.

[nfoligno]

Disagree also on the use of the word "reach".

 

I have seen both OTs graded in many drafts as top 15. Further, I have to ask if you are not showing a bit of bias here. I think an argument can be made just as easily that one of (or both) RBs or WRs are a reach as much as one of the OTs, yet only for the OT do you use the word reach.

[dawhizz]

Disagree also on the use of the word "reach".

 

I have seen both OTs graded in many drafts as top 15. Further, I have to ask if you are not showing a bit of bias here. I think an argument can be made just as easily that one of (or both) RBs or WRs are a reach as much as one of the OTs, yet only for the OT do you use the word reach.

 

I don't understand what my bias would be given that I already mentioned I would draft one of the OTs. Why would I find it favorable to my postition to classify my own choice as a reach? From the majority of the mocks I've seen, one of the RBs or WRs I've listed have gone ahead of both the additional OTs I listed, so I wanted to allow those who believe that RB or WR is a first round need (I am not one of those people) to pick one of those players if they felt it was the best choice.

[nfoligno]

My bad, and I am sorry. I was in a bit of an antagonist mood last night (more so than usual). Again, sorry for the accusation.

 

My point though was, most I think grade those two OTs as mid 1st round grades, and thus I am not sure it is right to classify them as slight reaches. IMHO, they are no more of a reach than either of the WRs or RBs. The poll like question poses should simply be which would fans prefer.

 

I too want the OT, and to me, it is not even close. IMHO, neither WR is that great, and would not be a mid 1st round pick in most years. This is an weak WR year, and thus their grades and draft slotting is over-valued.

 

RBs are not over-valued, I don't think, but I do not in any way want to draft a RB again in the 1st.

[ZoomSlowik]

Definitely O-Line. Woodson (or any other QB we draft for that matter) would get killed behind our current O-Line, assuming they even start this year or next. Sure, you could sign some FA's to bolster it, but we really need help at tackle, which is a bit harder to fill through that route. I'll use the same kind of logic at RB, if the blocking isn't particularly good it's hard for them to have an impact. As for the receivers, neither of them really thrill me and it generally takes them a few years to develop into reliable options.

[BearSox]

Self proclaimed Mel Kiper has spoken. Then we can take Joe Flacco in the second because hes like Big Ben only more awesomer.

1st of, I have never proclaimed myself to be Mel Kiper or a college/draft expert.

 

2nd of, never compare me to that freak Mel Kiper.

[dawhizz]

So we did the first round tonight, we're doing the second tomorrow, and 3rd & 4th on Sunday (don't ask me why). I took Otah (Phillips went right before me and Clady went 5 to the Chiefs). Baker ended up lasting until the Giants at #30 and no one took Woodson or Brohm in the first. So now what should I do?

 

a. Focus on a QB (if so, how do you rate Brohm, Woodson, Flacco)

b. Take best WR available. Available WRs at the end of the first are Limas Sweed, Adarius Bowman, Mario Manningham, Earl Bennett, Early Doucet, Devin Thomas).

c. Take a RB (Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice, Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson are on the board).

d. Take a DT (Pat Sims, Kentwan Balmer, Dre Moore)

e. Something else

 

Any thoughts?

[Connorbear]

So we did the first round tonight, we're doing the second tomorrow, and 3rd & 4th on Sunday (don't ask me why). I took Otah (Phillips went right before me and Clady went 5 to the Chiefs). Baker ended up lasting until the Giants at #30 and no one took Woodson or Brohm in the first. So now what should I do?

 

a. Focus on a QB (if so, how do you rate Brohm, Woodson, Flacco)

b. Take best WR available. Available WRs at the end of the first are Limas Sweed, Adarius Bowman, Mario Manningham, Earl Bennett, Early Doucet, Devin Thomas).

c. Take a RB (Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice, Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson are on the board).

d. Take a DT (Pat Sims, Kentwan Balmer, Dre Moore)

e. Something else

 

Any thoughts?

I would take the best available WR, RB, or QB.

 

Peace

[balta1701-A]

So we did the first round tonight, we're doing the second tomorrow, and 3rd & 4th on Sunday (don't ask me why). I took Otah (Phillips went right before me and Clady went 5 to the Chiefs). Baker ended up lasting until the Giants at #30 and no one took Woodson or Brohm in the first. So now what should I do?

 

a. Focus on a QB (if so, how do you rate Brohm, Woodson, Flacco)

b. Take best WR available. Available WRs at the end of the first are Limas Sweed, Adarius Bowman, Mario Manningham, Earl Bennett, Early Doucet, Devin Thomas).

c. Take a RB (Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice, Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson are on the board).

d. Take a DT (Pat Sims, Kentwan Balmer, Dre Moore)

e. Something else

 

Any thoughts?

Both Brohm and Woodson are supposed to be first round picks. If you can pick one of those in the 2nd round you have to grab them. Sweed might also rate as a late first rounder, so if he's on the board but the QB's are gone, look at him. Doucet and Thomas might be good backup plans. With that group of people remaining, I might avoid the RB group (the 2nd round type people seem to already be gone), and I still think the Bears are set at DT.

[BearSox]

So we did the first round tonight, we're doing the second tomorrow, and 3rd & 4th on Sunday (don't ask me why). I took Otah (Phillips went right before me and Clady went 5 to the Chiefs). Baker ended up lasting until the Giants at #30 and no one took Woodson or Brohm in the first. So now what should I do?

 

a. Focus on a QB (if so, how do you rate Brohm, Woodson, Flacco)

b. Take best WR available. Available WRs at the end of the first are Limas Sweed, Adarius Bowman, Mario Manningham, Earl Bennett, Early Doucet, Devin Thomas).

c. Take a RB (Jamaal Charles, Ray Rice, Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson are on the board).

d. Take a DT (Pat Sims, Kentwan Balmer, Dre Moore)

e. Something else

 

Any thoughts?

 

a. Brohm would be an absolute steal in the 2nd round, if he's there, take him. Flacco, right now, is probably considered more of a 3rd-4th rounder, with his stock moving up. He could wind up being the no. 3 QB in the draft. I'd stay away from Woodson personall. I do like him though, and I think 3 years with a real good QB coach and QB in front of him to teach him, he can be pretty darn good. But I don't see us being able to develop him since he seems to need to most work of all the top QB prospects. Wouldn't hate the pick, but I'd probably prefer both Flacco and Henne over him if we went the QB route.

 

b. Stay away from Adarius Bowman and Mario Manningham in the 2nd. Both have huge bust risks and Bowman can't catch a ball if his life depended on it. 3rd maybe, but not 2nd. I like Earl Bennett and Early Doucet, but neither really have a whole lot of upside. I am a huge fan of Devin Thomas, and I think come draft time, he's a 1st rounder. Would love to see him drafted. Sweed would also be a good pick, but his speed scares me.

 

c. I personally see RB getting addressed through FA and getting someone like Turner or Fargas. But if we did go the draft route. the only one of those 4 that I'd pick is Jamaal Charles. Has a tremendous amount of upside.

 

d. I think DT is more of a later round need.

 

My advise to you is go with Brohm first and foremost if he's there. If not, either Devin Thomas, Limas Sweed, or Joe Flacco.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I would probably think long and hard about Stewart/Mendenhall and the Olineman. I don't think there is a WR on the board worth picking, but the RB's would be solid value picks at that spot as would the tackles (even though they aren't the lineman).

 

The only question would be what Angelo truly thinks of Benson. If he has faith the Bears won't draft a pick that early and will instead bring in a veteran backup. If they don't, you will see them pick a RB in one of the first two rounds.

[Pixote]

Hey dawhizz, who did we pick up in the draft after the 1st round? Be sure to keep us updated!!

[dawhizz]

I just finished up, and I personally can't imagine the draft going much better for us than this, with the exception of safety, which just isn't a great position this year, and guard, which is also kind of weak. Here's the breakdown (4 rounds):

 

1) Jeff Otah, OT, Pitt - As I mentioned before, Clady went #5 and Kenny Phillips went right before me. I decided to pass on QB, figuring it wasn't a big need for a lot of the rest of the teams, and I went for the best potential LT on the board. Good thing too, because there was a big run on OL at the end of the first, beginning of the second, where Williams, Baker, Cherilus, & Nicks all went off the board before my second round pick. Smart move on my part because:

2) Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville - Not that it's actually going to happen, but how about this good fortune? Neither Woodson nor Brohm got selected in the first (the Ravens took Ryan). The Falcons took Woodson in the second, and when the Panthers took Carl Nicks right before me, I couldn't make the Brohm pick fast enough.

3a) Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State - Heading into the middle rounds, I wanted a big WR, a safety, and was comfortable going BPA after that between OG and RB. The 3rd seemed like a good time to go WR, so I took the one with the biggest upside in Thomas (passing on Earl Bennett, Andre Caldwell, and DJ Hall). He was pretty dominant last year for the Spartans and could easily be a 2nd round pick in the actual draft. Pretty happy with this pick.

3b) Craig Steltz, S, LSU - Probably the only pick that might be considered a bit of a reach, but I really wanted a big safety who can TACKLE and Steltz definitely fit the bill. Plus, I wanted a guy with big-time college experience, not another Central Missouri State Tech A&M guy who would have a hard time adjusting to the NFL (see: Roosevelt Williams, Daneil Manning, etc). Steltz had a great year for LSU and has the size I was looking for (6'2" 210).

4) Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia - I was pretty set on BPA here. I was hoping a decent OG would fall, but it didn't happen (though I considered Chilo Rachal from USC), and I thought hard about Trevor Laws, the DT from Notre Dame. In the end, Slaton was far and away the best player left on my board (perhaps due to some confusion by the other GMs over whether or not he declared) I just don't trust our RBs and I couldn't pass up Slaton's pure speed. Someone in that backfield has to step up.

 

So, there's your first round rounds of the Bears draft. If pressed to go on, I probably would have gone OG in the fifth, DT in the sixth, and who cares in the 7th. If anyone's interested in how the whole draft went, I can post the list.

[BearSox]

If we got Otah, Brohm, and Thomas with our first 3 picks, I would wet myself.